Dress Codes In High School

In today’s society, people are learning more about equality between men and women. This is particularly important in high school where teenagers are learning to become the person they want to be. Still, there are some things that are holding girls, especially, back from letting them fully express themselves. Dress codes are in practically every high school in America, all of them consisting of the same basic “no short skirts, dresses, or shorts”, among other things. As time passes, these teenage girls learn that they are not the problem when it comes to the dress code. From learning this, these girls speak out against the dress codes so that it is easier for them to be able to express themselves, within complete reason. Conversely, it may

Frankie Lindsay and her three friends have grown extremely uncomfortable after being told every day over speakers that girls must wear clothing such as shorts and skirts must be at fingertip length as well as completely prohibiting “attire that exposes undergarments or anatomy”. As well as this, “In response to the frequent warnings about dress code enforcement, Lindsay, and her friends formed the group #Iammorethanadistraction to raise awareness about what it means for a middle school girl to be told that her appearance is frustrating her learning environment” (D’Anastasio). Another girl, Sophie Hasty, in Evanston, Illinois, started a petition to recall her middle school’s ban on leggings and yoga pants. When she went to school, she, along with many other girls all came to school wearing leggings and yoga pants with signs saying, “Are my pants lowering your test scores?” Emilione, a member of the #Iammorethanadistraction group states that “It’s not about the clothes, really. I could care less that I have to wear longer shorts. But it’s the implication and the bigger message of the dress code—the message on the loudspeakers”. Not just for Emilione, or Sophie, but these implications are being broadcasted to young girls everywhere across the country, but it is these girls who are trying to stop

Many schools in Sweden are dress-code free because all students are taught to respect one another from a young age; there is no better gender. The male students are trusted to respect the female students and not degrade them in any way, nor should the teachers do the same, because they are expected to be teachers and not personal caretakers of any students, so they should not be worried about how the students are dressed. However, in schools such as a Staten Island public school with a record breaking 200 detentions given just because of dress code, and the students had to suffer in the un-air-conditioned school. “Tottenville High School junior Ashley Silberbeg wore a t-shirt that bared 2 inches of midriff on Sept. 5, the second day of school when the mercury topped 87 degrees. She and 100 other stunned offenders were promptly hauled to the dean’s office and then the auditorium, while their parents were called drop off “appropriate clothing” (Hay). To many schools’ disappointment, the strict dress code is doing just the opposite of bringing peace within the school. Many students are ready to walk out or join the rebellion of the dress code; its ridiculous message playing that looks matter