Strict School Dress Codes

Dress Codes: Fitting Into Strict Standards The ringing of the bell echoes through the hallway, as students step into their first period classes. Girls and boys enter, some wondering if their tank top straps are three fingers, or if the words on their shirt will get them into trouble. Education should be on the minds of these students, but instead, they are worried about the one thing that taunts children throughout a school day: The dress code. More schools have adopted strict dress codes over the years. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that about 60 percent of schools have a strict dress code (“School Dress Codes”). Dress codes were designed to create boundaries for what students may wear to school, but instead have

Girls have found that there are more rules in place for them than boys. Also, the punishments for dress codes have a small chance of convincing a student to change their attire. These points all effect a key part of school, which is the education of the students. School dress codes should not be strictly enforced upon students. School dress codes restrict the freedom of speech of students. Some dress codes restrict students to certain images, pants, and even hairstyles. A young girl named Kamryn Renfro shaved her head to support her friend who was going through cancer, which was not included in the dress code (Irvine). After she was almost suspended, her mother spoke of the rule, “‘...but does the length of a kid’s hair necessarily affect them in the classroom’”(Irvine). Kamryn Renfro was punished for standing up for her friend. Every school tries to teach students to support one another, but they are actually just teaching them that this behavior is bad. Schools are also teaching students that their individuality does

Different school sports require uniforms, which may not follow the dress code entirely. Cheerleading is one of these sports, with a short and tight skirt, “Many schools employ the fingertip rule for skirts and shorts… and yet they also permit cheerleaders to wear extremely short skirts to games, and to class on game day”(Swan). There is nothing against cheerleaders, as they are simply instructed to wear these uniforms by schools, but how can this rule be fair to students who are not part of this sport? A student in a cheerleading uniform will be able to pass the dress code. However, a student with a skirt longer than the cheerleader’s, but still not fingertip length, will get dress coded. This falsely represents the schools’ dress code. It also contradicts the future, because women do not have to follow a strict dress code. Dr. Amanda Mergler shares her opinion on outfits, “‘In the real world, women get to choose’”(Kwai). Women are allowed to choose whether or not they want to wear pants or dresses(Kwai). Mergler is stating that jobs allow women to choose whether or not they like to wear different types of clothing. Therefore, students should not be restricted while going through school. Also, different types of clothing that may be comfortable for some girls may not fit the dress code. One very popular article of clothing