Should College Students Wear Dress Codes

Good Morning, it is with great pleasure that I write this letter of support for Orion Edwards in his application for the University of Guelph McKendry-Baker Memorial Scholarship.

The dress code specifically bans tank tops with straps less than one inch thick, anything with visible cleavage or exposing the mid drift, cut-off shorts or shorts and pants with holes, and shorts and skirts shorter than fingertip length. The only rule applying directly to boys is prohibiting the “sagging of shorts or pants.” Not only do these rules single out girls, but “[a]t any time, a staff member or administrator may prohibit a student from wearing certain apparel to school.” Because of this addendum, I have seen girls singled out specifically for their clothing. More than once, I have witnessed administration follow a student through the halls, then wait until class starts

First of all, the thought that dress codes are supposed to be created equally and fairly is absolutely mind blowing. Author, Ellen Friedrichs, provides many facts and myths about dress code that makes you think differently about the whole situation. Friedrichs points out, "So, far from putting all students on equal footing, dress codes disproportionately affect certain students more than others and the idea that a dress code will prevent students from noticing difference is laughable"(Friedrichs). Going along with her statement, instead of boys feeling attacked; it is more girls that feel that way. The dress code policy is more directed towards girls and how they dress rather than the boys. If anything, the administration should feel guilty for body shaming girls and making them feel insecure and ashamed of their bodies. All girls come in all different shapes and sizes. A shirt that looks modest on one girl may look completely different on another due to her body shape. Boys and girls should be free to dress however they want and what makes them feel confident. Dress code destroys all individuality and creativity. The claim the administration made about dress code towards girls is that, some clothes that girls wear distract boys from their work. Girls should not be blamed for the immaturity of boys.

Why Student Dress Codes Should Be Limited Dress codes date back to the time of kings and queens. They were made to control what the people wore, what colors they could wear, and what style of clothing certain groups of people could and could not wear. Student dress codes are put in place to help keep a safe and comfortable learning environment, no matter what gender, race, religion, sexuality etc. They unfairly control what students can and can not wear. Although student dress codes have good intentions, they are unfair and need to be limited because they are too strict on female students, take students out of class and send them down the wrong path, and teach girls the wrong things.

In addition to, some people think school dress codes are fair and do not target a specific gender. Some girl test the limits by wear a crop top or short shorts with tights under them. Yes dress code is great to a certain extent. Why can the school board not cut slack and get on the girls full on breaking the rules. Finally, schools need to stop targeting girls and being sexist towards them, be less harsh on girls and their clothes.

Students all over the United States are believe that school dress codes are are biased and sexist. Many people are finding ways to protest against the dress codes, for example The Atlantic says, "'I’ve never seen a boy called out for his attire even though they also break the rules,' says Sunseri, who last summer produced Shame: A Documentary on School Dress Code, a film featuring interviews with dozens of her classmates and her school principal, that explores the negative impact biased rules can have on girls’ confidence and sense of self." This shows that the dress codes are destroying girls, confidence causing them to have low self-esteem. This is also just one way that people are protesting against dress codes. Even adults do not agree with the dress codes in schools. Choices

I think that dress code shouldn’t be as big a deal as its given credit for. The girls are usually the only ones who are called out on it. I think if we come to school with clothes on, everyone should be happy. If I could make one change to dress code, it would be allowing girls to wear off-the-shoulder tops because girls are not objects, it gets really hot in classrooms, and they’re very fashionable!

Most schools have dress codes in place within reason: no crop tops, no short shorts, and no provocative clothing. Sometimes, the school's expectations of clothing cross the line. Some schools say that girls who wear leggings without a long shirt or a shirt that "doesn't fit them right" should have to change. Not every person

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

Depression has presented itself in society well before the scientists of today were able to begin research and truly try to understand this disease. Depression in its earliest form was known as “melancholia”. The earliest accounts of melancholia appeared in ancient Mesopotamian texts in the second millennium B.C. ("Mental Help Historical Understandings of Depression Comments", 2007). Mental illness back during these times were thought to be of demonic possessions and/or punishments from the almighty God. Society at this time did not believe that there was a problem that was taking place in the brain and changing the behaviors of individuals affected by the diagnosis. Darkness Visible by William Styron is vulnerable account of his own stretch

As the temperature rises, so do hemlines and the suspension rate. Students get suspended for violating school dress codes by wearing outfits that ‘show too much skin.’ One can argue that revealing clothing is distracting, but some families and students agree that school dress code implementations end up just shaming girls. Dress codes, the epitome of high school, teach girls to act ashamed, not modest. According to most school boards that come up with the dress code, the outfits young women wear come across as too distracting for their peers, especially men, and make it unable for women to be viewed by the public with dignity and respect. Everyday, school dress codes target females—especially females that are more developed.

In the United States, almost every school has a dress code. That dress code should apply to both males and females, but that’s not always the case. Schools all over the map have been targeting women on the way they dress, and the usual accusation is that it’s “too distracting” for male classmates. Stephanie Dunn from Kentucky is a victim of this accusation. She wore a pair of jeans, a tank-top, and a white cardigan to her high school and got sent home for showing her collarbones. Her mother brought her a scarf to put over her outfit and the principal still deemed it as too inappropriate and too distracting for the male classmates in her classes.

Most dress codes for girls include things like “no showing thighs, collarbones, or deep necklines,” whereas most dress codes for boys include outrageous rules such as “no hats.” It’s clear that there is an unbalance when it comes to clothing rules. In 2015, CNN reported, “Last year, more than 200 students on New York's Staten Island -- almost all of them female -- got detentions over dress code infractions. In Florida, students were publicly shamed for violating dress code by being forced to wear ‘shame suits.’" Those shame suits consisted of dirty sweatpants worn by other people and yellow t-shirts that read “Dress Code Works!” In what world is that

“ Touch your toes. If anything shows, go change your clothes.” Most people have heard this small jingle, mostly in school days. Dress code. Everyone’s heard of dress codes. You either have it, don’t want it, or do want it at your school. Some think it’s stupid, while others think it’s necessary. Well what most people don’t think is that a dress-code can be a bully.

The school dress code is one of the most enforced school policies of all time for students of any age and gender. Of course, everyone has an opinion about what clothing is up to par in society; however, according to the school system, middle school and high school girls are all, how the students put it, whorish. Because of this label, there are very specific rules, right down to the T, about what students can and cannot wear while on school grounds.