Campus Wear
Purpose Statement: The Dress Policy of ECA will reflect the school’s identity as a Christian educational community, by providing a standard which will help students balance expressions of individuality with obligations to others.
In light of ECA’s mission – assist families in their Biblical responsibility to train their children to become Christ-like and to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives in the home, church and society, what is our “Biblical responsibility” regarding a dress policy?
A dress policy based on Biblical principles does not mean that there is one set of clothing that is “Christian” and another that isn’t (i.e., there is nothing “spiritual” about a collar). Continuing attempts to resolve this matter do suggest, however, that some fundamentally sound reasons exist for providing students with guidelines for dress. A Biblical approach to dress policy is one which will be neither burdensome nor legalistic; for, as Jesus teaches in Matt. 11:29-30, His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. A reasonable dress code should not frustrate the students who must abide by it, nor the faculty and administrators who must enforce it. It must be both clear and easily complied with, in order that the educational process will not be encumbered by excessive attention to dress matters. Neither should dress standards pose an undue financial hardship on parents who are struggling to provide a Christian education for their children.
A Biblical approach to dress must be purposeful, designed to complement other educational and character-building efforts. One argument against any standard of dress has been that it offers only a superficial solution to what is really a matter of the heart - a spiritual problem. While ultimately this is one of many “heart issues” students will face, we can identify various ways that God is using external means to foster students’ spiritual growth at ECA
