English 10 Samantha T.

February 2, 2019 Block 2

School Dress Codes

almost our whole lives. Some schools have uniforms but many schools claim they don't though

with all the dress codes some schools have they might as well have uniforms. For me the most

interesting part of this topic is how the genders of the students play a role. I don't believe there

are any dress codes for males at my school but if there are I've never seen them be enforced. I've

also never heard of a school having a dress code for males. Personally I find this to be offensive.

I hope that through this report I can help to simplify the amount of codes on dress codes. School

dress codes aren't something that only students have to deal with but so do parents and

teachers/staff, although I've had some teachers who have definitely broken dress code and had no

consequence.

I have come up with ten subtopics that I will be focussing on. The first is my schools

dress code. Then of course I will be looking at other schools dress codes around me, around my

country, around the world, and in areas with different weather conditions. Three other subtopics

will be what teachers/parents, female students, and male students think is considered to be

distracting. Then I will compare that to things that have been scientifically proven to be

distracting as my sixth subtopic. My seventh subtopic will be any other parts of the dress code

that are not necessarily like bracelets or necklaces. Then I will look into why certain dress codes

were made. As my ninth subtopic I will look at how dress codes affect everyday life. Finally I
will share what I and others think should change about school dress codes. For this assignment I

will be collecting data through questioning students, staff, and parents. There will be a variety of

questions, with at least one question for almost every subtopic I studied. One big challenge I will

face is finding out how enforced dress codes are because I would not be willing to get in trouble

for breaking the dress code, though I hope to change the dress code to be more practical.

About how many clothes do you have? Now how many of those clothes can you actually

wear to school without breaking the dress code? Some schools have uniforms and many have

dress codes. A lot of those dress codes are over the top. Some are impossible to follow. Most

have no codes for males. Females have too many codes to follow. We might as well just go to

school in sweatshirts and sweatpants everyday. Just make sure the sweatshirt’s hood is cut off! I

personally go to a school where you can have words on a shirt but some schools don’t even allow

that. No shoulders, shorts to fingertips, no belly shirts, no bra straps, no holes in jeans, no words

on shirts, no designs on shirts. It’s funny how guys can wear tank tops but girls can’t. If I started

staring at their shoulders would that change anything? Guys can have ripped jeans, why can’t I?

Is it because I don’t have hair on my legs? Nothing ever happens when teachers break the dress

code. How about when skinnier girls wear belly shirts with no issue but the next day a bigger girl

comes in with the same shirt and immediately needs a sweatshirt. If there is going to be dress

codes they need to be reasonable, fair, and enforced fairly!

For starters my school dress code was very challenging to find and not very detailed.

Here is what I did manage to find though:

1. Clothing needs to be safe and not disrupt the educational process. No chains, safety pins,

spikes, animal collars, leashes, etc.

national origin, gender (and identity and expression) sexual orientation, weight, or

disability.

3. No promoting or endorsing the use of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, or encourage and

illegal or violent activities.

4. Clothing always must cover undergarments, midriffs, and cleavage so these things are not

visible. Skirts and shorts must reach the mid thigh. Tops may not be strapless, sheer, or

backless.

5. No hats.

Then finally at the end they of course mention that administration has the right to determine what

is appropriate to wear.

On the contrary to my school dress code I have interviewed 4 girls from 9 grade to 12

grade on what they thought was and wasn’t distracting.

Distracting:

1. Tank tops (on guys)

2. Shirts that are unbuttoned (on guys)

3. “Booty” shirts

4. Muscle showing shirts

5. Have underwear showing

6. Guys or girls constantly messing with or fixing their hair

Distracting in a non-attractive way:

1. Loose jeans
Not distracting:

1. Shoulders

Mainly girls felt that guys should have the same rules as girls do and they need to be reasonable.

They also feel they need to be enforced better.

I also interviewed 4 boys from 9 grade to 12 grade on what they found to be distracting or

not.

Distracting:

1. Crop tops

2. Extremely skinny skinny jeans

3. Very low v-necks

4. “Booty” shorts

5. Extremely short skirts

6. Too much cleavage

Distracting in an unattractive way:

1. Overalls

2. Too much makeup

Not distracting:

1. Jeans

2. Sweatpants

3. Leggings

4. Sweatshirts

5. Shoulders
Most guys even said that they don’t really ever get distracted by the things on the dress code.

Many school districts have dress codes and they are all very different. A school in

California has a very different dress code than we do at my school. Hats or religious headwear,

hoodie sweatshirts with the hood up, fitted pants like yoga pants, leggings, skinny jeans, shorts,

skirts, dresses, pants, sweatpants, midriff-baring shirts, pajamas, ripped jeans, as long as no

underwear is shown, tank tops, spaghetti straps, halter and tube (strapless) tops are all allowed.

Violent language or images, items depicting illegal activity, profanity, pornography, or hate

speech is not allowed. Visible underwear or bathing suits of similar design but especially that

visible waistbands or straps on undergarments worn under clothing is not a violation. This school

also made their dress code easy to find and very specific unlike my school. Most schools use the

“fingertip rule” when it comes to shorts, skirts, and Short skirts. Some schools use this policy for

both the boys and the girls. My school has announced this as part of the dress code in years past

but I’ve never heard about it since seventh or eighth grade and I’m now about to be a junior in

high school and kids are still getting in trouble for these things when they are not clearly stated

or easy to find! Many schools, including mine claim to have the same shirt rules for males and

females. No shoulders, no bra straps, no offense imagery, and no cut sides or sides where a

breast or nipple can be visible. Even though my school claims this rule is for both males and

females the females seem to be the only ones getting in trouble for it even though a boy could

come into school wearing the same thing and never get called out. Same goes for the midriffs.

My school claims that your stomach and back should be covered whether you’re a male or a

female though it only seems to be enforced for females. Some schools prohibit piercings (some
allow ear piercings), sunglasses, certain shoes like flip flops, and some even force you to tuck in

your shirt or have tight fitted clothes and to keep coats in your locker during school hours!

There isn’t really anything that’s proven to be distracting though there are many debates

that school dress codes privilege boys education and that the dress codes themselves are more

distracting than the clothes. Since there is no scientifically proven things that are distracting I

figured I’d compare school dress codes of a public school to a private school. In public schools

the main dress codes are shorts that go to your fingertips, no cleavage, no midriffs, no shoulders,

no bra straps, and no hats. What are the dress codes for a private school though? Many private

schools are switching from uniforms to dress codes though many religious, military, and

parochial private schools still use uniforms. “‘Foxcroft's dress code is fairly simple – khaki or

black pants or skirts with solid-colored, collared blouses which are tucked in. Shoes (which may

not be athletic shoes) must have closed toes and backs. Dress code is required during the

Academic Day." ( ​[Link] ) some

places require a solid color dress shirt with a tie long pants and a belt with visible shoes and

socks. Shirts should be tucked in so belts are visible. No denim pants. Leather or canvas shoes

and must be an approved color. Sandals, open toed or backless clogs and military boots are

prohibited. There is so much more. Public’s school dress codes are strict but seemed to be

centered on girls while private school dress codes seem to be more strict and centered on boys.

So why were dress codes created in the first place? In the 1960’s and 70’s guys with

longer hair would be attacked by peers or classmates so soon it became a requirement for boys to

have their haircut. In the 1990’s dress codes were created to prevent promotion of gang-related

violence. In recent years dress codes have aimed to have a more professional look. They try to
prevent conflict over designer brands. In 1969 the first school dress code law was established.

Students were wearing black armbands to protest the against the Vietnam War. The court

decided that schools may limit student expression IF they are concerned that it is disruptive to

the learning environment or violate others rights. Now most states have laws which allow school

boards to make dress code rules for their students in their school district to promote a “safe,

disciplined school environment, prevent interference with schoolwork and discipline, and to

encourage uniformity of student dress” (

[Link] ) . Many schools will send

you home if you break the dress code (though it seems only girls get sent home) and the teachers

will argue that what you were wearing was "immodest” and distracting. What I personally think

is immodest and distracting is sending a student home for the day, to miss school and a day of

their needed education just because of what they wore that day. How could you possible argue

that an item of clothing could be distracting in an educational environment and not think sending

a student home is not a distracting to their learning experience? “My wish at the end of the day is

for administrators to realize the larger impact that objectifying that one inch of knee makes. If

the main reasoning for policing dress codes is to teach girls how to dress more professionally,

then have a seminar about professional dress when they are in high school. Interrupting a girl's

education over an inch of knee showing is not going to teach her how to dress professionally. It

will crush her self-esteem and show that she is to be objectified instead of respected. It is up to

school administrators to decide: is policing a simple dress code worth the long-lasting negative

effects?” ( ​[Link] )
 We’ve discussed students opinions on the school dress code, but what about teachers

opinions? I interviewed a few teachers that I have this year. Some teachers strongly agreed with

the current dress code. They agreed that shoulders and bra straps were very distracting and they

thought that shorts should go to your fingertips. Most teachers I had interviewed thought that

some of the dress code was a bit too much. They mainly thought that shoulders were not a

problem and the only problem with shorts and skirts is your bare bottom hitting the chair when

your sit. They think that shoulder and shorts that completely cover you bottom, not necessarily

going to your fingertips, are perfectly fine. One teacher even mentioned how students should not

play shirts versus skins in gym if girls can’t show midriff though she also feels showing midriff

is not appropriate. The same teacher also mentioned how we shame girls for wearing certain

clothes while it’s perfectly fine for boys to wear shirts with images of girls in revealing bathing

suits. She also mentioned how the dress code is supposed to be in effect during school events like

prom but they are never enforced. She believes that if you can wear backless or shoulder

showing dresses to school events you should be able to do the same at school.

I feel dress codes should be equal and enforced fairly. In my opinion I feel that belly

shirts can be allowed as long as it doesn’t go farther that 2 cm passed your belly button when

arms are lifted and if you are wearing high waisted pants or shorts. Short shorts or skirts should

not be worn in an educational environment. While sitting your shorts or skirt must hit the chair

not your bare but. Cleavage should not be shown unless it is barely shown and the student can’t

help whether or not some will show. No provocative depictions, no racist slang or images, no

alcoholic or drug depictions. Hats and hoods allowed as long as they are tight enough that

nothing can be hidden under and so that your identity is visible on all school cameras. Clothes
that have rips or tears in areas where undergarments could be seen is not permitted. Shirts should

not have low or cut sides that expose where undergarments would be or making chest hair

visible. Spaghetti straps and strapless shirts are permitted if there is no visible bra strap. Backless

shirts can be worn when no bra straps are visible (this is for safety reason not for distraction

reasons). Safety pins are allowed only if an item of clothing has broken and there is no other

clothing option available at the school. You should not be able to see undergarments or chests

through a short or pants unless you have a shirt or pair of pants underneath.

Work cited

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