Video: Father of 4 strips down to spaghetti-strap crop top, short shorts at school board meeting to protest more lenient dress code proposal

A father of four recently stripped down to a spaghetti-strap crop top and short shorts at a Gilbert, Arizona, school board meeting to protest a more lenient dress code proposal at his kids' school district.

What are the details?

“Under the proposed policy, this would be appropriate in a classroom,” Ira Latham told the governing board members of the Higley Unified School District last month as he removed his shirt and pants, revealing a much more — ahem — revealing getup.

Image source: YouTube screenshot, composite

Latham added to the board members, "If you ask me, this is inappropriate for a board meeting," KPNX-TV reported.

The station said Latham spoke at a prior meeting but thought he needed to make a "statement" to strengthen his position.

And off came his clothes. Latham added to KPNX that he purchased the crop top and short shorts at a thrift store.

“The dress code that they wanted to get to is just basically a dress code for a public pool. Make sure that kids cover their underwear, and that’s about it,” he told the station in a subsequent interview — fully clothed, in case you're wondering.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

“These are my babies; these are my kids. I’m concerned about them,” Latham added to KPNX. "My concerns were about preparing students for entering the workforce. Setting the right expectations [and] having respect for other students in the classroom."

What's the background?

Board discussions about updating its student dress code policy commenced in May, the station said, adding that the rules had not been changed since 2001.

Some of the five board members advocated for a new, looser dress code policy, eliminating restrictions around tank tops, showing midriff, and more, KPNX said.

The station noted that the new recommended policy reads, "Clothing must cover all private body parts and/or undergarments and must not be see-through. Undergarment waistbands and/or straps that are incidentally visible under clothing are permitted; however, undergarments may not be worn as clothing."

Of the proposed new policy, board member Amanda Wade said, "These are kids. They’re not at a job, and I recognize at the end of the day, this is the most job that they have, but we need to allow freedom,” KPNX said.

Governing board President Tiffany Shultz added, "We're saying that they need to cover up because of the way it might make someone else feel, and that is wrong," the station said.

Board Member Anna Van Hoek was in favor of more modesty, KPNX said: “If we are prepping our children to be college and career ready, then they need to learn to be able to have self-respect, and that doesn’t include showing off their body parts."

The school board met in August to discuss the proposed policy and again in September, the station said.

The verdict?

Despite Latham's protest, KPNX said the board voted 3-2 to approve the new, more lenient dress code.

“It’s gonna get harder for the teachers to have to deal with this new policy," Latham told the station. "It’s gonna be distracting in the classroom, and ... some parents [will] wanna pull their kids out of the district."

KPNX said it reached out to the school district by phone and email requesting an interview, but the district had not responded.

Debate over student dress code at Gilbert school districtyoutu.be

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