And students, not schools, would set dress codes for the events, a state Board of Education committee has recommended.

The Committee on Student Services unanimously approved the rule yesterday at the urging of board Chairman Mitsugi Nakashima, who was irritated with a policy that kept 17 students on his home island of Kauai from walking the line at Waimea High School in June.

"It seems that schools, in their desire to establish zero tolerance toward negative student behavior and conduct, become less than 'gentler and kinder' learning places," Nakashima said in a memo to the committee. Waimea High students were excluded from commencement if they had more than 14 unexcused absences.

Waimea High Principal Wallace Kawane said the action was needed to combat the school's high truancy and low graduation rates.

If approved by the school board, the policy would open graduation to all students who meet the requirements for a diploma and do not owe library or other fines.

An earlier version of the proposed rule said schools may set dress codes for commencement exercises, but at the recommendation of student board member Pedro Haro, the committee changed that to say that the graduating class may set the dress codes.

Committee Chairman Robert Fox said there was no previous rule about dress codes at graduation ceremonies, but several schools have established codes.

The new policy would give that power to the students themselves.

Board member Francis McMillen said students should be the ones making decisions about their graduations.