Alexis Fowler
There are very few things that I can think of that make me really mad. I hate people lying to me. I can’t stand slow drivers because I’m always running late. People who walk slowly in the hallway frustrate me to no end. But, the biggest thing has to be the sexist standards of the dress code.
I’m not a very argumentative person, I follow rules and normally I’m ok with them. But something about our school and county dress code just doesn’t sit right with me. So here are the issues I have with the dress code and how I think they could be fixed
Number 1: Our dress code discriminates against different body types. It’s not fair that people who are curvier get dress coded more often. The girls who are super skinny can get away with wearing Nike shorts and leggings. Whereas someone with a bigger body type would never be allowed to walk in the door.
I say we stop focusing so much on body types. We need to realize that people can’t control how curvy they are and it’s not fair to punish them for it. To fix this, the administration should dress code people of all sizes for things out of dress code. Because currently they are picking and choosing who can and can’t break the dress code. It’s body shaming and it’s the root of many girls’ body issues.
Number 2: The dress code plants toxic ideas into everyone’s minds. By telling girls they need to cover up, because of “inappropriate” attire, you’re prioritizing male students over females. It’s not fair for girls to have to cover up so guys are able to learn properly. Pulling a girl out of class to dress code her is even worse, and a much bigger distraction than clothing.
This gives the impression that the boys’ education is more important than the girls’. This idea is one that was removed from our society long ago and is something we should not revert back to. It also contributes to why women are so sexuallized. By sexualizing specific parts of girls’ bodies and forcing them to cover up you are telling boys it’s ok to do that too.
We need to stop this by ending the sexualization of female bodies. There is no reason to tell a girl to cover her shoulders. Are they distracting? Because if that’s the reason it falls into the category of prioritizing boys. And so does not letting girls wear shorts that aren’t booty shorts.
Number 3: There can be a toxic mindset created by dress codes. By dress coding girls who are smaller less often, girls are more or less being told to lose weight because their bodies aren’t “up to standard.” This toxic mindset leads to eating disorders and anxiety. The anxiety can also be caused by hoping not to get dress coded and worrying about getting in trouble.
Focusing on mental health is important, especially when the mental health of teens is a significant issue in our current society. We do not need a dress code that can promote or lead to toxic thinking. School should be a safe place where ALL students feel comfortable.
Number 4: Another major issue is that jeans are expensive. Girls should be allowed to wear leggings because they are cheap and easy to get. It’s also really hard to find shirts that are not cropped. All the shirts at stores right now are cut short because it’s what is in style. The same thing goes with ripped jeans. Most brands of jeans won’t be allowed at school because they don’t align with the dress code.
The dress code must be updated periodically to fit styles and trends. It becomes harder to find things that fit the code as styles keep changing and updating. It’s not fair for parents to have to search to the ends of the earth to find clothes that align with an antiquated dress code.
Number 5: The idea of a dress code in general is outdated. I was always taught that high school was meant to prepare me for life. A dress code does not do that. Students need to learn how to make appropriate clothing choices on their own. There is no dress code in the real world and students need to experience this.
I find it important to mention that there are two different versions of the dress code. The dress code sent to parents is less strict then the dress code that the school is currently following. This is unfair to students and parents because the lack of information causes students to dress outside of dress code without even realizing it.
The dress code is a toxic outdated system that causes more harm than good. We must change it because it discriminates and sexualizes. We all just want equality and we aren’t currently getting it. We have to work together to create a better and healthier environment.
Cape Fear News Network 
Maybe the county should have the students wear uniforms. If we had uniforms everyone would be in dress code and the teachers would not have to worry about if ANY student is showing too much of anything. Be it male or female everyone would be the same. It sure would make my day a lot less stressful.
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Alexis Fowler- In my opinion uniforms take away students individuality, which can also cause students to resent school because they are not given the ability to express themselves. They can also be expensive which is problem for less fortunate students.
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I understand your point of view, but that would only take away the freedom of students. They wouldn’t be allowed to dress uniquely. I believe this is a lazy solution.
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Look the dress code talks about how some outfits are distracting I say that’s false as a high school student i get distracted by a fly or the back of my pen anything can get people distracted but the clothing is something the county used to blame distractions on with no actual proof that it was. I personally find it more distracting when a teacher stops the class to point out another students clothing. That’s my stance on this situation
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I think the dress code should be redesigned to be less strict. Stomachs are not distracting, everyone has one. Leggings only matter when the girl isn’t skinny or they’re “showing too much.” Shorts lengths varies for short and tall girls so that rule needs to be scratched. Yes there should be rules on how short something is but not to the point where they cover your whole thigh, it’s hot outside and half of your leg is covered, it makes no sense. No boy has ever been distracted by a shoulder so the spaghetti strap rule doesn’t make much sense. They enforce the dress code more than they do any other rule. That’s my take on the dress code.
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I’ve been told because I’m a bit on the heavier set side which majority of the girls in my family are that I can’t wear leggings because my thighs and butt are distracting and v-necks are a big no because of a medium amount of cleavage showing. Like am I supposed to apologize for the body that I have? I’m sick of being told the clothes that I wear aren’t up to standards because of how my body is. The dress code all in all is ridiculous and very vague as well as strict. Uniforms don’t help anything because they are expensive and you’d have to accommodate for all different body types and I highly doubt that students would like being told what to wear much like they are right now with the stupid dress code. I’m honestly tired of being told my body is a distraction and what I shouldn’t wear because I am a bit heavier set.
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