Myasia Kisart’s Take on the Dress Code

The dress code states: “No pajamas, Shorts should have at least a 3-inch inseam. Skirts should reach the tips of fingers while standing. Underwear should not be visible (this includes bra straps). No sagging. Boys should wear belts.No suggestive sayings or profanity on any clothing. We do not want to see skin through holes in your clothing, even if this is a current fashion trend. Students are expected to be dressed and groomed in a manner which will not be disruptive to the educational process, constitute a health or safety hazard or violate civil law. Any clothing or jewelry that is distracting to the learning process is not permitted. Final determination of appropriateness of student dress will made by the school administration.”

School dress codes are generally implemented during elementary school. Elementary school would be the time when we learn what is right and wrong, your morals and ethics. Dress code implies that women’s bodies are something that need to be covered up, something that should not be seen. These rules imply that women especially need to remain “modest” and be respectful young women because otherwise, you are asking for attention. Nobody is asking to be raped and nobody deserves it. Instead of teaching boys not to rape we teach women not to get raped.The code is saying that if we dress a certain way we want the “boys” to say something to us, but in reality if someone can’t pay attention to school because of a bra strap, who is really the problem? Because the dress code is so strictly followed by teachers and other staff, it is almost an anomaly when a girl does wear something a bit more revealing, and then she is sexualized as if it was a secret that she wears a bra, and it’s a secret that she has a bellybutton.

This also feeds into insecurities. Girl’s are not going to feel as beautiful because she is no longer comfortable with her body, or feels like she will be judged and is shamed from such a young age. She begins to feel uncomfortable with her body, and she doesn’t really know her body. She is teased at school because of her clothing in general or called a “slut” because there are some immature people who cannot handle a bra strap, a belly button and hip bones. The fact that these rules have been around since 1969 (Tinker vs Des Moines) The court case was ruled as “a far-reaching decision, the Court essentially decided that schools may limit student expression (such as enforcing dress codes” how outdated they are. How are we to move forward as a society if we are still using rules from when the social expectation for women at the time was that they were the caretakers of children and housewives.