Does your public school have a dress code?

[Krisu]

Ours doesn't but many neighboring towns do. What's your feeling on it? It is my understanding that each district can determine their own policy. I just read that in a nearby town a woman is planning to send her daughter to school disregarding this policy. She feels this violates her daughter's rights (she's 13!) I personally have no problem with a dress code.

 

[aprilgail2]

I don't like uniforms at ALL for school....who wants to look like everyone else! But a dress code as far as indecent I am ok with....some girls wear shorts so short their cheecks hang out and little halter tops that they are almost popping out of!

 

[Serena]

As a parent, I love the dress code at my youngest dd's school. Pants, black, navy or khaki. Top, white, navy or gold. It makes getting ready in the mornings so easy.
On fridays they get to wear what they want, within reason of course.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Our Pubili elementary and middle schools (inner city) have a dress code. Khaki or navy pants and white, black, blue or red tops. The high school has a looser dress cose in that they have no color restriction and beginning tomorrow they are permitted to wear sweatpants or nylon pants.

DD, in MS, is hoping they relax their dress code as well. The kids aren't locked in to wearing "uniforms", but they don't want the children wearing ill-fitting clothes and they don't want jeans or t-shirts. The MSers (11-13/14 year olds) wish they had more freedom and live for "dress-down days" when they can wear jeans and something other than what they normally wear.

We usually buy fashionable khaki pants by Mudd or Zanadi and various tops within the guidelines. She has some things left from last year that fit and since we are hoping to move by the end of the calendar year we only purchased two pairs of khaki corduroy pants and two new red tops. I didn't want to spend too much $ on "uniforms" because if we move she might feel awkward and out of place.

 

[Robinrs]

I, too, like the dress code at our school, and with my ANAL son it works wonders!

The kid would be PERFECT in the military! He LOVES structure and sameness! The polar opposite of his Mother!

 

[kimbac3]

Let me start off saying that I homeschool my 3 children. However the public school where my neice and nephews go (the one I went to K-12) has just recently implemented a dress code. The kids HATE it. It makes them miserable. My oldest nephew (17-senior this year) really hates that the kids need a dress code because anything else would be distracting but the teachers can wear sleaveless dresses and various prints and colors. His argument is that a teachers armpit is just as distracting as anyone else's. The kids in that school can only wear blue,black,and orange (orange & black are school colors) shirts (3 button oxford type or button up dress shirts) and kahki type pants or dress pants in the above colors and tan. No jeans or prints, sweatshirts must be plain and in those colors. They can wear any type of shoes they want. Also they can't have any low outside pockets or rivets.
Ok, My sister hates it because it is very hard (around here) to find affordable clothes meeting their standards. Plus the kids are unhappy and it really has nothing to do with education. Which I totally agree with. The school had an exsisting dress code that school officials were too lazy or stupid to enforce. We were told if our skirts were too short or tight or whatever. And plenty of my friends had to call home for a different outfit (think late 80's spandex pants!).
By the way the kids can have their hair any color or style they want as well as whatever piercings or tatoos they want. I guess the school system left them no other choice to show their individuality except by those means.

For me it's just another great reason to homeschool. (No clothes aren't my main reason (or even minor reason) for homeschooling it's just one less headache for me.

Kimba

 

[buzzlady]

Yes our school has a dress code. No profanity on t-shirts, no short shorts, no belly/mid drift shirts, no pants hanging off the butt, no tank tops for boys or girsls and no spaghetti straps.

 

[disneyjunkie]

My son attends a public inner city. They MUST wear a uniform everyday. They wear gray pants or skirts, white oxford shirts, navy blue vest with the school patch, navy blue sweater or blazer with the school patch. Boys have to wear the school tie and the girls wear a sash under their collars. In the spring they can wear white polo shirts and gray pants and skirts.
They can only wear black shoes. For gym they have to wear royal blue shorts or sweat pants, the school shirt and white sneakers.

Any child that refuses to wear the uniform will have to leave the school.

I love the uniform policy.

 

[janette]

Ours has a dress code but they aren't very strict. I had to laugh at the middle school, one of the changes this year was no flip-flops. My 12yo DD came home and asked if I cared if she wore flip-flops. I said no why? She said they told them at school that they could wear them if their parents said they could, no note or anything required. I guess that dress code is out, how could they ever enforce it.

 

[sha_lyn]

Originally posted by buzzlady
Yes our school has a dress code. No profanity on t-shirts, no short shorts, no belly/mid drift shirts, no pants hanging off the butt, no tank tops for boys or girsls and no spaghetti straps.

That is a dress code... what others have described are uniforms IMHO. I against uniforms in public schools. It came up for a vote when DS was still in PS. they were outvoted by about 75%. Only one ele in the county has more than 50% in favor and they established a voluntary uniform policy. that's been a few yrs (4 many 5 yrs)ago. I haven't heard anymore about it since then.

 

[LuvN~Travel]

A lot of our public schools have gone to dress code by now. However, sometimes they get ridiculous. My daughter's school this year can only wear tan pants and white shirts and black shoes. Nothing else! Which is bad for the girls. At least they used to be able to wear navy shirts and/or pants as well. Sheesh! Talk about picky! Oh well.....
Kim

 

[Banzai]

1. Obscene or profane language and provocative or suggestive pictures on clothing are not permitted.
2. Clothing or jewelry that is dangerous or with socially inappropriate slogans, drug or alchol related messages or advertisements are prohibited.
3. No head-wear, such as hats, bandandas and hoods.
4. All shirts must cover the sholders, dresses musht ahve straps with a one inch min. width.
5. No bare midriffs or see through garments
6. Footwear must be worn at all times
7. Skirts, skorts (Brad's Note: What is this???) , shorts must extend to six inches above the middle of the keencap.
8. Pants or shorts must be worn appropritaly
9. Wallet chains of excessive lenght are not permited.
10. Student dress must be respectful of other stuents and al diverse cultures.
11. Students are not to wear outside coats during the school day.
    [/list=1]

 

[Megan's Mom]

Banzai's list is pretty much what our systems dress code is. And boy this year it has been hard to enforce it so much so that I almost wish that we would go to uniforms. I did not become a teacher to become a dress code monitor. And it would not be so bad if parents would read the dress code and help us follow it. I can't believe so of the things that parents let their kids walk out of the house wearing. And before I get flamed I know a lot of kids get themselves ready and leave for school without even seeing a parent.

Also boys can't wear earrings and no other piercings for anyone other than the ear. No color or glitter in hair or they have to wash it out. It is amazing that any learning goes on because we have to be a watchdog all the time. Because you always have those kids that want to try and break the rules.

 

[tidoublegger]

I just read this about about a school system near here: (I agree with this policy!!!!)

School dress styles change in sight
By Leslie H. Dixon / News Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 24, 2004

MILFORD -- To High School Principal John Brucato, the issue is very clear. "We don't want to see any skin," he said emphatically.
Despite one of the most strict dress codes in the area, school officials said it has not been enough to deter students, particularly girls, from wearing revealing clothing to class.
"Some of the clothing is indecent. It's not good for the school," said Brucato who received School Committee approval Thursday to implement stronger language into the student handbook's dress code policy.
Although there has been a dress code at Milford High for years, the language has been revised and tightened over the last four or five years to ensure there are no loopholes and to address current fashions.
"They're bringing the miniskirt back in a big way. I don't want to go back to the days when the skirt had to reach the knee, but we want decency," Brucato told the School Committee as he asked for members support "to keep clothing respectable."
Brucato, a strong believer that dress and student learning are related, said he felt the school had an airtight dress code.
"In the spring we found things pretty much beyond our control in terms of what kids were selecting to wear. We felt we had very specific policies in place. Apparently we weren't as clear as we thought," he said.
Despite penalties ranging from being asked to go home and change clothes to suspension, the problems continued, said school officials.
Brucato said the problem is not only the cut of the clothing but what happens when the wearer moves in the clothing. "It's a matter of sitting and assuming other positions that the clothing doesn't cover," said Brucato.
High School Assistant Principal Nancy Angelini, who handles most of the dress code violations cases, said yesterday school administrators are trying to make the code violations simply a "nonissue."
"Hopefully, kids will make good fashion decisions rather than relying on the mass media. The school isn't the place for what we've been seeing. We're asking parents to help us," she said.
Angelini said the spaghetti strap tank top is a constant problem. "We thought we were pretty tight (dress code policies), but there's always ways around it," she said of girls who will quickly cover an inappropriate tank top or take other evasive measures to hide what they are wearing.
But Angelini said there is no hiding a short skirt or low cut blouse when a girl bends over, walks up a staircase or makes other moves that reveal too much skin.
Angelini said the dress code has worked to eliminate other items such as shirts advertising drugs and alcohol, dangerous studded jewelry and trench coats, but the inappropriate fashion statements by some girls continue.
Christina Oliveri, a senior student and member of the high school's character education program, said this year the school store will stock new appropriate teen fashion including tie-dye shirts and shorts that meet school dress codes and still allow students to express their fashion sense.
Oliveri said there is not much students can do other than encourage them to dress appropriately by dressing appropriately themselves. "I guess all we can do is what we're doing and setting a good example," she said.

 

[Claudia1]

We have a new one this year and it has many of the high schoolers & parents asking for a uniform.

We are a small, rural community and I think the powers that be just got fed up with some of today's fashions. I don't have the code with me to quote directly but here are that codes that are causing problems.

1. Necklines cannot be more than 1" from the neck.
It has been virtually impossible to find anything but regular T-shirts to meet this one. Not even a conservative boatneck qualifies.
2. Sleeves must be at least 3" from the shoulder. Again, a bit hard to find. Even cap sleeves don't work.
3. Not bare midriffs, navels, or the illusion of such. I agree with the no bare midriff but DD got a short form because her long shirt covered a waistband that was below her navel. The waistband shape could be seen under the shirt. It was not a see-though shirt but the soft material comformed to the shape of the waistband. No skin showed at any time.
4. Boys: no sagging Ok with me. This is an old one.
5. Short & skirts must be no more than 5.5" above the middle of the knee. Good in theory but very, very hard to find. Even the teachers are complaining about this one. There are lots of athleteic shorts for girls out there that are conservative but still too short. Any girls that are over 5'5" are having lots of trouble.
6. Pant hems cannot be longer than the bottom of your shoe. Even if they are rolled up, they are not allowed.

We have several other requirements but these are the ones that I remember. They don't have air-conditioning, either, and the rooms are in the mid-high 80's, so sleevless clothes would be a help.

DD's clothes are not bad but we still had to buy almost a whole new set for her to start school. Uniforms would have been cheaper.

Funny thing, they let many fo the students watch the Olympics during school, including beach vollyball. ........ and THAT was not distracting?!?!?!

As I said, even the teachers are crying out for uniforms.

 

[Claudia1]

Concering the flip-flops, our Middle School banned them for safety reasons. It seems that some fo the troublemakers would come up behind the girls and step on the heel. That gave the girl 2 choices: 1) try to get away, which would break the shoe in the process or 2) put up with the harassment until help arrived.

They also cited safety issues during quick fire-drill or emergency exits.

 

[Betsyt82]

I just have to respond to the folks who feel that taking away the rights to wear what a kid wants to wear. In the real world at a job a person must conform to the dress code of the work place. Following a clothing/piercing trend does not make one an individual...they are now a follower. And my personal favorite....(.kids under the age of eighteen don't have the same rights as those over that age. ) There was an issue in our area about a fifth grader and her right to wear what she wanted requardless of the schools code and the parent felt her daughter is an idividual and needs to express herself as such...........the article of clothing was one that was a fad and not so much a unique piece of clothing but a one of a follower of fashion.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

For all of those who are NOT in favor of a dress code what do you think of an outfit like this: tube top with approx. 5 inches of midriff showing, mini skirt one to two inches below you know where, heavy make up, and on her feet slides with a 2 inch heel? Oops I fogot the top of her thong showing over her skirt. Sounds pretty bad huh? I mean if you were a teen age boy you would be really in a state of constant excitement. NOW picture it on a FOURTH GRADE GIRL!!! Yes I said fourth grade girl. Her teacher is my neighbor at school. The problem her teacher had (other than trying to get the parents to make the kid dress appropriately) was she could not tell the student to pull her skirt down cause that would make more of the thong show and she could not tell her to pull her top down to meet the skirt. She told her not to wear the make up but it was a fight with the parents also. Now imagine this kid in gym class??

I do not want to hear how a student's rights are violated becasue there is a dress code. I see things like this everyday in the middle school but now it starts to creep into elementary.

Everyone has a job and some jobs require appropriate attire. How would you feel if you went to the hospital and a nurse showed up in this type of get up? A student's job is to learn all he/she can to the best of their abiltiy. I am in favor of uniforms and strict dress codes. IF those of you who oppose it could see it not from the perspective of just your child but rather all those who are inappropriate as I do then you too would be in favor of uniforms and for some girls...a birka. We are grooming kids to be our furture workforce. They need to know what is appropriate and what is not in the area of dress. If they are not taught it at home then it needs to be taught at school.

 

[eeyore kelly]

Our public schools have uniforms and I love it! No worries in the morning.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Yes, our schools do.

I have no problem with it!