Most of us have complained about the school’s dress code at least once during our time in the high school building. Some rules should be changed, while others could be removed altogether. The way people dress at school should just be common sense. Then again not everybody has that, so we have the dress code. 

When teachers meet to go over the dress code before a new school year, a student committee should also be involved to help update our dress code that is outdated and unrealistic.

Here are a few of the most obvious examples of the need for an update and streamlining.

1. (2.) Students must be clean, neat, and well-groomed.

– This dress code rule makes absolutely no sense. It might as well be deleted. I would (but I can’t) name off people who don’t come to school “clean, neat, and well-groomed.” Either make everyone follow this rule or just remove it from the handbook.

2. (4b.) Bare midriffs – blouses and shirts must be long enough to not show skin when seated and cannot be worn in that manner under a coat or jacket.

– This does not sit right with me. Why can’t we wear crop tops under jackets or hoodies? It’s not like anybody can see it. Also, if someone wore a crop top to school, they would be asked to cover up. It’s a conflicting statement and should be changed to sound right. 

3. (4e.) Pajamas are not to be worn except on special days approved by the administration.

– If rule 2 is enforced then this could stay, but if it’s not, then I don’t see why we need this in the handbook either. People also have different definitions of pajamas.

4. (4f.) Tank tops, sundresses, shoulder straps, which have widths less than a width of a dollar bill, or similar bare-top garments. No “muscle shirts” or basketball uniform tops are to be worn. Boys must wear shirts with sleeves. 

– A dollar bill is too wide to be used as a measurement. I don’t know what the big deal about shoulders is either. As long as everything is secure and not showing a lot, it’s fine. I’m with the boys on this one, muscle shirts should be allowed as long as the whole side isn’t cut out of them. 

5. (4i.) No caps, hats, or other head covering (ex. bandanas) may be worn in the school building. 

– I could understand if it’s a hat with a brim that could block someone’s view, but beanies, hoods, bandanas, etc aren’t really bothering anybody. If anything, they make some students feel more comfortable at school. Although this could be a compromise to make it so the teachers can choose what is allowed in their classrooms.

6. (4i. part 2) Clothing must be an appropriate size for each individual student. Clothing must not show any part of the undergarments.

– This rule should be listed as two separate rules because these do not go together. I mostly agree with this one, though. Everyone has a different body and not all clothes fit the same. Which, it’s good that we don’t have to go by the fingertip rule anymore because it was unfair to people who have longer arms.

7. (5.) Tattoos must not be offensive or distracting.

– This rule is a give or take. I don’t think someone having tattoos is distracting in any way. I would probably admire it once or twice (if it was cool) and then go about my day. The offensive part is hard to talk about though because different people get offended by different things. I really want to know the punishment for this too. What are they going to do? Tell you to get rid of it?

8. (6.) Shoes: heelies will not be allowed at school or any school activities.

– This is an outdated rule, and I would rather have someone going through the halls on heelies than on a skateboard (sorry not sorry).  Also, there isn’t much room to skate with so many people crowded together trying to get to class.

9. (7.) Shorts, dresses, or skirts may be worn no shorter than 2” above the knee. Leggings/jeggings/tights/skinny spandex jeans, yoga pants are allowed if they are worn with clothing that reaches 2” above the knee.

– Who could possibly find a shirt/sweater that goes down that far? What even are “skinny spandex jeans” because I have never heard anybody say that in my 15 years of life. As long as everything important is covered, it shouldn’t be a problem. 

10. (8.) The waistband of jeans, shorts, and skirts shall be worn above the top of the hipbone.

– Just take this rule out. It doesn’t make sense and is plain stupid. Don’t have anything hanging out of your pants though, please. 

11. (9.) Holes in jeans are allowed if leggings are worn under jeans (no skin shown).

– Students complain about this rule most. Again, as long as everything important is covered,  holes should be allowed. It’s hard to find good jeans that fit right and look good without holes in them. 

12. (12.) Any other article of clothing or attire that tends to disrupt the learning process will not be allowed either.

– Who chooses what is distracting and who is distracted by what? Personally, I don’t care what people wear. When people get dress coded, it’s the administration that is bothered by something small (usually) that nobody else cares about. The learning process is only disrupted because an adult chose to disrupt it.