The Dress Code is Unfair to Girls!

Do you think the dress code is fair? Many girls think that the dress code is unfair to girls.  Many people have noticed how girls are always getting in trouble for what they wear and that boys are never getting in trouble for what they are wearing.  Some of the dress code policies that girls don’t like are: shorts have to be finger lengths and that tank tops must be three fingers.

 Many girls think that the dress code is unfair. 80% of 16 girls, at West Middle School, think that the dress code is not fair to both genders. But 80.7% don’t like the dress code. We only talked to 16 girls but a lot more people at West Middle School who think that the dress code is unfair.

We asked some girls how they would change the dress code: “I would change it where we could wear shoulderless shirts because SHOULDER ARE NOT OFFENDING AT ALL!” Chloe Pangborn answered. “Not make short requirements ‘fingertip length’ because everyone’s arm and torso lengths are different,” stated Rachel Limpan.

The reason that girls think that the dress code is unfair to girls is, “Because the dress code only applies to girls, and only girls get dress coded,” Rebekah Stopford claims.

Ainsley Lloyd says, “All boys shorts are to the knees but girls shorts are shorter than fingertip length. Boys can get by easily but girls are dress coded all the time. And girls can’t show their shoulders which is unfair.”

There were also some girls that think the dress code is fair and does not need to be changed.

We talked to Mrs. Howe, a counselor at West, and she explained why we have the dress code. She says how clothes that don’t follow the dress code are distracting to students who are trying to learn. Mrs. Howe states, “Also, especially, for females, we don’t want them to wear something and then someone makes them feel really uncomfortable.” Mrs. Howe does say that the dress code mainly affects girls, she states, “Now, basically in this day and age, yes it mainly affects girls.” She also says, “ Yes, there are short shorts out there, but there is a time and a place to wear them and school is not one, but right now boys shorts are long.” Mrs. Howe thinks that the dress code is fair and that clothes that don’t follow the dress code should only be worn outside of school.

The dress code policies are shorts and skirts must be fingertip length even with leggings. Garments should not expose underclothing, shirts must cover shoulders, no bare midriffs, no sunglasses, no discriminating clothing, no clothes that are considered dangerous, for example, wallet chains and pointed rings, and no hoods up inside the school.

Teachers and staff have the right to ask you to change if clothes are too distracting. For more information on the school’s dress code, look at the K-12 student handbook. Those are the rules in the dress code, but not everyone agrees with them. If you think that the dress code is unfair, you should talk to the counselors or principal to try and change the dress code!