School Dress Codes

Uniforms actually force adolescents to pick their friends based on personality rather than by what they wear. Also, it weeds out the people who are after you for lust because no matter how badly someone looks in their uniform, there is that special someone who will see past physical beauty and into their heart.

Not to mention its better because dress codes with regular clothes are so ambiguous! My midriff showed one time in high school like, barely. Barely, literally. But someones entire stomach was showing, but she was a little on the chubby side. I was skinny. Why didn't they get talked to, but I did? Because if someone told her to pull her shirt down, she could get them for not being "politically correct" and "abuse to people over the society-desired weight". It really is up to the people who run the school, and its different for each staff and faculty member. You can at least show your true colours after school--im stuck with looking like everyone else 24/7 (military school). But its ok, you get used to it. I promise, not the end of the world.

"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity"
-Albert Einstein

Personally, I think a person should be able to express themselves, but I think that a line should be drawn.

You can't draw a line on expression, for even offensive material is relative to the person calling it offensive. One person's crude humor is acceptable to another person. In my opinion, there should be two options: allow free expression, or don't. That is, uniforms or nothing.

I went to a private high school and wore a uniform for four years. While there are minor complaints (adolescents being as we were, we rebelled against tucking in our shirts at the most), but overall most of my classmates would agree that uniforms weren't really the evil epidemic they are portrayed as. Why? When everyone looks like a dork and unappealing, the pressure is weakened. Social class and other attributes shine through even the toughest requirements, but lowering the battle accomplishes something, at the least.

A dress code (in a public school, as private schools can make their own rules) should follow what is legally acceptable on a public street. If somebody can wear a halter top and miniskirt at the mall, it should be acceptable in school. Anything less is, indeed, restricting free expression/speech.

Overall, you said it best: a person should be able to express themselves. Drawing a line--anywhere--is impossible, considering the multitude of opinions on where that line should be. Fortunately, we have a line: the law.

At my school there is a dress code that is not strict by any means, but they still try to go against it. For the most part they do not allow short skirts or shorts, and spaghetti strap shirts. When the school most popular girls wear clothing items the assistant principles will not say anything to them, but when anyone else does you get written up and sent home to change. So even with a dress code it is broken all the time and not enforced by all who are suppose to.
I think that there should be a dress code, but it has got to be enforced no matter who breaks it. Do Not pick and choose who to enforce it with. I like to go to school with a dress code, because without it living in the south girls would come to school with just about nothing on. If you want to show your style then great just do it in a way that does not make anyone uncomfortable.

If you want to show your style then great just do it in a way that does not make anyone uncomfortable.

See, that's exactly the problem: there simply isn't a reliable "way" to express yourself without offending somebody.

Our school has a simple dress code, that outlines nothing very specific. People here would hate uniforms; I, personally, would never wear them. General Xbot simply does not wear uniforms. The day our school instigates uniforms is the day I start wearing the hammer and sickle to school every day - regardless of rule-breaking. I don't like it when people force me to do things - I really don't.

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If a society is willing to give freedom for temporary security, they deserve neither.

School uniforms, in my opinion, don't make a person learn faster, more efficiently, or anything to that effect. However, I do not think that someone should show up to class in seran wrap or something...that's crazy. But if a girl thinks that it's comfortable to wear a skirt or a shirt that may show her curves or what not, then that's fine. Guys can wear really baggy pants and it's okay, so why can't a girl wear what she wants? To be honest, no one wants to see a guy's underwear hanging out of his pants, just as no one wants to see a girl's thong or what not sticking out over the top of her pants. I'm not saying that people shouldn't be asked to dress appropriately or whatever. No one's under garments should be seen by the naked eye in any situation (in public anyway). But I don't think that school uniforms will help in any way or form!

"I totally hate it when people try to force me into things too. They think i don't have a voice, but come on, I have the same rights as anyone else"

Tori13, you are really going to have a hard time in life if what you say is true. Everywhere you go you are going to have to conform to their specific rules, some more than others. What are you going to do then? Become an anarchist? Anarchy sounds fun for about...1 hour. Then its just annoying.

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"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity"
-Albert Einstein

We do have the freedom to express ourselves in any way, shape, or form. However, in schools world-wide, there are dress codes, and for a reason. No one wants to see a girl walk around with a mini and a low-cut top; except for the male population, of course. In my opinion, it's gross. I don't want to go into a high school and watch girls run around with their butts hanging out of their skirts. I go there, truthfully, for my friends and to get an education. I value my education, but if I were to see several girls walking around wearing clothes only fit for a prostitute, then I wouldn't appreciate it. Outside of school is fine, there is no code of conduct outside (although there is in certain stores, etc) school walls. The law is fine with minis and low-cut tops, as long as you aren't nude. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is ... for those girls (and guys) who want to dress provocitively, then do it outside our school walls.

Dress codes are for the protection of students both male and female. Baggy pants can often be the cause of tripping as well as humiliation. If a young mans pants were to drop and he would be revealed to his classmates that is almost life scarring. If a female student who were wearing the shortest of skirts were to bend over to pick up her pencil and was accosted by another fellow student saying he saw "everything" that too is also life scarring... The rules are put their for student protection and all my aquaintances know that I, too, rebelled against these silly rules. Yes a Tshirt that says "get high" is a little explicit to some, but after all, it is just a T-shirt. Some argue that you have no rights until you are 18, which is mildly true if you think about it. But some rules are put into place for a good reason... heaven forbid your children be wearing the clothing that we once got away with in school.
-Syl

Uniforms are great or horrible, depending on the way you look at it. There are ways of personalizing uniforms, though that may push for complaints from the administration. However, it does lessen peer pressure--just like any uniformed area. Where everyone looks alike, there is less of a race. For many people, this is a releif. For others, it is merely an obstacle. Some people just like competition.

However, I wouldn't've of liked uniforms while I was in high school. Not because it would mean that I wouldn't be able to wear my own clothes, but because it would mean paying for them. I'm not a rich woman. I can't afford buying more things for school than I already was, and am. Some of you might argue I could have afforded two white shirts, a jacket, socks, and two skirts. But prices for clothing run pretty high these days. Maybe I would have been, but what about people less off than myself? My high school would have not paid for such expenses; they already charge for copies printed off in the library and at the copier machines.

Futhermore, I come from a rural town where a great deal of people would probably not have been able to pay for uniforms. This can be a problem in poverty-stricken towns or inner-city schools.

I disagree with the policy of school uniforms, at least in a public school. If someone wants to sign up for a private or military academy where they know they will have to wear a uniform and are ok with it, then go for it. I just don't see why they are necessary for public schools. Most of the reasons people give for them are fairly easily argued against. As with the last post, some people just can't afford them. WHere I came from, they are trying to sidestep this argument by saying that people can buy clothes anywhere they want, as long as they have khaki or black pants, and a polo shirt of color X,Y, or Z. This ruins one of their main arguments of unifying students and closing class differences. You can generally tell the difference between Walmart brand clothing and a name brand. Another argument is that it prevents unwanted visitors from sneaking onto campus. How??? I could probably find in my current wardrobe a pair of khakis and a polo that would enable me to walk into numerous schools undetected because I'm wearing the uniform. Anyone could do that. There are many more reasons why not, but I suppose this is long enough.

I agree to an extent with what you are saying. Uniforms do inhibit personal expression, because I consider my clothing as a form of expression and as part of who I am. My clothing sometimes is like art on my body, at least in my opinion. I can see how uniforms make life easier because for me getting ready in the morning involves a lot of time thinking about what I want to wear.

I went to both public school and private school during high school. At my private school there was a strong dress code enforced. Students were not allowed to wear things that were "showy". In my opinion, having that dress code did make life a little more difficult, however, it prepares students for life after high school. In the work industry there are strict dress codes to abide by and through the dress code rules of my private high school I feel like I dress more presentable everyday. I am thankful that I learned this skill early on in life. So even though you may feel that your school's dress code inhibits you from wearing what you want to wear, take in mind that they may be teaching you something that will help you out later in life.

luckily in my old hs a dress code wasn't necessary females and males knew what was appropiate.

i think a person chould wear what he or she wants, no matter where. I completely agree that some clothes (like the shorts skirts you mentioned, for example) can create a really bad imade about that person. Well, that is exactly the risk assumed. Why having to impose rules just to protect the 'good image' of some people, who don't care about it anyway? It should be their own problem if they can't take advantage of the chance they have, to show their personality through all means (including clothing). What I do know is that, later, they will be the ones suffering after the 'innocent' image they lost. Or not?

My grandmother who went to catholic school in the 50's always said that even with uniforms, you could tell who was trying to outclass everyone else. They just did it with their hairbows, pins, rings, necklaces of pearls or diamonds, and Italian leather shoes. Pecking orders are sadly going to be around even with uniforms. Jen
I believe we can all be beauties with brains!

I think everyone needs to go to school with a tablecloth draped over their bodies.

I dont know if my school has a dress code . for me personally I dont need one because I dress decent enough.You need money to buy clothes most of my money goes to tuition and paying rent.

Wow okay the issue with dress codes isn't in the dress codes themselves on most occasions, they are with the schools... I go to a high school in the middle of nowhere also known as Paris, TX and no matter what I wear, it is inappropriate simply because I am the one wearing it... I can dress just like the cheerleaders and it's "too revealing" then the next day, not show an inch of skin other than my face and my hands and it's too "gang-like and suspicious". For the people at my school there is no way to make them happy, so suggestion to all of you, wear what you want, try not to break any written rules and stand up for yourself when it comes down to it. That's something that I had a problem with until recently but now, it's easier to get through each day, I mean really, when someone tells you that you are wrong everyday and you believe it without question, self-esteem isn't one of your strong points.... Just be you and as long as you aren't doing anything that you know to be wrong, remember that you are the one that is right...

From my own experience of only uniforms and dresscodes, I can tell you that it is certainly not easy to "express" oneself through clothing. Codes and rules in contrast to actual, physical regulations through the form of detentions are quite confusing. Many times, the dress code can be refutable and thus students don't even understand what they are suppose to wear. It comes to the fact where yes, people just don't care about the dress code. I think that dress codes have pros and cons. Yes, it tries to promote unity and global solidarity while having students focus on their studies and "deeper" aspects of people rather than being distracted by worldy goods. However, people (especially girls) will always find a way to "bend" the rules. Dress codes can also tend to be very old-fashioned and indeed have no revelancy whatsoever to fashion of today. Either way you look at it, dress codes are a catch-22.

I appreciate the fact that my school has a dress code, but sometimes our school dean takes things too far. Last year the dean instituted a new rule that prohibited students from wearing plain white t-shirts to school. Apparently, the t-shirts are often associated with gang members and are therefore inappropriate. This year our dean said that people were not going to be able to put rubber bands around the ankles of their pants. I have never seen anyone do this--but apparently it is also a gang symbol. I think that the dean should spend more time worrying about the girls who come to school half-dressed rather than the guys who show up to school sporting a white t shirt.

I think that cloth is a way for children to express them self and is not a issue.

My high school had a dress code of no tube tops or halter tops, but tank tops were allowed as long as the shirt strap is the same width or wider than the bra strap. I live in Iowa, so it's cold in the winter, but we've been having very hot weather the rest of the year, so I see where you're coming from with the tank top thing, since it is a little ridiculous to expect everyone to wear sleeves in that type of weather. Of course, I still do, because my arms aren't the most attractive, and I don't like to shave.

"the cadet who will never be censored

Uniforms actually force adolescents to pick their friends based on personality rather than by what they wear. Also, it weeds out the people who are after you for lust because no matter how badly someone looks in their uniform, there is that special someone who will see past physical beauty and into their heart."