Schools : Oppression In Schools

The women’s rights movement began in 1848, this was supposed to mark the beginning of equality and the end of sexism, but that is not the case. Dress codes in schools are a major discussion in today’s society. Many people argue that dress codes are a good idea, and it helps rid schools of distraction, but others argue that it is enforcing rape culture, sexualising women, and labeling females as property. School dress code should not be forced onto any child who attends a school because females should not be more worried about their style of clothes affecting boys over their own education. In addition dress codes are heavily influencing rape culture and sexism.

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.

I agree with few school dress code standards such as “less competition, pressure or other distractions from academics” and uniformity, though many public school districts take advantage of the authority they have over the young mindsets (OCadiz). While having influence over young minds, administrators have suppressed one group, allowing another group to have more freedom than ever. Discriminating against a young woman’s rights to express herself simply because she is a “distraction” is disconcerting. We often wonder why some men grow to be cruel to women, but have you ever thought this behavior could have been recognized while in their primary and secondary schooling? Administrators also argue that school is for learning and not expressing oneself, but where do children spend the majority of their time? If children can not express themselves in school, where else can they?

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.

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.

At the Etobicoke School for the Arts, students have started to fight back. Many protests have been happening all over the Durham region, student have been breaking the dress code in large groups or missing classes to hold protesting signs up outside for the schools. It is interesting to see that both males and females can agree that the schools are using the dress to exploit and oppress women and are starting to fight back. Student Evette Reay was sent home for wearing something completely harmless. However, her teacher claimed that her dress was too short and because this was the third time Reay broke the dress code, she was suspended from school for three days.

“Hey you, with the short dress, come with me to the office!” The amount of times this demanding dialogue is heard by a high school student, barked by an administrator, is abundant without measure. School dress codes are getting completely out of hand. Students everyday are getting sent home frequently too much, distracting them from their main purpose which is to learn. which is to learn. in attending school, to learn. Girls are unable to wear dresses, that they attend church with to school, without receiving disciplinary actions from an administrator. Boys are unable to wear tank tops or inappropriate graphic tees, but with all these regulations, there is a fine and very vague line, of what is appropriate and what is not. The time wasted,

A recent analysis was released based on 13 southern states where suspensions and expulsion rates are overwhelmingly higher for black students than they are of white students. The director of the Council of state Governments Justice Center, a nonprofit policy group, stated that “blacks are more likely to be expelled in situations where teachers or school leaders have discretion on deterring how to resound to behavior, such as when a student is deemed disrespectful or defiant or violates a dress code.” Educators are prepared for educating students but are not prepared to deal with personalities that they don’t understand. “People are doing their jobs or living their lives, and do not understand themselves as agents of oppression.”(Young pg.42) Studies have shown that students who are expelled or suspended are more likely to get into trouble and end up with criminal backgrounds, than students who are not removed from school. (New York Times)

Dress codes treat students unfairly, mainly targeting females. Many students across the nation-particularly girls- are agreeing with school dress codes being too strict and giving unfair treatment to females. A student from Kentucky was sent home for showing her collarbone, a student from Texas was sent home for wearing yoga pants and an oversized t-shirt that completely covered her backside. A teacher explained that when girls don’t meet the school dress code regulations, they are told they

As someone who has attended public schools in low-income communities, it is now clear that there is an existence of militaristic approaches to the treatment of students. We are taught that we should be quiet at all times, to stand in line with our hands in our backs, speak when spoken to, and many more practices. By the time we would get to middle school, we knew how to behave and treat our teachers as the rulers of the classrooms and they would have no trouble with us because we had been conditioned to act a certain way. Having this approach prevents students from exploring their creativity or their own freedom. We, low-income individuals, do not think that we are being oppressed by individuals who look like us, but we are. The sense of oppression

Schools claim that student dress codes are never meant target a group of students. "The notion that girls' clothing affects the way boys learn is not, and never will be, our message," they denied that they acted because leggings distract boys, as has been alleged by some parents (nydailynews web). But on the other hand, here is a quote that sums up the point that I am trying to express, "It's not like these girls are dressing up like street corner gals, right? I mean, it's sweatshirts and comfy pants," says Juliet Bond, an author and professor of women's studies at a Chicago liberal arts

On behalf of all Teens we hold these truths to be obvious, that all students are created equal and are given by the rights of Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness. We want to be concern about our school rules, Teachers, and uniform.

Everyone knows what getting dress-coded is but why does it happen? Enforcing dress codes is a way to maintain a professional learning environment, however, dress codes desperately need to be updated constantly in order to work. Current dress codes are improperly enforced, as well as improperly targeted toward women. The issue should not be that a woman's shoulder is distracting, the issue is that a boy “cannot learn” because he cannot keep himself under control when presented with the sight of skin. In addition, dress codes teach women that it is their fault when men sexualize them, therefore increasing the idea in rape culture that it is the victim's fault and that "Boys will be boys." The way that dress codes are currently enforced is unfair, sexist, and unjust.

“Nineteen percent of the 7,800 students in middle and high schools across the country said they were prevented from wearing clothes deemed ‘inappropriate’ based on their gender” (Sorto, 2016). Considering the number of students surveyed, this percentage is significantly larger than one would think. This survey demonstrates that teenagers constantly feel victimized by their dress codes when class is stopped in order for them to be told to cover up. The issue of sexist dress codes has started a movement all around the United States, and other countries as well, with women fighting back. Protests and petitions have been made and although there has been some progress, there are still ways to go. Girls have been sent home from school, women have

The problem that is taking place in Alvord High is that the enforcement of the dress code is an unfair and prejudice act that has no viable reasoning to why it was put in place to begin with. An interview with the Principal of our school revealed a lot about what goes on inside the “Great” minds of our school.