What defines Bishop O’Dowd High School? Bishop O’Dowd is defined by a multitude of things: academics, athletics, the faculty, campus, and so forth. However, O’Dowd is truly defined by its graduating class each year. That each student who leaves the halls of Bishop O’Dowd walks away with confidence, strength of character, and characteristics that will make them a better person and give them the tools for success in future endeavors. Bishop O’Dowd is unique in the sense that unlike public school, O’Dowd enforces a “strict” dress code. The dress code as many know includes Bishop O’Dowd polo’s and outerwear. For a school that takes pride in such a diverse student population. How is that diversity to be shown if students are all required to wear …show more content…
While the school administration argues that the dress code brings school unity, they are wrong because it takes away a sense of individuality from each student (Logos, concede). In today’s society, people use fashion and their daily outfits as a key way to express themselves. Students are constantly told throughout their school careers that they should demonstrates what makes them “different”, yet uniforms deny that sense of self-expression. According to Grace Chen of the Public School Review, uniforms may result in students turning to “other avenues of self-expression that may be viewed as even more inappropriate than clothing” (Ethos, professional credibility). This includes a nontraditional hairstyle, make up, or acting out towards authority at school or at home. Students at Bishop O’Dowd used to be able to express their individuality more before the enforcement of Bishop O’Dowd outerwear. Before the induction of such outerwear, students still had to wear their Bishop O’Dowd polo, but could wear different kinds of jackets and sweatshirts that indicated particular interest. Not only do uniforms limit self-expression, they can also make certain students feel less confident about their body and appearance. This is especially true for students who feel that the school uniform does not flatter their body type, or look nice on them. While Bishop O’Dowd has done its best to offer a variety of clothing options for students to choose from, they are still