Opinion: Closet Detention – TAHS Dress Code Needs to be Amended
Tyrone Area High School. Home of The Golden Eagles. Welcoming staff. Incredible teachers. Small-town celebrity Officer Bub. One insane dress code policy.
Before you get your underwear all in a bunch, I’m not saying we shouldn’t have a dress code policy. I believe we should have one, but it shouldn’t be so strict that when I go school shopping at American Eagle during the summer I think, “Would this be a distraction to other students, teachers, myself, Aunt Peggy’s dog, or God himself?”
Chances are, none of those people (and animals) are going to care if the holes in your jeans aren’t fingertip length. Nobody thinks you’re promoting the Bloods or the Crips if you wear a bandana to school one day. We’re all here to get through the day without wanting to smash our heads off of our desks 17 times in one period. Maybe a bandana could help!
A study conducted by Sam Houston State University shows a dress code policy had no effect on test scores in the state of Texas.
The researchers stated, “Our studies suggested that the implementation of a standardized dress code had no significant impact on the improvement of TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills) scores among the targeted populations.”
Clearly, this shows a school’s dress code policy plays no significant role in the educational process.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I personally think that TAHS is one of the best schools in the area.
What I don’t understand is why the teachers and school board think a little bit of shoulder showing is going to cause students to have “impure thoughts.”
If you can’t have a little bit of self-control at the sight of an exposed shoulder, then don’t come to school.
On page 36 of our school’s student handbook, it directly says,
“Dress may not interfere with the educational process or the rights of others.”
How does what I wear to school going to interfere with the educational process or other people’s rights? It’s just ridiculous!
If you think for even a second that an exposed shoulder or a sleeveless top keeps people from learning in school, you definitely need to reevaluate your life. Also, how do my clothes violate the rights of others? I should be able to wear what I feel comfortable in, and if that bothers you then don’t look at me!
Of course, there are girls that push the limit of our dress code, but they shouldn’t be called out or asked to get a change of clothes or they’ll be threatened with ISS.
Women are simply being body shamed by school dress code. In a CNN article, a girl was told that she was basically “asking for it” by wearing shorts.
The article says, “One 15-year-old girl, who we’re not naming to protect her privacy, said she was given an in-school suspension for wearing shorts to her mid-thigh. Her teacher suggested that her clothing was suggestive, and that she was ‘asking for it’”. Isn’t that the most ridiculous and insulting thing to say to a 15-year-old girl? Let alone any person! If you even think that a girl is “asking for it” when she wears a pair of shorts or a crop top, then you definitely should go to a therapist. There’s a difference between wanting attention from the male student body, and wanting to be comfortable.
Personally, I feel like the school dress code is merely an attempt at having the least bit of control over the student body. Have you noticed that students still break the dress code almost on a daily basis? Hello! Take the hint!
While TAHS could be cracking down on the potheads hanging out in the bathroom during class, that one group of kids looking up every inappropriate thing imaginable on their Chromebook, or the group of girls starting the same drama every day. No, instead they chase down a girl in the hallway and make them do the “fingertip test.” Isn’t there something wrong with that?
So TAHS, take my advice and realize that our dress code policy is utter insanity, and change.
Now, you may call me a feminist, a liberal, or a left-wing, but that still isn’t going to change my views or the common sense when it comes to dress code and women’s rights. Ladies, take pride in what you wear and don’t worry about the negative comments.
Make change happen before you get a closet detention.
Angel Briggs • Oct 10, 2018 at 8:52 am
100% AGREE! If my shoulders distract you, look away. If my stomach shows, it’s cause I have body confidence! Don’t put us down saying that we are “asking for it.” Like, come on! This is part of the reason people are so shy! They can’t show the real them! I show myself through my clothes and how I have my hair. If I want to wear a bandana then I’m going to! In fact, I will wear one tomorrow! I wear crop tops a lot but I normally have my hoodie on but it does get hot in here so I do take it off. It shows a bit of my stomach but it is covered with the shorts I wear. They are high waisted but again they are short. Let people express themselves! If you can’t look over at them and not get distracted, your a pig and shouldn’t go to school then. You say school is fun? How can it be with a dress code like this!? Let kids express themselves! Dang. Also leggings! If they are see-through, don’t ear them. If they aren’t, what’s the problem? And with hats, whats the deal with those? Nothing! If someone wears a hat, maybe it’s their favorite hat or it looks good on them. Don’t shame them! Let them be them. Period. End of conversation!
TSM_Myth • May 3, 2018 at 9:00 am
I 98% agree. The 2% that I don’t agree with is the statement, “Have you noticed that students still break the dress code almost on a daily basis? Hello! Take the hint!” That isn’t how you go about things. For example, wearing jeans with holes in them every day may get your point across, but it is still against our current dress code. That means people shouldn’t be surprised or angry when they get in trouble for wearing that clothing. RANT — I mean I see so many people complaining, “My teacher sent me to Mr. Rhodes because I have holes in my jeans, that is so unfair, it’s so stupid!” It really isn’t, you broke a rule and got punished for it. —- RANT OVER Perhaps a better way to go about this is to take it up with the school board, attend a meeting, start a petition. This article was a great way to get your point across.
Jeremy • Apr 23, 2018 at 8:22 am
I Find it funny that A classroom In 1970 Looks Exactly Like the Classroom in 2018. You would think that Since we are the FUTURE you should give us Freedom over what we wear in public. In 1970 Was the Disco Age Meaning that the Wore Leggings and Cut Shirts their ripped or made that way. We Are Increasing the Public School System By 2% Every Year. Over the Past Decade You Could do Possibly anything And Most of the Time And Maybe get away with it. Now Were giving people In school Suspension or Detonation because they Don’t Wear Suitable Clothes. I think there is so much we Can Look at other Dumb Ways to Discipline than What a fellow Student Wears. I Could see that Giving a student ISS Maybe If the student was Wearing something Extremely Offensive or Displaying Prostitution but if someone has a Hole in there Jeans that’s just one of the Dumbest Disciplinary Actions I’ve Heard of…..
Janice Fink • Apr 18, 2018 at 11:07 am
Dress codes prepare teens for the real world. ‘kids’ need to learn appropriate dress wear, who will hire a girl, young woman, if she is dressed like a hooker or young man if he looked like her pump? Could inappropriate dress be the cause of teacher/student relationships, perhaps. I would like to see a uniform dress code complimented, students would all be the same! In closing I will leave you with the words of a wise old sage ( my Mom), you go to school for an education, not a fashion show.
Brandon Escala • Apr 18, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Ummm… Mrs. Fink, or miss. No judgment but did it ever occur to you that maybe, just maybe, WE dress so that WE feel comfortable so that WE feel confident so that WE feel like ourselves. I don’t know about you, but me and my friends have never dressed to impress some creeper or anyone for that matter. I highly doubt that your “child predator” theory is correct.
And what is with this uniform business you’re trying to sell? Conformity is not exactly healthy, neither is removing one’s creativity in a social setting. There are some clothing extremes in which I would agree should not pass through our doors, but I have seen NONE. This isn’t the 1900’s, we can show more than some ankle skin. Now if my mother lets me out with it on, it’s fine.
Also, referring to us as hookers and pimps will get no student one your side
Alexis Umholtz • Apr 18, 2018 at 1:21 pm
I understand some of your argument here, but anybody with a brain is going to know not to dress like a “hooker” or a “pimp” when going to a job interview, and if they do then that’s their problem. Responding to your comment about teacher/student relationships, if any teacher is actually driven by a girls’s clothing choice, then they simply should be fired. In the years I’ve been at Tyrone I haven’t noticed a single girl were EXTREMELY suggestive clothing. Also, a uniform dress code is keeping us from being able to express ourselves. I understand that school IS for education and not just what you wear, but personally I feel better and more productive when I feel good about myself. School uniforms would make people feel trapped, therefore leaving people miserable in classrooms and constantly complaining about the uniforms.
Laurie Dasher • Apr 18, 2018 at 1:54 pm
In the real world dress codes vary widely from really casual to business suit. In the real world you get to make the choice of a profession that requires a strict dress code or a profession that does not. For many high schoolers, college comes before the real world and at most colleges they are allowed to wear whatever they want, yet they still manage to go on to work in the real world dressed accordingly. I’d like to think our “kids” are smart enough to not dress like a hooker or pimp for a job interview. If not, they won’t get the job and they will have learned a valuable lesson. Your uniform idea seems to contradict your real world theory. In the real world, many employers do not require uniforms. Those who really don’t want to wear a uniform will simply not get a job that requires one. Sexual predators are the cause of teacher/student relationships!! Please stop using what a person wears to defend the behavior of a sexual predator. Your mom I can agree with. Just because cold shoulders and distressed jeans are the hot trend right now doesn’t mean they should automatically be permitted. There does need to be some form of a dress code, it needs to be consistent, and it needs to be applied equally to both girls and boys.
Monica Wolfe • Apr 18, 2018 at 4:02 pm
I attended Catholic school for a few years and I agree about uniforms. Kids are mean and when a family can only afford clothes from the DG store and get made fun of, this is why they should look the same. It is also a lot cheaper when buying school clothes as well. I read and article about a girl that was a little busty not wearing a bra to school. I’m sorry she needs to wear a bra! I used to interview people for jobs and that was the first thing I looked at was how they were dressed. I would think don’t these parents teach them how to dress for these things?
Taylor Laber • Apr 18, 2018 at 8:52 am
i was reading this with a friend yesterday, and he made some good points i’d like to bring up.
“Also, how do my clothes violate the rights of others?”
i know this isn’t common, but, there are shirts that can promote racism or violence to a group of people. that violates rights of people and just makes you look like, in school appropriate terms, a jerk that deserves some form of punishment.
yes, they’re not common, hell, maybe even rare, but they do exist. it’s something to consider.
girls aren’t the only primary target of clothing policies, males are as well, and i was sort of disappointed they weren’t mentioned. guys aren’t even allowed to wear shirts without sleeves, and that’s just kind of funny to me. what’s the problem with that? just as long as you aren’t seeing the Super Funny Genitals!(TM) or not wearing anything very suggestive, you should be fine.
otherwise, i do agree with you. girls should be able to wear clothes of spaghetti and boys should wear shirts made of muscle
CG • Apr 16, 2018 at 7:03 pm
I love to meet the people who are legitimately distracted by people wearing hats, short shorts, tank-tops, crop-tops, or holes and listen to them give true explanation of why any of these are distracting or learning deficient.
I’m still waiting to meet those people.
Stop caring so much about what people wear. They’re them and you’re you, so lay off.
Nick Greene • Apr 16, 2018 at 2:09 pm
The school is always cold inside anyway, why would you want to show skin
Angel Briggs • Apr 16, 2018 at 9:45 am
That was very funny. I fully agree with you. They should bring the dress code down a bit. Not as much as letting girls wear really short crop tops as if you see their whole stomach but they should still be allowed to wear ones that show a bit of stomach. Very good points. Good job!
Kiara Sch. • Apr 16, 2018 at 2:05 pm
I want to wear shorts that I feel comfortable in and same with crop tops like dude come on who is gonna look at your stomach in the middle of class or in the hallways on your way to class. My sister even says that the school dress code is ridiculous like I start feeling self-conscious whenever I wear a shirt that shows a bit of my shoulder, that’s just ridiculous because in public outside of school I feel totally comfortable. It’s the school dress code putting pressure on me for what I wear and I really dislike it.