Shaler unveils new graduation gown with same colors for all graduates

Shaler Area School District unveiled a new graduation gown with colors and features that are the same for all students.

The gown is a navy robe with white and red fabric on the cuffs, which is paired with a navy mortarboard, all of which incorporate the school’s colors.

“The goal of the new graduation gown was to create a single, unified gown that was inclusive of the entire school district,” said Superintendent Sean Aiken.

Traditionally, graduating girls wore white while graduating boys donned blue gowns. “We moved away from that some years ago and students could choose to wear whatever color, regardless of their gender,” said Bethany Baker, district spokeswoman.

The majority of the class of 2022 chose to wear traditional gown colors, she said. However, many students did not, Baker added.

Since there has been discussion about graduation gowns for several years, the district last year assembled a committee of high school students, administrators and teachers to review options for one unified design, Baker said.

During a Shaler school board meeting in October last year, students voiced concerns about the safety of students in the LGBTQ community. They told the school board that some LGBTQ students were already bullied and the idea of changing the school tradition of gradation colors was causing more bullying.

In recent years there have been more discussions in the district about equity, inclusion, and belonging, which was not specific to graduation gowns, Baker said.

“We spent a lot of time in the district discussing how to create a more equitable and inclusive environment,” Baker said. “The focus on the graduation attire is just one piece of that discussion.”