Why are some people so against dress codes in school?

Question

I am usually the first to say that you should judge someone by the content of their character, and not by superficial factors....but with that said, that doesn't mean we should allow anything and everything.

I work for the government, and I have a dress code that I need to abide by. I am there to work, and not to show off how well (or poorly) I dress. I am expected to wear business casual attire, and to dress like I'm going to work. The same should be the case for school. They are there to learn, and if everyone dresses for it, it fosters a better learning environment. Imagine going into a school where everyone is wearing sagging pants off their asses, showing their midriffs and thongs, etc. Not conducive for learning.

"But the kids should be allowed to express themselves!" They can still do so, but within guidelines (i.e. no visible undergarments, no tube tops, no vulgar content, etc). They can wear their favorite colors, favorite sports teams, etc. All of the freedoms we have do have limits, including freedom of expression. You can state your opinion even if it's unpopular, but you can't threaten someone. Kids need to learn that they cannot just do whatever they want whenever they want.

Answer 1

When I was growing up we did have a dress code. There should still be one. In fact, I'm for wearing uniforms to school. Kids can express themselves some other way, outside of school. Pants should not be hanging down off their butts at any time. After all, who is going to hire someone with their underwear showing? Likewise, girls don't need to be showing off their cleavage in high school.

But oh, geez, we don't want to suppress our kids... Blech.

Answer 2

Clothing is a major expression of identity. A person's clothing style separates them from the others, much like a name does. Telling everyone within a population to wear the same clothing (uniform) is stripping them of their identity and transforming them into faceless pawns. Imagine a world where we had no name and no identity, where we were simply given a number and forced to stand in the crowd. You might have read the book 1984 where a similar scenario takes place.



Obviously, wearing clothing that is not revealing should be expected. Revealing clothes are a form of public indecency...and frankly, most people don't want to see the extra skin. A person can express their identity without advertising their sexuality. I am merely against uniforms.

Answer 3

From the articles I've read regarding issues with dress codes, problems usually are brought up because of articles of clothing that are on the border, NOT because of articles of clothing that you mentioned that are pretty obviously inappropriate.

Thus conflicting opinions of where the LINE for what is appropriate emerges.



For example, this girl's sweater dress

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ky-high-school-teen-kneel-dress-code-violation-article-1.2505451



And this girl's top:

http://www.refinery29.com/2015/08/92540/dress-code-violation-exposed-collarbone



This girl's khaki skirt:

https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/high-school-teacher-publicly-shames-student-for-160356356.html



And this girl's prom dress:

http://metro.co.uk/2015/01/30/american-school-girl-made-to-cover-her-shoulders-at-high-school-dance-5043143/



This girl's leggings:

http://www.today.com/parents/sister-slams-high-school-viral-post-after-girl-sent-home-t13721





I don't know about you, but all of these look modest to me. I don't see how anybody can be distracted with any of these outfits. Like do they need to wear a hijab so that other kids can control themselves?



Not everybody plans to work for the government, either. The argument doesn't really make sense to kids who don't plan to work in a business office. It also doesn't really make sense to say, "Because I as an adult am limited, younger kids should be, too." Why shouldn't kids have the joy of wearing what they want while they're still young before it is taken away in adulthood? I agree that to a certain extent people should prepare for the real world, but I'd also want kids to enjoy being kids without getting all suited up just to go to school.



Don't get me wrong, I completely agree with the idea of there being limits, and agree with the fact that a lot of things (tube tops, thong showing, bare midriffs, etc.) are not for school. But it seems that a lot of schools are going a bit coo-koo with the idea that a girl's body is so sexualized that other people can't handle to even look at a shoulder, collarbone, and knees without it being a distraction and call for attention.



People are generally not against dress codes. They are against people who enforce it so strictly that girls who are wearing normal clothing are being sent home and sometimes even humiliated for it. That's the issue here.

Answer 4

Some people feel any form of dress code is editing their individuality and indicating the need to conform. Some people are more comfortable in their own clothing and would say this contentment allows them to be more productive and engaged with those around them.

Answer 5

I am in agreement with your last statement. Sadly, however, we are raising a generation of conceited, spoiled little brats who consider themselves privileged and "owed" up the WAZOO!





Have a polite day.

Etiquette takes over where laws end.

Answer 6

cause they dont like to dress up

Answer 7

I agree