Your dress is too short.

Your dress is fine.

Pull your shirt up.

Pull your shirt down.

Your shirt is the perfect length.

Leggings should not be permitted for girls to wear in a learning area.

Leggings are not distracting.

Every student should wear a uniform because school is a learning zone.

Students should be able to wear what they want.

Dress codes are fair.

Dress codes are unfair.

The idea of a dress code opens up opportunity for opinions and scrutiny. While each opinion may differ from the other, they all impact the people that the rules are being enforced upon; this often ends up forgotten about and overlooked.

“I am dress coded at least 2 times a week usually by a security guard. I feel insulted whenever I get dress coded. It makes me feel like that because I have bigger boobs and I’m taller than most other girls, that I should be punished for it. Every time I get dress coded, it is in front of a big group of people. I always feel so publicly humiliated. It makes me feel awful about myself,” junior Tessa Bedrosian said.

In a situation of objectification and emotion, administration can take the brunt of the repercussions of differing opinions. Many students feel as if their voice isn’t being heard in a situation that seemingly only affects them.The gap between students and administration only widened with new dress code policy. Behind the emotion and outrage some administration is actively looking for a solution.

“It is a sensitive subject. I am a firm believer in students expression. We are trying to house student’s expressions. I don’t like hearing that girls are feeling objectified when they are being dress coded. It is a hard time coming up with these rules, but I really appreciate the student’s perspective, and this topic is always a great discussion in ‘Cabinet’. I understand that different schools handle the situation in different ways. I do not like the idea of having uniforms. One things about dress codes that I really hate is that the female problems become more evident than male problems. I don’t know why that is, it’s not fair, we just need better communication. I think it is key to hear student’s feedback. We need to be cognitive about it, and handle the situation better,” Principal Bradford Hubbard said.

School’s should always be striving to improve themselves, especially when it comes to dress code. Dress codes and the issues attached to it, are so prominent in most schools. The struggle to keep policies inclusive and fair should be actively sought out to achieve.

“I think the school should not make it so targeted against gender fashion. Like when you are talking about short skirts and neck lines, you aren’t talking about boys, and it’s obviously about girls. It can’t be so pointed at one gender. It can’t be set rules either, it should be a discussion. Dress codes are also too specific. Like no bra straps, short skirts ect. Clearly that’s when you are depicting students, more likely females,” Katharine Giertych said.

Whether people believe dress codes serve a purpose or are unethical, a happy median needs to be found.

“Dress codes serve a function to keep people safe, but as soon as they are laced with sexist remarks, that is when they become destructive. It allows boys to not be able to be in check of their emotional responses. Rather than teaching boys how to correctly respond to it, we punish the girls,” Sarah Ogborn said.

Evolving dress codes to be of purpose, instead of conviction. It is important to equally and eloquently represent everyone, instead of alienating one gender will transform the feelings aimed at dress codes. School is aimed to be a safe and respectful environment for everyone not just one gender, even when it comes to dress codes.