Are school dress codes a tool for student safety or a restriction on their self-identity?
The question has been debated for years.
Recently, dress codes have come up as an equity issue after reports that Black students, girls, and LGBTQ students across the country are unequally affected by school dress codes.
Many schools in America and around the world enforce dress codes. Dress codes have been around for decades and were first introduced to prevent students from wearing inappropriate clothing.
However, people might say that the dress code is biased against females. The majority of rules that are seen in dress codes only apply to girls, and there seems to be more rules that girls have to follow when it comes to how they dress.
As a girl sometimes I feel that the dress code is sexist because there's not very many rules about how men need to dress where there's a list of what girls can wear and not wear so looking at the rule book it kind of seems sexist.
This is harlans dress code:
● clothing which permits inappropriate exposure of the body, bare backs or sides, and midriff exposure.
● clothing advertising or promoting items illegal for use by minors including, but not limited to, alcohol or tobacco.
● clothing and accessories displaying obscenity, profanity, vulgarity, double meaning slogans, racial or sexual remarks,
making reference to prohibited conduct or similar displays.
● hats, hoods, sweat bands, kerchiefs, or head coverings of any kind inside the school building between the starting and ending
times of regular school days. (In medical or other unusual situations, principal permission must be secured.)
● Tank tops are permitted if there is a 2-inch minimum strap AND it is fitted to or directly under the armpits.
- Do you think that Harlan's dress code is sexist?
- Are dress codes sexist?
- Do you think schools could improve their dress codes?
https://peppermintfrostblog.wordpress.com/2017/03/13/school-dress-codes-are-not-sexist/
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105348
https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/dress-codes/#:~:text=the%20Associated%20Press)-,Dress%20codes%20are%20typically%20implemented%20by%20school%20districts%20and%20employers,support%20the%20schools%20and%20employe
Replies
Great topic choice and summary Lilly! The issues are that you only replied one time and that is worth 30 points. It was also posted two days late.
I think the dress code is a little bit biased towards more women than men. Because the rules that apply to women are more strict on what they can wear than men. But I don't think the dress code is sexist. Some schools dress codes are sexist; however, I don't believe our school is one of them.
I do not think that dress codes are sexist or racist. It is what each gender/race wears that is not appropriate for a professional school setting. When clothes become a distraction in school, it is not appropriate to wear in school.
Now I do think that dress codes are needed as that something's just shouldn't be shown at school but yea I think they are more targeted towards women because of all the different clothing items that they can wear.
Some dress codes can get really out of hand, but I wouldn't consider the dress code sexist. Of course, there are always flaws for both boys and girls but it's not sexist. If the dress code were to be sexist, than one gender could wear anything, and the other could't. The good news is, that is not the case.
I think the dress code is normal, i guess that the dress code has some flaws but i don't think its sexist.
I think that it is a normal dress code and don't think is a big deal. I think that they are not sexist I think they have become normal in our society. I think that the dress code could be taking too seriously but it is up to the school.
I dont think our schools dress code is sexist, but I dont think showing sholders or wearing shorter tops should be a problem. However I can see some dress codes being sexist because guys can were pretty much whatever they want and girls have to go by the rules.
I think that school dress codes have to be a little bit sexist. In general, girls wear more revealing clothes than boys, so it would make sense that the school would have to have more rules about what girls can and cannot wear.
I personally do not think that our school's dress code is sexist, but I think some rules are a little overbearing. I think in other schools there are sexist dress codes, but our school is not one of them. If our school wanted to make a dresscode that everyone was happy with, it would be able to have kids wear what they're comfortable in but make sure it's not distracting.
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