To: The Principal and the School Administration of Pacific Pines State School

We, the undersigned students, parents, and community members, formally request that Pacific Pines State School allow students the freedom to choose their attire for the upcoming graduation ceremony.

Graduation is a significant milestone—a transition into adulthood and a celebration of years of hard work. Forcing students into a rigid, one-size-fits-all dress code undermines this celebration and ignores our diverse identities, cultures, and legal rights.

Why this matters:

1. Cultural Heritage and Identity

Many students in our community wish to wear traditional or cultural attire (such as First Nations stoles, Pasifika lei, or other heritage garments) to honour their families and backgrounds. Under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld), schools must not discriminate based on race or religion. Restricting cultural dress at a major life event can be seen as a failure to uphold these protections.

2. Human Rights and Freedom of Expression

Under the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld), every person has the right to freedom of expression (Section 21). This includes the right to express one’s identity through clothing. As a public entity, the school has a legal obligation to act compatibly with human rights and to give proper consideration to these rights when making decisions about dress codes.

3. Inclusion and Gender Identity

Rigid dress codes often enforce outdated gender norms. Queensland’s Student Dress Code Procedurerequires schools to be inclusive. Students must have the right to choose clothing that aligns with their gender identity and personal comfort, ensuring no student feels excluded or distressed on their graduation day.

4. Legal Limits on Enforcement

According to the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld), while a principal can set a dress code, it must be done in consultation with the P&C and the community. Furthermore, the Department of Education states that students cannot be suspended or excluded from school for dress code non-compliance. We believe preventing a student from walking the stage due to their choice of respectful attire is an unreasonable and disproportionate consequence.

Our Request:

We call on the school administration to:

Amend the graduation dress code to allow for "Formal/Respectful Personal Choice."

Explicitly permit cultural and traditional dress as a way to celebrate our school’s diversity.

Respect the Human Rights Act by allowing students to express their identity without fear of being excluded from the ceremony.

Let us walk the stage as our true selves.