Without a sun-protective clothing policy, a dispute might arise between teacher and student if a child should independently choose to wear long clothing, as opposed to the standard uniform, for a physical education class in California.
The California Ed. Code states: “Each schoolsite may set a policy related to the type of sun-protective clothing, including, but not limited to, hats, that pupils will be allowed to use outdoors...”
To help in the prevention of skin cancer, and to prevent student-teacher misunderstanding, here are some steps secondary schools can take:
Review the current physical education uniform for its sun protection capacity
Re-define the P.E. uniform to incorporate items that cover more skin
Consider adding hats (such as legionnaire-style caps) to the uniform
Recommend that uniform items be made of fabric that has a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of at least 15
Define allowed alternatives to the standard P.E. uniform for students who choose to cover more skin than the amount covered by the standard uniform
Communicate your clothing and hats policy to students, parents, and teachers
Develop strategies to actively encourage students to cover up and wear a hat for all outdoor activities including, but not limited to, physical education class