Dress Codes Dbq

It is of no possible argument that some of the most valuable and lasting ideas of life and the world around us are taught and learned at school. Hard work does you well. Cheaters never prosper. Education is the key to success. Girls bodies are a distraction and objects to be inevitably sexualized and harassed. This may sound over exaggerated, but this is the message beings sent to millions of students near and far by the sexist, self-esteem demolishing, unfocused dress codes in schools today. This said, dress codes in schools create a negative environment, putting the focus on the wrong things and ideas, both promoting rape culture and a strong sense of sexism.

Is it really a female student’s fault that a male peer failed a test because her collar bone was distracting him? The school boards across the United States have girls feeling like it is. Dress codes have become an excuse for male students and a way to devalue female morals and education. Removing students from class time and verbally harassing them for their choice of dress has become a common practice within too many schools across the country. School systems use dress codes for various reasons upon campus.

School dress codes send a loud and clear message, “Your individuality is inconvenient.” (Rowland 22). The constitution guarantees the right to free speech,which can be interpreted as the right to freedom of self expression, and students use clothing to express themselves. Another message that dress codes send is that “the self identity that you want to express does not belong here.” Self expression is not an inconvenience or a distraction, it is the lifeblood of our nation. (Rowland 22). Schools tell students that they should be confident in themselves, but how can they if they cannot express themselves? School dress codes now are more about shielding the boys then protecting the girls which implies that boys are immature. Calling a girl’s clothes distracting is implying that she is at fault for any disruptions. “That 's like saying that because a store has a cash register, it 's the store 's fault if it gets robbed!” (Menza 1). Students are going to be distracted anyways. Sexist dress codes are like saying that an article of clothing, or a body part showing on a female will distract male students from learning. Dress codes should be simple for both genders, everyone should wear clothing that covers up the same area. With dress codes, students are forced to dress the same as other students, taking the individuality out of school, but schools try to send the message, you are individual. Figure 1 shows a strict dress codes for both students and

Stephanie was sent home from school, on her first day, when she wore an outfit to school that showed her collarbones. This measure was taken because they don’t want the male student to be distracted from schoolwork. However, male students distract themselves, why should the female students have to change the way they dress because a male student will be distracted. Stop looking, stay focused; it is not difficult to do so. These extreme dress code rules should not becoming into place because male students will be distracted; they should still be able to learn if we show our collarbones.

Schmitt explains that “The self-confidence of a young girl is already so fragile without having someone she looks up to shaming her to hide herself”. Girls begin to feel as though they are treated as objects and not human beings because dress code rules see them as an object that needs to be hidden. School officials do not see the impact that dress code has on young girls who are just beginning to grow into themselves.

America, the “land of the free, and home of the brave.” Unfortunately, this doesn 't mean “land of the free to wear whatever one desires.” In fact, school dress codes are taking away American students’ self expression, infringing on their freedom of speech, and enforcing sexist discrimination all over the country. A recent case, that occurred at Tottenville High School in Staten Island, New York, blatantly displays the negative effects dress codes are having on students, especially females. In the first couple of days of the semester, this high school managed to give 200 detentions to students for violating the dress code. Ironically enough, 90 percent of these students were girls (Swafford). The discouraging part is that schools are easily able to get away with this kind of discrimination. This is made possible by state laws that give school boards the power to enforce whatever dress codes they think are necessary to promote a distraction free learning environment, maintain discipline, and to push students to dress similarly in order to create a uniformity in the schools (“School Dress Codes”). The purpose of dress codes may be to create a distraction free learning environment; in reality, however, they produce an environment where students feel discriminated against and aren 't free to express themselves.

It is a known fact that 62% of girls in grades 5-9 are insecure about their bodies. It doesn’t help that districts have extremely strict dress codes. They say it applies to everyone, but students know they are aiming their message out to girls. Districts tell girls to cover themselves up because they are major distractions. If girls have the right to have education, they should have the rights to wear the things they want.

Nevertheless, students are not allowed to wear sleeveless shirts, hats, leggings, and many other articles of clothing. It is apparent that dress code impacts females more than males. When a girl violates the dress code, she is often taken out of class and forced to change; moreover, this interruption of her education is more detrimental and distracting than any form of revealing clothing she could possibly wear. At Alexandria, education towards the respect of women should be more prominent than the shame and objectification of them. As students become more educated on this matter, the constricting dress code should become more lenient. For instance, the acceptable length of dresses and shorts should vary with the student’s height, sleeveless shirts should be allowed, and boys and girls should be judged equally under the same regulations. This revision will allow students to wear the clothes they own comfortably and without the fear of violating the school’s

(Elliot.2014) The school board stated to CTV NEWS that “we’re trying to teach them how to be ready for life when they graduate high school, be it university or perhaps a job.” I oppose this statement as a dress code now should not have anything to do with an individual’s future. Also, some people may argue that it puts others at stake unintentionally such as young males, and male teachers. It is said that provocative clothing attracts the opposite sex, but what we should be putting forward is the saying that humans should learn to control rather than restrict. There is a bias in schools and educational institutions due to the impression that without a dress code there will be breakdown of discipline, lack in academic success, and approach of sexuality. There is excess attention attracted towards the negativities of not having a dress code, but we do not see that dress codes restrict freedom of expression, or “form of art.” Being able to express your feelings and thoughts through appearance in your own way had the ability to boost self confidence, which is psychologically shown to improve and maintain good health, as well as promote any form of success especially at an age where individuals are yet to learn of themselves. A female could be bare appearance (naked) but have extensive amounts of knowledge and intelligence; therefore females should not be singled out over dress codes which should be banned as it does not define a

With staff telling female students to cover their bodies in schools, many girls fall victim of body shaming.

In April 2015, a Texas honors student was sent home for wearing yoga pants and an oversized shirt that covered her entire backside. In August, a Kentucky student was sent home for showing her collarbone. After her mother brought a scarf to cover her neck, the administration still deemed it “inappropriate.” In Indiana, a 12-year-old student was suspended and missed two days of class. The offense: tight pants. Other dress-code violations include baring shoulders, wearing a tank top, or exposing a bra strap. Should girls have to miss out on some of their education because of a collarbone or tight pants? These are parts of our bodies that are “distracting”. Should girls feel shamed about their bodies? However should school be an appropriate environment?

Dress codes target young girls bodies at a young age and cause self esteem issues from a very early age. Establishing sexist norms into young minds is a recipe for disaster. One journalist from The Huffington Post says, “By creating and following dress codes that have separate standards for boys and girls, it teaches girls that they are mostly perceived as objects, only as valuable as how they look” (Bromberg). By telling girls that their bodies are infringing upon boys’ education establishes a norm in their mind that they should not be confident within themselves. How could a low self esteem improve learning in

Any girl that has ever attended public school knows about the struggle of a dress code. On those hot days as the school year approaches, girls pour over their closets trying to find an outfit they won’t get called out for or sweat to death in. All their dresses are too revealing, their shorts too short, and their shirts reveal way too much shoulder—or so the schools say. Girls have been attacked time and time again with dress codes. Policies are almost always directed strictly towards girls; some even specify for girls only. These dress codes are not only sexist towards women, but they limit female’s freedom of expression and their choice to feel comfortable, and they do not teach female’s to have self confidence.

Dress codes in middle and high schools are a form of discrimination against teenage girls in today’s society. Parents and students all over the country argue that dress codes are directed mainly at girls and are a blatant example of gender inequality. The idea behind the strict enforcement of a dress code is that it will teach self-respect and raise moral standards for the students. However, when the reason for many dress code violations is questioned the rationale is often to prevent distracting the male students. Young women across the country are being shamed and punished for wearing what schools consider immodest and being a distraction to their male peers. This discrimination against female students results in their clothes being strictly regulated and dress coded more often than male students’ clothes are. The enforcement of these discriminatory dress codes has become a form of public humiliation for female students. Theoretically, a dress code makes sense and should be effective. In reality, it does not affect how students dress but causes a distraction and interruption of a girl’s education.

If a girl is sitting silently at her desk taking notes on her teachers lecture, how can the length of her skirt affect her or others learning capabilities? Some clothes are appropriate for school and some are not. But in the end, what’s disruptive in the classrooms is not the attire that girls are wearing but their bodies themselves. I’m sure teachers mean well by encouraging girls not to think that they need to wear tight clothes in order to get attention from boys or imitate their favourite celebrities. When girls are denied time in the classroom because their knees, shoulders or upper arms are considered inappropriate and in need of covering up, it benefits the social sexualization of adolescent bodies over their right to learn.