Dress Codes In Public Schools

Abigael Schneider
English Senior Capstone

Public schools should adopt a dress code and require students to adhere to that dress code or be denied enrollment. Although many people argue that dress codes limit the freedom for students to express themselves, it is the job of public schools to ensure that the environment is not only safe, but also conducive to learning. Dress codes also have legitimate pedagogical purposes as they eliminate distraction, and schools that go as far as to enforce school uniforms create a sense of unity as well as decrease bullying, and creates some financial relieve on families.
In 2013, TODAY released an article showing that during the 2009-2010 school year, 57 percent of public schools were enforcing a strict

dress code. This helps to eliminate distraction, as students will not be in revealing clothes. Common guidelines for dress codes include that dresses/shorts have to go past your fingertips, shirts cannot be too low/revealing, shoulders cannot be exposed, pants cannot be sagging, and overall clothing cannot be too tight. As someone who did not always attend an online high school, I can attest to this as I saw how much distraction clothing caused some students, especially male students. I also overheard bullying resulting from a lack of dress code enforcement. It is no secret that high school girls can be brutal, and I often heard girls calling each other names based on how low or how tight something fit on another student, which caused the student at the center of this to be distressed, have less self worth, and become distracted. Had the dress codes been more enforced, it would have eliminated this issue. Safety is also part of the reason dress codes are enforced as some schools require student’s belt line to be exposed at all times in fear that a student may have a gun or other type of weapon concealed under their clothing. Sexual assault also happens on school grounds, partially due to clothing. I myself have been sexually harassed/assaulted while attending a public high school on numerous occasions. Perhaps if I had attended a high school with uniforms instead, that would not have happened.
Statistic Brain reports that 23 percent of all public and private schools in the United States have adopted uniforms instead of dress codes, which eliminates the need for such heavy monitoring on what students where. This allows teachers to focus more on lesson plans and the actual education of students rather than the clothes on their bodies. School uniforms also create a sense of unity and school pride as everyone looks the same and is most likely wearing their school name or crest. This sense of sameness also completely eliminates distraction, which forces students to have to express themselves in ways that truly matter. For example, showcasing their character, talent, and personality. Bullying is also eliminated, as students can no longer pick on someone else for not wearing name brand clothes, wearing handy downs, or for simply just not dressing in a way of their liking. In fact, 47 percent of parents from one survey taken by Statistic Brain stated that uniforms addressed the peer pressure issue of “fitting in.” Another study done by Our Everyday Life reports that in the Long Beach Unified School district, which was one of the first to enforce a uniform policy, crime in school decreased by 36 percent, fights between students decreased by 51 percent, and sexual offenses dropped by 74 percent. Lastly, another 49 percent of parents reported in the same survey that uniforms were financially beneficial for the household. With the average annual cost of school uniforms being only $249 where as Marketing Charts.com reports that the average household will spend $290 on back to school clothing where uniforms are not enforced.
Overall, adopting a school uniform proves to be the most conducing to learning, but having at least a strict dress code helps. Bottom line is, students deserve a chance to learn in an environment that gives them the opportunity to reach their full potential. Being responsible, driven, and educated is a trend that will never go out of style.