Do other parents really complain?

[jrmasm]

If the uniforms violate the dress code, I have no problem with them being told they can't wear them in school.

 

[EMom]

Geez, wouldn't it be funny if the football team showed up in uniform, pads and all?

 

[Iheartfall]

Makes me look back to see the way I dressed as a kid in photos, even the way my mom dressed, my cousins, friends, etc. We wore some short shorts and skirts, belly shirts, you name it. Heck, my dads shorts were tiny. School photos had people in tanks, short shorts, athletic clothes. When did seeing arms and legs become such an issue?


Honestly, I'm in the minority I guess. Then again I'm not checking out how short someones skirt is, or how wide a tank strap is. I don't see the issue unless people pull a M.Cyrus or you see cheeks almost hanging out (Or the "girls"). NOW that is vulgar.

 

[U2_rocks!]

I personally think dress codes have gone too far. We didn't have the restrictions that kids do today and yet we didn't have the issues either. Sorry, but all the issues kids have now have more to do with lack of discipline at home than school itself.

Cheerleader uniforms are not "indecent". Really? Is this the Victorian age? I'm pretty darn conservative, but I think is going too far. School spirit binds kids together and makes them a "team". Eroding these traditions doesn't. And, yes, it's a tradition. My mom was a twirler and her friends were cheerleaders in the 1950's. They wore skirts below the knee because that was the style. But, they still dressed in a way that their parents generation didn't approve of. It's called being a teenager.

I think some parents need to worry more about their own children and quit telling them how "perfect" they are and teach them respect for authority. That would go a long way towards fixing the issues in our schools. Not wearing cheerleading uniforms won't.

No they are not "indecent", but if the school sees such a short skirt (that truthfully barely covers her rear end) as a distraction during class time (when kids are supposed to be concentrating) then it must apply to all.

I am not sure that a short skirt is really all that distracting nowadays, given the variety of revealing clothes that kids wear on weekends, but the school has the right to set a particular tone during class time. The schools in my country have chosen uniforms to achieve this rather than a dress code. I don't care one way or the other what kids are wearing, but that's not the point - the point is that the school cares and they get to set the rules for their students. At least this rule is consistent.

 

[Iheartfall]

You mean that's a real thing, wearing a cheer uniform all day at school? I thought that was just a some kind of joke on Glee. Are they expecting a football game to break out in the halls between classes and they have to be ready to cheer at a moment's notice?

They should be wearing regular school clothes during the day and changing into the uniforms at game time, just like the players.

Its always been normal for me while I was growing up. Track team, cheerleaders, dance, lacrosse, tennis, football players wore jerseys, soccer players had the whole uniform on. It was considered school pride.

 

[U2_rocks!]

You mean that's a real thing, wearing a cheer uniform all day at school? I thought that was just a some kind of joke on Glee. Are they expecting a football game to break out in the halls between classes and they have to be ready to cheer at a moment's notice?

They should be wearing regular school clothes during the day and changing into the uniforms at game time, just like the players.

I know, I find it weird too. Never happens at our schools.

 

[ImDMous]

Its always been normal for me while I was growing up. Track team, cheerleaders, dance, lacrosse, tennis, football players wore jerseys, soccer players had the whole uniform on. It was considered school pride.

That's how my school was too. We seemed to still get stuff done on game days and didn't spend our time gawking at each other. (not any more than usual anyway.) Wearing your uniform to school was a reward for the hard work it took to make the team.

 

[bookgirl]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/florida-schools-banning-cheerleaders-wearing-uniforms-during-school-155324614.html

Just saw this, do other non-cheerleader parents really complain?

I'm just continuing to shake my head.

I think cheerleaders, athletes etc should be allowed to wear their uniforms on performance days. To ban them and state they are vulgar is wow, extreme especially since they represent the school at the event in the uniforms.

My school had different uniforms pieces and during school cheerleaders/pep club had to wear the most modest one. Atheletes were allowed to wear jersey/jeans or their warm ups.

And yes I think that the cheer team should be wearing dress code appropriate clothing. It wouldn't be hard to have warm ups or leggings or an alternative skirt that is the right length to make it fit the code.

 

[PrincesCJM]

I didn't read any responses but I will say that as a high school teacher, our cheerleading uniforms violate dress code. Too short. It creates a double standard.

 

[DeaverTex]

If the uniform meets the school's dress code, then no problem. If it doesn't, then don't wear it to school. Simple as that. When I was in school, the only exception was at a pep rally, when the cheerleaders were allowed to wear their uniforms during the rally. They changed back into school clothes before returning to class. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[WDWBarb]

I remember DD's HS orientation. The cheerleaders were there in uniform. The principal started going over the dress code and the cheerleaders, obviously unrehearsed, starting demonstrating the code in an almost an airline hostess style. Shoulders covered, no midriff showing, no low-slung pants, etc. They were amusing and entertaining. When the principal said that you couldn't wear anything that was shorter than the tips of your fingers if you could put your hands to your side, they acted this out... and then you saw the looks on their faces and then the giggles when they realized that their uniforms were WAY shorter than this requirement.

It was a silent and awkward moment when the principal noticed what had happened. "Ok, enough about the dress code..."

 

[mhsjax]

When I grew up, cheerleaders wore their uniform. I think not to is silly. It is part of being a cheerleader, it also reminded everyone that we had a game that night and actually got people in the mood for football.

Following the logic that if it is against school dress code, then why should they be allowed to wear them to the school during a sanctioned school function. sorry but I this rule is just plain silly. In middles school they have to follow dress code for fields trips, what is the difference. And don't say it is during school time, because the big one at the end of the year to Universal, the dress code had to be followed. Schools seem to have lost common sense before any of the rest of the world did.

We actually do had a few schools in the same district that do allow their cheerleaders to wear their uniforms to school.

 

[CPT Tripss]

How did Mr. Skinner (R.I.P) eact to the too short skirts? Same as towards long haired boys?

 

[Becky2005]

On second thought, I want to see the drama department dressed in character on performance days!

And the ones that are big into theatre would absolutely LOVE that idea!!

My daughter being one of them...Halloween is her favorite holiday and she's pretty bummed she is too old to be allowed to dress up at Disney.

She was also a cheerleader Freshman year & no way did her cheer skirt meet dress code but she has long arms, long legs and tiny torso. The rule was the skirt had to be to your fingertips.

However, as with most anything -- if it involves football a lot of things are overlooked that wouldn't be for other sports/clubs...at least that is how it is in this area. I know cheerleaders can be their own sport but by extension they are part of football.

 

[MrsPete]

I think they should change the school's dress code policy so the uniforms will fit in with the dress code. Then that code should then apply to all the students in the school, cheerleaders or not.

I agree. The cheerleaders' tops are okay for school (except for that one-shouldered uniform that they don't wear all that often 'cause it is really ugly), but the problem is the skirts. Yes, they have built-in shorts under them, but they're short-shorts -- they cover about the same amount of skin as Soffie shorts or tight running shorts. Our dress code requires shorts be as long as the wearer's fingertips, and the cheerleaders' skirts don't even come close.

I do agree that cheerleaders, who are representing the school, should meet dress code in and out of school . . . but that isn't in keeping with today's styles. I was actually a bit shocked when I looked at my old yearbook some time back and saw just how much the cheerleaders' skirts have changed since the 80s. I thought the skirts were fashionably short then, but looking back at the pictures, I see that they were easily twice as long as they are now -- above the knee, but not skimpy-skimpy; also, they were more flow-y -- that is, they were not tight-skirts like they are now.

Calling today's cheerleading outfits "vulgar" or "disgusting" is going way too far. They're on par with other athletic outfits, but that doesn't mean they're appropriate to wear to math class.

It's not something that would incite me to pick up the phone and complain but I could see a parent complaining if their kid was sent home for wearing a tank top and mid-thigh skirt to school but the cheerleaders are running all over the place dressed in pretty much the same thing.

And THIS is where the parental complaints come in! When a parent's been called in to leave work and pick up her daughter because her skirt is too short, but she sees the cheerleaders walking the halls in a similar-length skirt . . . well, that parent does have a leg to stand upon.

Yes, this is typical of what I see at high school games, and as a high school teacher I see uniforms from many schools. Competition cheer outfits, however, show more skin. Those outfits'll shock you.

 

[FireDancer]

When I was in high school the cheerleaders wore their uniforms on game days and we were quite happy it was allowed. I'm pretty sure that any non-cheerleader that wanted to wear a skirt the same length would have been allowed to. We had a pretty relaxed dress code. I believe the rules were:

No hats
Boys had to have sleeves
You couldn't wear any reference to drugs or alcohol
Nothing could be see through
I'm sure there was some rule about skirt length but it had to be pretty extreme, much shorter than the cheerleader uniforms, to get anyone in trouble.

In my 4 years I only remember two people getting called down because of what they wore and one was a gold pot leaf necklace and the other a basketball jersey with no t-shirt underneath. That was it...then again high school is getting further and further away so I might have forgotten a few.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I think that allowing cheerleaders to wear their cheer uniforms on game days is a nice little tradition. We let some of our sports teams "dress up", wearing non uniform shirts and ties on game day, even though they're technically a "violation" since they aren't the polo with the school crest.

I also don't have a problem if the gym uniform doesn't meet the "regular" uniform rules (even though it's worn during school hours) or if a school lets a kid change into old clothes while helping paint the backdrop for the school play.

However, as nice as the tradition seems, it hardly seems worth getting "distraught" about, especially as a parent. I find it weird when parents get so invested in details of our kids' school experience. There are lots of ways a school can show school spirit, and if for whatever reason your school decides this one isn't appropriate, they can find a new way. If my kid was upset, and they wanted my background help in advocating (e.g. proofreading THEIR letter to the principal respectfully asking for a reconsideration of the decision, NOT writing my own letter), then I might do that, but I myself can't see getting emotionally invested in this issue.

 

[Planogirl]

There are a lot of items that can't be worn to school that can be worn to school events. I think that the use of word "vulgar" is silly but I have no problem with a school having a uniform dress code.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

My daughter was a cheerleader in high school and currently coaches JV cheer. In her school, cheerleaders never wore their uniforms during the school day. Instead, on game day they wore their warmup suits, their cheerleading t shirts, etc.

My daughter is a cheerleader and they never wear their uniforms at school during the day unless they have a pep rally to perform in, and then they change into their uniforms for that at that time.

For game days they wear either their game day dress or game day shirt. Our football players wear khaki pants, white button down shirt and a tie. They start this in the 7th grade and continue on through high school.

Personally I like this rule because I think it shows respect.

 

[LisaRae87]

I am ashamed to admit this, but the school all this hype is over is where I graduated from in 05.

I was not a cheerleader (band geek actually) but had a few friends that were and I don't really recall them wearing JUST their uniform to school even back then. Most had a long sleeve shirt and warm up pants on under it. The school is entirely indoors aside from a few portables and they keep it ice cold, not sure I would survive a day wearing just the uniform.

I guess what I am getting at is that, if they willingly put things on under it back then, why is it an issue now? Why are they any different from the school body as a whole that they can break the dress code. Now granted this is something that the principal should have discussed with them prior to ordering the uniforms, or even just at the start of the year so they would have had a solution before the season really started BUT I know first hand that the principal is a real jerk and if it isn't SPORTS (yes I know cheer is a sport but not to him) he doesn't give a crap.

Either way, I think this has been blown out of proportion and makes the cheerleaders seem like entitled brats (not saying they are - just the way this news coverage is making it seem)..

The school is a block from my house so I have heard plenty about it via local news and Facebook, ready for it to go away already lol