Are Students Really Dressed for Success?
Teenagers love being able to express themselves through their outfits every day and dress codes limit these expressions.
High school rules on dress code don’t allow students to wear what they want. Strict school rules on what students can and cannot wear negatively impacts schools because students don’t have the freedom to express themselves, girl’s rules are more superior to boy’s, and teachers focus more on what students are wearing rather than relevant issues going on. First of all, teenage kids in high school deserve to show and represent themselves in any way they choose, as long as they are not dressed inappropriately. When students go shopping, they can’t buy whatever they please to because of dress codes. They can feel as if they’re dressed to “be successful” in whatever they are comfortable in. That’s the student’s choice, it’s THEIR education! A principal at Pinellas County High School states “They’re the ones who dress their kids in the morning, not me.
” So why does it matter what student wears to school? Student’s should feel good about what they wear to school it’s their environment. Secondly, how fair is it to females all over the world who have quadrupole the amount of rules and regulations as boys? “NO SOULDERS, NO HOLES ABOVE THE KNEE, NO MIDRIFT.” The student handbooks declare. These over exaggerated restrictions are putting labels on girls who just want to follow the trends. The labels the schools begin to create for these young women has such a huge impact in their lives. For them to dress how they’d like is considered majorly inappropriate.
To be respectful, they need to be completely covered up, which is not fair at all. “There needs to be more collaboration with students …” Ellen Ullman from NewBay media claims. Although I understand girls can press the limits, but boys can too when they “sag” their pants to ground. School districts across the states of Texas are not considering students opinions, feelings, opinions, and ideas. Their thoughts are neglected, leaving students to believe their opinions are unnecessary.
“School dress codes send a clear–and negative–message from administrators to students: Your individuality is inconvenient.” Scanning the halls for students with ripped jeans should be least of the worries in a school hallway. There’s lots of pressure on kids who are just trying to fit in and dress in what’s new and trending but they can’t do that with the strict rules. In 2017, bullying is still an issue for many kids and especially teens.If the faculty and staff would pay more attention to what their students are saying and doing, rather than if someone’s shoulders are showing, lots of problems would be solved.
Teachers could be more involved with their students rather than having them turn their backs and lashing out in anger of making them change their clothes. In conclusion, harsh school rules on what these students can and cannot wear has am opposing effect on schools because of the ways students show their individuality. A student’s choice of clothing is the key to their own unique personalities. According to NCES (National Center for Education Statistics), 15.1 million kids, grades 9-12, enrolled in schools across the U.S.
in the fall of 2017. Out of these 15.1 million students, majority of them are at school for 8 hours a day. They have earned their right to dress as they choose. Make it their choice.
