Should Century have a dress code? A lot of people have different opinions. Here’s a look at dress codes in the United States and more specifically, our school. A lot of school districts in the United States have dress codes, with many school leaders saying dress codes help keep students safe.
“While the dress code alone may not guarantee safety, it does contribute to a more orderly and conducive learning environment, indirectly supporting our broader efforts to keep students safe,” says Century administrator LaShauna Quarles.
At Century, our dress code specifically bans clothing that reveals too much skin or private areas. The policy specifically states that “Inappropriately sheer, tight, short, or low-cut clothing that bares or exposes traditionally private parts of the body, including but not limited to, the stomach, buttocks, upper thigh, back and breasts is prohibited.”
Teachers have varied opinions about dress code.
“I personally support a dress code and possibly even a uniform in schools,” says Century band teacher Jared Crump-Bertram. “ I think that there needs to be at least some guidelines on what is acceptable or not in school, some people clearly don’t have boundaries. I think that uniforms would help make everyone feel comfortable and not worry about the price or popularity of the clothes that they wear. Then the focus is on the person and not the clothes that they wear. I think that a dress code or uniform would also take away some of the distractions caused in school.”
Other teachers understand students’ desire to express their individuality based on their clothing.
“I personally use my own attire to express my personality,” explains Century language arts teacher Sarah Worosylo. “My T-shirts, lanyards, and accessories support the things I love, enjoy, and support. Every person is a little bit different, and using the way you dress to express those differences is important.”
Students also have many opinions about the dress code. For the most part, Century students don’t seem to mind the current policy.
“I think it’s good because I like how we don’t have to have a specific uniform and we get to wear whatever we want,” says 7th grader Josiah Gonzalez.
Most of the students that disagree with the dress code are girls. Dress codes are frequently unfair to girls.
“Boys don’t get dress-coded, but we do,” explains 7th grader Lily Hughes.
Dress codes are not set in stone and policies change over time. Many students feel that they should have input. For example, many students wish we could wear pajama pants to school. As Stephanie Vargas states, “I don’t understand why we can’t wear pajama pants?”
