The Importance Of Public School Dress Code

Certain teachers will let you wear something another teacher will not. In Fannett-Metal’s school dress code, it states that the dress code rules “are not limited to…” This leaves room for uncertainty in what is and is not appropriate to wear to school. This also gives teachers a way to dress code students when there is not a rule specifically states in the handbook. Another rule that is unfair to different people is the rule that shorts, skirts, and dresses must be past the middle finger of your hand when you put your arms down. Some people have longer arms or fingers than others, making it harder for them to find clothes that fit the dress code. Students can also shrug their shoulders up to make their arms appear shorter, therefor allowing them to wear shorter pants. “the way dress codes are enforced can mask double standards, insensitivity and

When it is 90 degrees outside a female student does not want to be in pants or a quarter length t-shirt, they want to be in shorts and tank top, just like boys, but this is a violation of dress code in many schools. Many schools have this as a rule because they do not want females provoking males to sexually harass them, but it is not the females fault. In an article about dress codes in public schools the author states, “proponents of these restrictions contend that such clothing leads to distractions in the classroom and encourages bullying, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault. Critics of these restrictions argue that they encourage the objectification of women and deny students the right to be comfortable” (Gale 2). A student should not feel uncomfortable or targeted in their learning environment. School is somewhere a student is supposed to feel safe and at home but this is not the case. Sexual harassment is also a concept that is mentioned when discussing school dress codes. Many people say that when breaking dress code females are provoking sexual harassment including this author who states in his article, “They contend that female students should not be held responsible for whether their classmates can pay attention, claiming that the uneven punishment perpetuates the idea that a woman harbors responsibility for any sexual harassment she experiences because of her fashion

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?

Many schools have clothing restrictions. Some schools have clothing restriction like showing someone's back or thighs is not allowed. This is not reasonable and this rule should change because women are not objects for men to look at, public schools should have freedom, and it causes most kids more stress.

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.

Is there anything more embarrassing than being dress coded at school? Enforcing a dress code among children is unfair because it not only discriminates against people but it destroys someone’s whole day. Dress codes and school uniforms are meant to increase student achievement and make everyone equal but instead it only hurts people. Most school dress codes are unnecessary and are sexist. Enforcing dress codes is suppose to boost student achievement but instead is racist, sexist and unnecessary. Schools should take into consideration their student 's feelings before they establish rules for dressing.

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.

The controversy about dress codes asks an important question: are dress codes targeting girls and transgender students? Several sites including:https://www.adl.org/education/resources/tools-and-strategies/table-talk/what's-fair-and-unfair-about-student-dress-codes, stated that when they spoke to girls they said they feel shamed and judged by dress codes. Are dress codes limiting students creativity. Should these girls really feel harassed men and boys at their school?

“School officials have a responsibility to provide a safe, secure, and productive learning environment.” Therefore, schools have dress codes because the safety of students is very important. A teacher’s number one priority is their student’s safety and to have a good learning environment. All students should have the same right to their education. Is the clothing the students wear distracting others from learning? It is distracting to others, but that is not the only reason why schools have dress codes. Schools also have dress codes because it helps prevent students from being bullied based on their clothing, especially if they wear something offensive or inappropriate. It also helps them prepare for professional environments as adults in the workplace.

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).

School dress codes send a loud and clear message, “Your individuality is inconvenient.” (Rowland 22). The constitution guarantees the right to free speech,which can be interpreted as the right to freedom of self expression, and students use clothing to express themselves. Another message that dress codes send is that “the self identity that you want to express does not belong here.” Self expression is not an inconvenience or a distraction, it is the lifeblood of our nation. (Rowland 22). Schools tell students that they should be confident in themselves, but how can they if they cannot express themselves? School dress codes now are more about shielding the boys then protecting the girls which implies that boys are immature. Calling a girl’s clothes distracting is implying that she is at fault for any disruptions. “That 's like saying that because a store has a cash register, it 's the store 's fault if it gets robbed!” (Menza 1). Students are going to be distracted anyways. Sexist dress codes are like saying that an article of clothing, or a body part showing on a female will distract male students from learning. Dress codes should be simple for both genders, everyone should wear clothing that covers up the same area. With dress codes, students are forced to dress the same as other students, taking the individuality out of school, but schools try to send the message, you are individual. Figure 1 shows a strict dress codes for both students and

I have been pulled out of a class to discuss my wardrobe because of the tank top I had on. That made me feel like I had separate rules than everyone else just because my peers could see something as irrelevant as my shoulders. I did not think that it was fair that I had to be pulled out of my class to be told to cover up, or to go to the nurse’s office and change, because my attire for that day was “inappropriate.” Although the boy that was sitting right next to me had on a cutoff, which exposed not only his shoulders, but his stomach too. Another situation I had in high school that pertained to my high schools dress code was during swim class. All girls had to wear a bathing suit, and could not wear any other sort of clothing. So, I followed the rules as usual. After getting changed and getting into the pool, my teacher stated, in front of my whole class, that my swimsuit was “too small,” and I had to get out and go change before someone got the wrong idea. I was not only mortified, I was devastated and emotionally hurt. I was so embarrassed to have been objectified like I was that day. School dress codes are meant to make everyone equal, but if we are not going to treat everyone as an equal, then we should not have a dress code in the first

When female students dress in code, they’re less likely to be targeted for every little thing they do. However, when that same student wears a slightly shorter pair of shorts, or a low-cut sweater, they’re harassed. Some schools argue that the code is to keep girls modest. In order to be modest you first must be sexualized, but who is qualified to run a school if they sexualize 14-18 year old girls? Students from various schools, boys and girls, are more likely to be distracted by a teacher calling someone out, than they are for a student wearing those items.

Dress codes teach children that girls’ bodies are dangerous, powerful, and sexualized. However, boys are biologically programmed to objectify and harass them. That is perfectly okay in society’s eye. It is a 99oF day. A girl goes to school with no air conditioning. She wears a racerback style tank top and shorts that reaches her mid-thigh. She is pulled out of class by her teacher to change into something more suitable for school. She says she does not have any other clothes. She is forced to change into a boy’s t-shirt and shorts. Another girl wore shorts and was given an in-school suspension. Her crime was wearing shorts that did not reach her fingertips. She comes in the next day with jeans and is sent to the nurse’s office for heat