Dress Codes in Schools

[JonBeBonanza]

*here goes*
Teachers anywhere will argue that dress codes are meant to balance the students out. Giving students a dress code will suffice any argument stating that one student is financially superior than another (by means of apparel). But even while a student is in compliance with his/her schools dress code, name brands can be distinguished from non name brands, and again the struggle to minimize economic variations amongsts students surfaces again. So thats why i say, why keep dress codes? Sure, they help reduce "gang related violence", but in contrast they can increase school morale, grades, and overall school spirit! Of course i understand that no "slutty", anti-religious, or profane clothing is allowed, but come on everyone likes looking nice.

I have recenlty joined the dress code comitee at my school, so any input on why dress codes should or should not be allowed is greatly accepted. I understand that NOT having a dress code completely will have its fair share of flaws, but agreements can be made. It is also my senior year in which decissions on the comitee well take effect into, so i plan to make an impact.

 

[Koskinator]

Having a dress code at a school makes everyone look like zombies. If they take away the rights to wear what you want to wear, you are no longer an individual.

 

[JonBeBonanza]

Having a dress code at a school makes everyone look like zombies. If they take away the rights to wear what you want to wear, you are no longer an individual.

Thats exactly what i , and many other ppl at my school think. But then again what can i say to the school board, to change their mind to have a laxer dress code.

 

[Shök]

Well they should take off dress codes, but they should only limit them so far. For example gang colors and stuff.

 

[Crimson King]

You are in school to learn; it doesn't matter what you wear. Uniforms make it easier to not care.

 

[Shök]

Yeah you are right CK, but some people are in school just because they are being forced to.

 

[JonBeBonanza]

You are in school to learn; it doesn't matter what you wear. Uniforms make it easier to not care.

It doesn't matter, you said it youself.

Uniforms don't always make it easier to not care. Chances are that if a school has a dress code, there are consequences for not abiding the dress code. So by not having a dress code (or at least not a strict one) students can go to school for the main purpose... Learning. At my school for being out of dress code you can get anything from detention ( at teachers disgression) to I.S.S (in school suspension). You know what gets done in I.S.S? Nothing, so by not abiding by the dress code, you in turn miss out on Learning.

 

[GreatClayMonkey]

Like CK said it doesn't matter what you were so I think there should not be dress codes. Gang violence is not caused by what people wear unless it is offensive which is why dress codes should only offense clothing. Like shirts that say inappropriate things or display something having to do with drugs, violence or sex.

 

[Mann]

Yeah you are right CK, but some people are in school just because they are being forced to.

If they aren't going to be forced, what else are they going to do?


You need to be more specific. Dress codes have always been around. There's a difference in between having a dress code and only wearing the school's uniform. If there's a dress code, it's only to limit some types of clothing. Schools with uniforms stick to only what they decide should be worn, but there are always some schools that have free-dress days, free-dress passes, etc.

So what is it you're trying to go up against? A less-limited dress code or uniforms? Because some opinions like this below looks more targeted towards schools with uniforms.

Having a dress code at a school makes everyone look like zombies. If they take away the rights to wear what you want to wear, you are no longer an individual.

 

[JonBeBonanza]

I guess it would be for a less-limited dress code. But many arguments in schools across the nation are against it. So what argument could be used to support that having a less- limited dress code is beneficial to the school? And in many ways it can be beneficial but every school school has those few kids who screw it up for the rest of the school hence proving that having limited dress codes cannot happen.

 

[Mann]

those few kids who screw it up for the rest of the school hence proving that having limited dress codes cannot happen.

Controversial in itself. Those FEW kids don't apply to everyone in the school. That just means everyone else is following it, no? I haven't seen many problems with the dress code during my school experience, but when I start visiting, I start to see more of a problem.

When you are trying to have a less limited dress code, what are you aiming at? What clothes are being prohibited that you want allowed? When I visited my middle school today, girls were wearing pants that were low enough that it looked like they shaved with their belly buttons sticking out. During my high school years girls who sat down had their thongs sticking out for boys around to gawk at and teacher's trying to give a lesson not knowing that most kids don't care.

Dress codes are really simple. Nothing too revealing. Like spaghetti straps. Nothing gang related, no duh, like no red-shoe laces, easy. No profanity, no racist slurs, nothing provoking. No trench coats. What else?

 

[JonBeBonanza]

When you are trying to have a less limited dress code, what are you aiming at? What clothes are being prohibited that you want allowed?

At my school we can wear any school sponsored t-shirt (club shirt, athletics etc), solid blue, yellow, and white polos, with guy's wearing jeans, and or khaki pants... and they have to be regulation length ( not to baggy, torn up etc. ). Girls it is the same, except they get to wear skirts no higher than the width of a dollar bill above the knee.

What we (dress code comitee) want to opt for are: Striped polos, graphic tees ( but not to GRAPHIC) shorts, whether it be gym shorts, or khaki shorts, button up shirts, casual wear. For girls they just want to be able to wear any color polo or shirt. But it seems to be the girls that ruin it the most, with their shorts/ skirts being LENGTH wise the dollar bill so yea.

 

[Mann]

What we (dress code comitee) want to opt for are: Striped polos, graphic tees ( but not to GRAPHIC) shorts, whether it be gym shorts, or khaki shorts, button up shirts, casual wear. For girls they just want to be able to wear any color polo or shirt. But it seems to be the girls that ruin it the most, with their shorts/ skirts being LENGTH wise the dollar bill so yea.

Alright, so your school's regulation on clothing is stricter than those I've seen. So what you are trying to go for is to be allowed to be more flexible in wearing casual clothes at school, instead of being so limited.

Just curious, is this a public or private school?

 

[JonBeBonanza]

Alright, so your school's regulation on clothing is stricter than those I've seen. So what you are trying to go for is to be allowed to be more flexible in wearing casual clothes at school, instead of being so limited.

Just curious, is this a public or private school?

Its public. But me, myself went to private school up until my freshman year in high school. So i HAD a UNIFORM!!! So this dress codes isn't crazy strict in my eye's, but it's a big deal to the many student that attend my school. And that because my sophmore year they had no dress code.... except of course for the "no profane shirts", but thats almost a must everywhere. And see its stricter than those you've seen, i'm assuming others are more profound in what a student can and can't wear. And it may not be a national fact, but that year our TAKS scores ( Texas Assesment of Knowledge and Skills) were higher, than previous dress coded years. So i plan to use that as a sort of scapegoat, if they say something along the lines of dress code being to distracting. but it's a sticky situation.

 

[Dr. James Rustles]

Very good card to play, JonBeBonanza.

I don't know if wearing a uniform would suppress the question of someone's economic position. Everyone looking the same, I think anyway, would raise more questions about where they come from and who they are, including economic questions.

Sexual excitement is a self-fulfilling prophecy; One can get sexually excited from someone whether they are wearing revealing clothes are not, depending on the individual. Only those who understand the correlation between academic prestige and success past secondary school pay attention in class anyway (I'll admit the correlation is debatable.)

I wouldn't mind my current dress code if the people who had control over it were not complete idiots. We can wear shorts, but god forbid our pants have holes in them.

http://www.stclaircountyschools.net/conduct/conduct_07_08.pdf

 

[Grandeza]

I'm against strict dress codes with uniforms and such. It takes away one's individuality. I don't mind my school's dress code. We can wear what we want with just some restrictions. I've never seen anyone made fun of because of their attire in my school.

 

[SaxDude93]

At my school we can wear any school sponsored t-shirt (club shirt, athletics etc), solid blue, yellow, and white polos, with guy's wearing jeans, and or khaki pants... and they have to be regulation length ( not to baggy, torn up etc. ). Girls it is the same, except they get to wear skirts no higher than the width of a dollar bill above the knee.

What we (dress code comitee) want to opt for are: Striped polos, graphic tees ( but not to GRAPHIC) shorts, whether it be gym shorts, or khaki shorts, button up shirts, casual wear. For girls they just want to be able to wear any color polo or shirt. But it seems to be the girls that ruin it the most, with their shorts/ skirts being LENGTH wise the dollar bill so yea.

No shorts? May and June most be horrible. Anyway, uniforms and dress codes are a bad idea. They take away someone's sense of individuality and their sense of being someone. Student's can't be mindless zombies under the control of the "Power." And for the part about talking to the school board, I have to say you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. If all else fails, organize a massive student led protest/walk-out to the theme of Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall Part II. They can't throw everybody in detention

Going to a lax public school, the restrictions are pretty light. We can basically where whatever we want, minus the usual. (I.E. Drugs, Sex, Violence, etc.) I do agree with you on the short-shorts thing. They annoy me to no end. When the weather is slightly above normal, its like "Bust out the Short-Shorts." It's like they're saying "Do Me."

 

[WuTangDude]

Depends on the dress code.

I think a strict dress code (i.e Polo, khaki pants, belt) is unnecessary and limits individuality among students.

However, dress codes that are less specific (i.e banning overly large/small clothes, explicit material on clothing, bandanas, etc.) only serve to make the enviroment better while maintaining individuality among the students.

 

[Firus]

Having a dress code at a school makes everyone look like zombies. If they take away the rights to wear what you want to wear, you are no longer an individual.

There's a difference between a dress code and a uniform. If you can't be an individual given simply the rules of don't wear slutty outfits or have your pants' waist at your knees (as well as some others), then you're not going to be an individual period.

But actually, this brings up a good point; are we just talking about a dress code or uniforms as well?

For just a simple dress code, I think it's best. If kids are showing up looking nice, not being slutty, not having undergarments showing, and not wearing something like pajamas, they'll be in a different mindset. If you're wearing fairly nice clothes, you're going to be more respectful and not acting as if you're just anywhere. The whole entire atmosphere is different.

Uniforms/strict dress codes, I'm against, though. People will argue that it stops bullying, but it doesn't. If someone would make fun of your clothes when you don't have uniforms, they're going to do the same if you're wearing one. That's just how kids are.

 

[SkylerOcon]

Well, if you want to be rid of it, get a lawyer to sue your school for encroaching on your first amendment right of freedom of expression.

However these are my arguments against school dress codes:

1) "They help reduce gang related violence". First of all, I fail to see how clothes promote violence. I know had gang stuff works. Not one gang attacks the other unless its provoked. Just because a blood sees a guy wearing a blue bandana, he isn't going to start shooting him down. He'll dislike him, for sure, but he's not going to start a fight.

2) "People won't make fun of people because of clothes". In case you hadn't realized, we see each other outside of school. We can do that all we want there.

However, we don't want to. We rarely ever make fun of people because of clothes.

3) "It helps us identify you as one of the school". Somebody else could buy blue tops and cacky pants and walk into my school, completely unchallenged. This argument for dress codes was made up due to lack of something better to say.

 

[Zero Beat]

I see the dress code as frying the wrong fish.

I remember how my school used to have "uniform sweeps," where an assistant principal would walk in the middle of a lecture, disrupt it, and send those violating the code to get a warning, and if enough times, CSI(detention center). Already, that's being ignorant in the sense of "uniforms promote education."

Meh, also helps designated uniform stores gain tremendous amounts of money as opposed to the latter.

 

[Mr.Lombardi34]

Uniforms are completely the wrong way to go. I'll tackle all the arguments for them and try to say something that hasn't been said before.

Uniforms will prevent people that don't belong in the school out of it: No, uniforms make that easier. The idea is that students will be easy to recognize, and anybody who doesn't wear the uniform must be someone who doesn't belong in the school. Okay, well then what stops a person from buying a uniform, then walking into the school? It makes it much harder to tell when a dangerous person is entering the school, because everyone is wearing the same thing.

Uniforms prevent gang violence: Just because gangs don't have their colors does not prevent them all together. "Oh no, we don't have red head bands on, can't fight, everyone stop, no more gangs." In fact, getting rid of gang colors makes it harder to track them.

Uniforms show school spirit: All that uniforms show is that the school shoves "spirit" down everybody's throat and that the only way for them to have this "spirit" is to force it upon students.

 

[lordzedd]

even with dress codes, there are always people who try to get away with bending the rules. you can't blame them of course, but to many students its just another rule they have to work around. i know from experience and other people that like the code because it makes it a little easier to get ready in the morning.
after having a dress code in high school i dont think its a bad thing, but i don't think its necessary. if schools are actually worried about the things they say they are they can just prohibit shirts with profanity and vulgarity. but maybe that would require too much effort. they would rather concentrate on measuring the length of girl's skirts...

 

[Zero Beat]

That's very true.^^^ Here used to be my tactic, at least at my school..

Bring a uniform shirt with you(In your hand). They used to have "uniform sweeps," so I'd put the uniform shirt on for half of first period, which they'd always do the sweep in, and then take it off after for the remainder of the period.

 

[Steck]

All uniforms really do in my school is give the teacher another reason to give detention. Students violate the dress code all the time and they may or may not be punished depending upon how noticeable it is. And it seems so stupid:
"OMG your tie is loose! Surely this merits a a mark that will eventually add up to detention."
A waste of time and effort that could be spent learning/teaching (or not lol)

 

[goodkid]

No matter what you wear, people will always find something to make fun of, so the dress code really doesn't accomplish anything.

 

[Teebs]

I am against dress code, basically, because what good is it supposed to do? On the good side, no one will have to look at obscene t-shirts, pants, etc. anymore (if they had to in the past). But then again, some schools actually charge for dress code apparel, such as my former high school, which in the past, you had to wear casual clothes, such as khaki's, polo's, dress shoes, etc., which is fine and all, and now, the students have to buy SPECIALLY MADE polo shirts with a school emblem on the sleeve, which will cost them an extra $35 on top of an already $7,000 tuition. On another good note, students won't look sloppy. I am mainly against dress codes because I like to wear shorts and a t-shirt to classes, it makes me feel comfortable.

 

[Yeniths]

I attend a school in which we had a dress code, although I'm no longer there, i could see the reasoning behind it. I myself was pretty much against it, as i feel it looses your right to be unique and gives school a rather unpleasant atmosphere. I doubt we would see a change in this tho, schools are always worried about crazy things that might happen, simply coming from what you wear.

 

[Wheelz]

Personally I think that Dress Codes are terrible (Because I went to a school for three years with one) But quite obviously Dress Codes have ups-and-downs. On one hand it prevents alot of problems such as Gang Violence, and Fights. However it does give students an the choice to show a creative side, a side that shows others what they like. This is why certain dress codes should be enforced but compared to many schools with heavy importance on them need to relax there rules.

 

[Cat Fight]

Sure, they help reduce "gang related violence"

I'm not understanding how a uniform contributes to the prevention of "gang related violence". If anything, I would find it more difficult to distinguish whether or not what would seem to be a "gang related" act actually is. Given the same attire as an entire school, how are you suppose to differentiate between a regular HS student and the so called gang member?

Although, this is not why I am against uniforms or dress codes. I believe a student should be able to express themselves as an individual through their apparel, and having that ability stripped from them makes that person appear to be like everyone else. Dull and boring.

 

[mzink*]

You don't need certain clothing to be an individual. Why do you need certain clothing to show the world WHO you are? I would rather either have uniform or nothing. Dress codes just make things difficult because you have to buy clothes to fit the standards, much easier to just have a few uniforms. Or better yet not have anything, I don't see an issue with people wearing what they want, I just wanted to point out about the argument you need certain clothing to be unique. Clothing does not show who you really are as an individual, it shows how you want the world to see you.

 

[NoriakiZ]

School's just don't want people to get hurt. That's all. But uniforms are also a bad thing. In fact, over 90% of my school think uniforms are stupid. And when we get to wear anything on certain days, such as a holiday where we go to school, we are usually more happier. Happier students mean happier teachers. And as for "slutty" clothes, just wear something not so revealing. And religious and non-religious images? Just wear an extra shirt to hide them or not wear them at all.

 

[McCloud]

At my school, our senior year was when dress code was introduced and enforced. This dress code came about during a time when my high school was bussing kids from way outside the district (aka black kids that lived 20 miles away). My school was the prime example of white flight and the black menace, and when myself and kids from my neighborhood started getting bussed to the high school, it caused an uproar. I didn't care though; I was getting a better education than if the district hadn't been rezoned.

The dress code was meant to minimalize baggy clothing and make it easier to keep the campus safe, but seeing as how only the black kids wore baggy clothes while the white majority wore fitted polos and khakis, you could see that there was going to be more than a little bit of racial tension.

I've graduated and I don't really care, but here's my general opinion on dress code, safety aside.

Clothing that is detracting from a learning environment doesn't need to be there. I support individualism and the right to wear what you want, but within reason. For public school kids at least. If you go to a private school, you're boned cause you signed a contract to go there.

All in all, dress codes don't really matter all that much. The notion of the "loss" of individualism is a bit of a stretch, as is the "bridging the economic gap" argument.

They're bloody clothes.

 

[Kur]

Public schools are not the military. There are various reasons for having all of the students dress alike but the overriding factor is that is just sucks the life out of the kids. I have never met a kid who wants to wear a school uniform.

And what does it teach kids anyway? Be like everybody else. Nobody is better or worse than you.

At best it is socialism, at worst it is communism.

And face it, not every family can afford to have two wardrobes for their kids. A closet full of school uniforms and a closet full of street clothes? Please, if my school had uniforms it would be the only clothes I had. I'd be wearing school uniforms everywhere I went.

I think the whole surge behind school uniforms began in the early 90's when gang violence was all over the media (grossly hyped beyond belief) and many parents were basically scared into believing their child would be shot for wearing a blue or red shirt. So they pushed for schools to require all students wear the same colors to avoid them all being shot.

Well it isn't a big issue anymore (not that it ever was) and I don't see the need for our children to be little robots, all looking the same.

Uniforms are for sports and clubs. These schools are public, so let the kids dress like they do in public.

 

[mzink*]

I really don't see why uniforms are so bad. I didn't mind them at all and it definitely didn't suck the life out of anyone. Schools mainly use them to make the school look nicer as a whole. It doesn't turn kids into robots, again I say, you don't need specific clothing to be an individual. Afford a second wardrobe? You only need a few uniforms and you can just keep washing those, you don't need a whole wardrobe full. It's really not that expensive. I agree, in public schools, kids should be able to wear what they want, but private schools want their students to reflect the school well. It's just about looking respectable in other peoples eyes really, not about making everyone the same.

 

[XxXBlueKillaXxX]

I wear a suit and a tie every day to school, and im 13. I really dont think its that bad, its only really bad in the spring, but at our school we dont have to wear our blazers in the spring. I think it's really more of an issue for the parents, because they have to buy enough expensive clothing to last a school year. Just my opinion.