After two years of hotly contested debate spread across 16 meetings and eight community presentations, the Greater Victoria School District board of education has ratified a new student dress code policy.

On Monday, SD61 trustees approved a policy B次元官网网址渃ommitted to providing students with learning environments that are safe, responsive, and inclusive,B次元官网网址� that will form part of the districtB次元官网网址檚 code of conduct.

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Trustee Jordan Watters, who first championed the change in policy in 2016, called it a B次元官网网址渘ew era of equity in our districtB次元官网网址� in a Facebook post.

Officially, the new policy B次元官网网址渟upports the dress code consistently and in a manner that does not reinforce or increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income or body type and size.B次元官网网址�

Of the 47 schools in SD61, only 22 B次元官网网址� primarily middle schools B次元官网网址� have dress codes.

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Previously, Watters said students B次元官网网址� primarily female B次元官网网址� have been removed from the classroom, asked to put on additional clothing, or singled out based on opinions from educators on what they deem appropriate attire to be.

The new policy aims to avoid such judgment calls and requires teachers, principals and parents to advise and consult with each other on an annual basis.

B次元官网网址淲ith our new policy in place we take the first step towards a future where no body is a distraction and all children are welcome to express themselves without fear of shame,B次元官网网址� Watters wrote.