150 Monrovia High Students Walk Out of Classes Over Dress Code Aimed at Gangs

About 150 Monrovia High School students walked out of class for two hours Thursday to protest a new dress code adopted by the school board Wednesday night that bans clothing considered to be sexually provocative or associated with gang activity.

Students were most upset with the new rule that prohibits wearing caps that are not medically or religiously required. Hats with the school insignia are allowed with the principal’s approval.

“This thing is going to grow and grow until they put us into uniforms,” said freshman Belinda Shultz, who participated in the walkout Thursday. “If you take away (gang members’) clothing, they’ll find something else to identify themselves with.”

Student Body President Jesse Romero urged his schoolmates to end the protest until officials “start taking away stuff they shouldn’t be taking away. If they try to take your tennis shoes, let me know,” he said, promising to lead a full walkout if necessary.

By noon most students had returned to class.

The code, which takes effect Monday, was compiled at the request of faculty throughout the 5,440-student district, Supt. Don Montgomery said.

Other than hats, the code does not specify what clothing is banned. The principal, assistant principal or a designee will determine what clothing or accessories--including shoelaces, bandannas, wristbands and jewelry--are worn to indicate gang involvement.

Board members told an angry group of parents and students Wednesday night that Monrovia lags behind districts such as Los Angeles and Pasadena in establishing a code, saying it will help control the gang situation in schools.

“Rights aren’t arbitrarily going to be denied,” said Director of Curriculum Richard Hill, responding to parents’ fears that expensive sports jackets and shoes might be banned.

But Patrick Hooven, a Monrovia High teacher, said the small number of gang members who attend the 1,200-student school are not a big problem. “We may be making decisions (based) on what I’d term hysteria,” he said.

Romero said, at most, there are 50 gang members or “wannabes” on campus.

“There are so many more of us normal kids than gang members,” he said. “To be afraid of such a small minority is ridiculous.”