3: Modesty:

School uniforms can only regulate an external appearance of modesty. True modesty is an internal, heart issue. That is why KCA would like to ask every student (and parent) to work from their hearts to create a truly modest atmosphere where (1) God is exalted, and where (2) love governs our treatment of others.

(1) WHERE GOD IS EXALTED: When you dress for school, we would ask that you honor the holy image of God that He has placed within in you (see: Genesis 1:27). The Latin words for this concept are "Imago Dei", or created in God's image. It is a marvelous thing to be made in God's image, and the way that you dress yourself can be an act of worship toward Him. Of course, uniforms are not essential for worship. Jesus certainly did not wear khaki pants and polo shirt! Furthermore, it is entirely possible for someone wearing a uniform to dishonor God. One of the biggest dangers of regulating external appearances is that we can easily become distracted from seeking to worship God from our hearts (i.e. the Pharisees in the New Testament with their "uniforms!") Let's not let that happen.

(2) WHERE LOVE GOVERNS OUR TREATMENT OF OTHERS: When you dress for school, we would also ask that you love your classmates enough to refrain from wearing things that might cause another child to stumble. This is "agape" love, the type of love that seeks the good of others above self. It can sometimes be difficult to forfeit attention for yourself for the sake of protecting the minds and hearts of your friends. Yet, when you make this decision, you are expressing great humility and trusting God to exalt you in His time. (Matthew 23:12)

Several modesty-related requests that our board would make of students attending KCA are:

1.) Please don't wear your clothes too tight.

2.) Please don't let your stomach or underwear show at school.

3.) Shorts or skirts should not be shorter than where your fingertips fall at your side. (Girls: please wear bike shorts under skirts or jumpers that are shorter than knee length.)

4.) Please don't let insecurity drive you to try to get attention.

Parents can also love the leadership of K.C.A. by exhibiting a gentle, respectful attitude toward our clothing rules. Different K.C.A. families will inevitably differ in their beliefs on attire. Many churches and Christian organizations currently wrestle with this issue on a daily basis; and, there are "good" arguments on many different sides of the spectrum. However, it is our goal at K.C.A. to maintain a gracious, respectful atmosphere, despite our differences.

If you personally disagree with certain specifics in the dress code, feel free to communicate your suggestions to the school board in writing. Still, we humbly ask that you defer to the present practice and speak respectfully of these matters in your home. We ask this to promote an attitude of respect and unity within the school.

If we can all operate from a respectful, loving mindset, clothing issues should be virtually painless for our school.

Note: The school administrator and/or the KCA Board retain the authority to determine the appropriateness of a given student's appearance. If the administrator notices that a given student is challenging the goal of a modest atmosphere, the administrator will speak with the student and/or his or her parents about the problem. If the problem persists, the school board reserves the right to remove the student from the school.