Public School Dress Code Essay

Dress codes in middle and high schools are a form of discrimination against teenage girls in today’s society. Parents and students all over the country argue that dress codes are directed mainly at girls and are a blatant example of gender inequality. The idea behind the strict enforcement of a dress code is that it will teach self-respect and raise moral standards for the students. However, when the reason for many dress code violations is questioned the rationale is often to prevent distracting the male students. Young women across the country are being shamed and punished for wearing what schools consider immodest and being a distraction to their male peers. This discrimination against female students results in their clothes being strictly regulated and dress coded more often than male students’ clothes are. The enforcement of these discriminatory dress codes has become a form of public humiliation for female students. Theoretically, a dress code makes sense and should be effective. In reality, it does not affect how students dress but causes a distraction and interruption of a girl’s education.

To some, arguing over student dress code seems trivial and useless. To others, it goes deeper than that. Dress code might seem like the typical “first world problem”, but to the average high school student, gaining the freedom ‘no dress code’ grants is incredible. The fact of the matter is, the rigid enforcement of student dress code has gone too far in today 's society and dehumanizes us as citizens. Although school dress code attempts to promote modesty and protection, it also reinforces gender inequality, smothers individualism, is unconstitutional, and should not be enforced in public schools.

Any girl that has ever attended public school knows about the struggle of a dress code. On those hot days as the school year approaches, girls pour over their closets trying to find an outfit they won’t get called out for or sweat to death in. All their dresses are too revealing, their shorts too short, and their shirts reveal way too much shoulder—or so the schools say. Girls have been attacked time and time again with dress codes. Policies are almost always directed strictly towards girls; some even specify for girls only. These dress codes are not only sexist towards women, but they limit female’s freedom of expression and their choice to feel comfortable, and they do not teach female’s to have self confidence.

Schools are slowly taking away people 's individuality, but only seems like they are focusing on girls not boys. “ The way boys and girls get in trouble for violating dress codes is different and girls are disproportionately targeted for disobeying it” (“Rosalind Classroom Conversation”). Rosalind agrees that girls are targeted for dress codes more than boys are. In a girls point of view it seems unfair that boys can wear anything they would like, for example muscle shirts, shirts with alcohol, shirts with naked women on them, but not even get dress coded or a warning (Bassett). Meanwhile, a student that was a girl gotten dress coded because her collarbone was showing and it was deemed that it was inappropriate, even after her mother brought her a scarf in that covered her collarbone (Alvarez). Another student which was also a girl got dress coded because her skirt was a few centimeters under her finger tip. They had to send her home, she had missed all her classes and what they were teaching that day because of what they thought it was inappropriate (Bassett). Analuiza states that “ The only reason I go to school is to get my education. When I get dressed in the morning, my intention is not to provoke or be sexualized. My intention is to feel comfortable in my own skin” (Bassett). As a girl I believe that Analuiza is correct with what she had stated, that girls should be able to feel comfortable, and not be sexualized or feel like they are

In the article, “The Battle Over Dress Codes” written by Peggy Orenstein, explains the dress code of Berkley Middle School from a mother’s point of view. This mother of argues that young girls who are reaching puberty and whose bodies are growing, are being told to cover up once they start to develope. She says, “In May, students in Utah high school opened their yearbooks to discover digitally raised necklines and sleeve added to female classmates’ shirts.” I find this act highly deceitful and unnecessary. If i was that student or that student’s parent, I’d be very upset. Orenstein also states that “seductiveness” has been an issue for girls, which has become politicized. Although, no matter how we’re dressed, there is no excuse for catcalls from older men. Orenstein says, “I don’t want her to feel shame in her soon-to-be-emerging

America, the “land of the free, and home of the brave.” Unfortunately, this doesn 't mean “land of the free to wear whatever one desires.” In fact, school dress codes are taking away American students’ self expression, infringing on their freedom of speech, and enforcing sexist discrimination all over the country. A recent case, that occurred at Tottenville High School in Staten Island, New York, blatantly displays the negative effects dress codes are having on students, especially females. In the first couple of days of the semester, this high school managed to give 200 detentions to students for violating the dress code. Ironically enough, 90 percent of these students were girls (Swafford). The discouraging part is that schools are easily able to get away with this kind of discrimination. This is made possible by state laws that give school boards the power to enforce whatever dress codes they think are necessary to promote a distraction free learning environment, maintain discipline, and to push students to dress similarly in order to create a uniformity in the schools (“School Dress Codes”). The purpose of dress codes may be to create a distraction free learning environment; in reality, however, they produce an environment where students feel discriminated against and aren 't free to express themselves.

It is of no possible argument that some of the most valuable and lasting ideas of life and the world around us are taught and learned at school. Hard work does you well. Cheaters never prosper. Education is the key to success. Girls bodies are a distraction and objects to be inevitably sexualized and harassed. This may sound over exaggerated, but this is the message beings sent to millions of students near and far by the sexist, self-esteem demolishing, unfocused dress codes in schools today. This said, dress codes in schools create a negative environment, putting the focus on the wrong things and ideas, both promoting rape culture and a strong sense of sexism.

School dress codes are very sexist and to demonstrate that Lindsay establishes credibility. Not only does Lindsay use credible sources she, herself, is a reliable source. Lindsay has lived through high school with the administration shaming women and promoting rape culture. Rowena is a female writing about how dress codes are sexist towards females. In the article she quotes Laura Bates, The Boston Latin School Change.org petition, Dr. Larry Wilder, Maggie Sunseri, and Liliana Severin. The people she quotes are credible because they all have done extensive research on this topic. One example is Laura Bates, she said, “Often they report hearing phrases like, ‘boys will be boys,’ from teachers…. Girls are receiving very clear messages that male behavior, male entitlement to your body in public space is socially acceptable, but you will be punished,” (Rowena, 3). Lindsay shows Bates’s knowledge on this topic by stating she is a Founder of The Everyday Sexism Project.

By interrupting instruction time because of dress, authorities sent girls the message that covering their bodies is more important than their education. This action tells women that their bodies are something to be ashamed of (Source B). This association of their bodies to shame can and does adversely affect their view of themselves. Everyone should have the right to an education and self-expression. By enforcing unjust rules women are denied this leading to lowered self-esteem.

A common theme in the discussion is that dress coding promotes victim shaming amongst girls. Students in question are made to feel ashamed for questioning the decisions of their teachers. Tallie Doyle, a fourteen year old dress coded for wearing a tank top that showed her bra straps, is a notable example in this regard. After being taken to the principal’s office, Tallie

People in America nust relize that the this country is filled with people of different cultural backgrounds. Along with the different clturals comes the fashion. Many Muslim women wear hijab and burkas from the age of puberty. The Tznuit laws of Orthodox Jews present modesty laws prohibiting the baring of elbows, knees and even the wearing of open-toed shoes. Both men and women are supposed to stick with “demure colors” and married women cover their hair with a wig or head covering. Pentacostal and Evangelical Christians, as well as Mormons, Quakers and Amish, all have dress codes. Biblical verse admonishes women for wearing “pearls or gold, adorning their hair, or wearing expensive clothing.” ( Cone, 2015). Unfortunately, women are taught shame from a young age. For example, in middle school and so forth, within schools, girls are constantly told to "cover up." Dress code policies are forced down girls' throats. Despite whether certain dress codes should be in effect or not, when it comes to girls being punished and sent home from school for wearing shorts on a hot day because their clothing is deemed "distracting," says a great deal about the mindset in our society. Instead of policing girls and scorning them for wanting to be comfortable, why are we not questioning and putting the spotlight on certain boys who lack self-control when they see a spaghetti strap? Issues such as body image and sexuality also provoke intense discussions about policing women's bodies. In terms

The author penned, “there’s also the disruption and humiliation that enforcing the attire rules can pose during school. Frequently, students are openly called out in the middle of class, told to leave and change, and sometimes, to go home and find a more appropriate outfit. In some instances, girls must wear brightly colored shirts that can exacerbate the embarrassment, emblazoned with words like, ‘Dress Code Violator’,”(Zhou).

Laura Bates wrote a very controversial article on May 22, 2015. Her two page article, “How Dress Codes Shames Girls and Perpetuates Rape Culture,” set a tone that is hard to forget. Laura includes detailed examples that capture her readers attention and open one’s eyes to the harm that public school dress codes are doing, not only to the physical image of a girl, but to the self-esteem of many girls as well. There are many thoughts and emotions that follow this topic, because of the many girls that have been affected personally by dress codes, or rather, dress code violations. In this groundbreaking article, the question of whether or not a school dress code shames girls and perpetuates rape culture is answered.

The argument goes on to express that girls are being humiliated in front of not only teachers and administrators, but also in front of their class mates and peers. The teachers say, “We just want them to respect themselves” (Manicotti). The teachers are referring to the way that the girls are dressed in school. Also with humiliating the girls; schools are indoctrinating a mindset that is “Harmonious with rape culture” (Manicotti). The next argument to address is the unfair rules that are being set and enforced by teachers. For instance, if a boy is not dressed to code, the only punishment he will get is being “Respectfully asked to adhered to the dress code in the future” (Manicotti). If a female is wearing a skirt that is a few inches shorter than the required length, females would be asked to go to the office, or be expelled for defying school rules. Not only are those some of the consequences a female might face when not following school dress code, they may also be singled out at a school assembly, asked to change clothes, or even sent home for the day for not being in proper dress code attire. Lastly, if boys have different rules from girls, they are being told they are not responsible for their actions, because girls are provoking them. “Second, ripping dress-code-violating girls out of class and sending them home prioritizes the rights of the boys (to learn without

One article from nydailynews follows a story about a public school's ban on the popular clothing item: leggings. “Younger girls often wear them as pants with little fuss. But as those same girls approach middle school, leggings have become a clothing accessory that's increasingly controversial — and seemingly, the favorite new target of the school dress code. Some schools have banned leggings outright. Others have set limits. Haven Middle School in Evanston, just north of Chicago, took what turned out to be a contentious stand: If you wear leggings, you need to have a shirt or skirt over them that reaches at least down to your fingertips. In other words, girls need to cover their behinds.” (nydailynews web). These girls do not mean to cause controversy, they just want to wear what is comfortable! This is a quote from Kate Green, a girl who has seen the effects of the dress code rules first handedly, "I've also seen skinny, smaller girls walking around in leggings every week and never, ever getting caught for it," says Kate Green, a seventh-grader at Haven who concedes that she probably fits that category herself. She's had warnings, she said, but never more than that, when other girls have had to put their gym shorts over their outfits if they’re in dress code violation.” (nydailynews