Dressing Code in Schools
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Dress Code in Schools.
Introduction
Most schools uphold the importance of a dress code to enhance an appropriate and healthy learning environment for both the teachers and the learners. School uniforms and dress codes are the everyday reality for numerous students in various institutions worldwide. They are usually enforced, which decree appropriate regulations to dress specific items when in the school compound. In most cases, school uniforms and dress codes are checked when attending classes. Uniforms and dress codes are not novel aspects of the academic experience; nonetheless, the value of regulating students’ attire choices has considerably come under in the past few years (Dulin, 2016). Most colleges/schools have uniforms or dress code policies and various appearances (Chemaly, 2013). The constitution does not provide any code that deals with the school mode of dressing for students and teachers.
Nonetheless, schools’ dress code is the general obligation for the school administration to decide the dress code they consider the best for the learners. Moreover, schools should ensure that their dress code policy regulations provide fair and do not bring a hitch to the students and their parents when they want to join the schools. The schools should ensure equality and adherence to the anti-discrimination law and the Humans Right Act of 1998.
Conversely, when developing a college policy regarding the dress code, it is significant that the proprietor or the governing body identifies the purpose to be attained by a policy introduction (Rangoonwala &Epinoza, 2011). Principally, students possess a right to dress according to the requirements of their religious or cultural beliefs. Colleges need to realize that the models of dignity and modesty in dress contain the religious obligation status for specific individuals of faith.
According to Gentile & Imberman (2012), the school management has reported the significant benefits of the dress code in ensuring that the learning environment is protected from unauthorized individuals since they can be easily noticed. The school uniform policy also helps to achieve equity among the students. It does not give the students an avenue for ranking each other economically; instead, they are all wearing the same dress.
Legal Issues Regarding Dress Code Policy in Schools
Under the constitution’s first amendment, the dress code is exceptionally safeguarded as a practice of free speech. Equally, the courts recognize schools’ unique role in American life, along with the particular requirements of the school setting. Fundamentally, most states have provided schools with free will to determine the dressing code policy. Provided that the intention is directly linked to the student’s safety and well-being and asserting the principles of a conducive learning school environment with such provisions, outrageous, nudity, or sexually revealing clothing have induced racial discrimination violence and should be banished from the school learning environment. However, there are many concerns regarding the school’s capacity to regulate dressing codes that express political, religious, and other ideological philosophies (Education Partnerships, n.d).
Many courts have mainly upheld schools’ efforts to manage students’ dress code, so long as the principles comply with the constitution’s first amendment (Constitutional Law, 2010). In essence, the regulations regarding students’ dress codes are still evng as the society, particularly in the US. Currentlbeingost s regarding dress codes have focused on the parents’ ability to pay for the uniforms needed to meet dress codes’ policies. Usually, this is a challenge when the dress code is enforced for the first time, and parents must buy new clothes that adhere to the system.
Why Dress Codes are Required in Schools
Several contentions have been raised about whether a connection exists between the learners’ grade and school dress code policy. Regardless, numerous anecdotal reports and small-scale studies from students, teachers, and principals suggest that dress code imposition, including uniforms, is linked to improved security, reduced indiscipline cases, high morality, and an enabling learning school environment. Law enforcement authorities, together with some school heads, contend that uniforms help in curbing gang activity, as it makes it extremely difficult for gang members to showcase their attributes as a way of provoking gang violence or recruiting new followers (Education Partnerships, n.d). Those with the opposing viewpoint contend that putting restrictions on the dress code compels gang activity and gang members to go underground, making it difficult to control and monitor their activities.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Dress code in schools
Most schools have adopted numerous restrictions regarding the dress code of students for various reasons. The school dress code policy promotes good behavior, increases student class attendance, and rebuilds a positive attitude towards the authority. Consequently, school uniforms help eradicate outrageous clothing and improve cognitive behavior by promoting an enabling learning environment by encouraging learners to take learning seriously. Similarly, dress code reduces friction amid students from dissimilar backgrounds so that learners can be judged depending on what they learn, not where they come from (Education Partnerships, n.d). The use of dress codes in various schools across the US will help reduce violence in such institutions since it will be easy to identify the students.
Individuals opposed to the dress code alludes to its demerits that dress code can threaten students’ free expression rights. School dressing policy affects the learners’ self-esteem and critical thinking and personality, especially the constitutional right of the First Amendment. The school uniform policy can affect poor parents when it comes to new uniform requirements because their children will be negatively affected if they miss school due to the dressing code compliance issues. When students are isolated or sent home due to dress code policy violations, it usually has a harmful impact on their educational performance and opportunity (Education Partnerships, n.d).
Consequences for dress code noncompliance upon the students
Usually, when the learners violate the school dress code policy, they are subjected to persecution, which involves removing the class to act as a warning to the others of the dire consequences of protocol violation. This, therefore, implies that the student must miss some learning sessions for not following the stipulated regulations. The results of breaking these rules at times lead to expulsion from the learning institution. The same consequences apply to students who wear outrageous and sexually revealing clothes. According to Springfield public schools of Springfield, Missouri’s school handbook, “strapless, backless, and revealing tops or clothing that is revealing are not to be worn in the school building,” meaning students may not show their shoulders or backs (Springfield, 2015).
Results of dress code compliance and noncompliance
These strict dress codes feed into what some call a “rape culture” that is exceptionally prevalent and dangerous in American society. Telling females at a young age that their education is worth less than that of a male is detrimental to education (Thomas, 2014). Regardless of what high school dress codes suggest, a female’s dress has nothing to do with her worth as a person. Some guidelines are necessary to promote the right learning environment, but a girl who shows her shoulders will not make a boy fail his class. High schools also need to set more concrete guidelines, so every teacher enforces them the same, and they need to stop pulling females out of types to change clothes. Most dress codes in American high schools are inherently sexist, and steps need to be taken to solve this problem.
Why Symbolic Clothing Should be banned In Schools
Some symbolic clothing is considered offensive. Nonetheless, it becomes incredibly challenging to decide which dress is deemed offensive when it comes to learning institutions. For instance, some consider wearing the hijab as offensive because it hinders women from showing their facial expressions to the world. Conversely, women putting on a hijab consider it humiliating and offensive when they are forced to uncover themselves. Additionally, t-shirts printed with political slogans might be offensive to individuals holding a distinct political perspective. Some find it offensive to permit students to put on bikinis with the primary objective of promoting school-sanctioned car-washes (Menza, 2015). Equally, exposed bra straps, thongs, and G-strings for girls and jeans that show boxer shorts, hoodies, and baseball caps for a boy are considered offensive and unacceptable forms of dress. However, dressing codes vary from college to college. Furthermore, enforcing dress code policy in colleges creates inconsistencies and complications.
Some symbolic clothing is oppressive and offensive. Oppression is defined as actions involving incidents that cause harm to others. Pressure assumes various forms. However, the most apparent type of oppression is physical harm. Therefore, prohibiting symbolic clothing in colleges is justified and appropriate. One of the most controversial symbols is the Confederate flag because heavy overtones characterize it. For instance, it emphasizes racial segregation and slavery. The flag was utilized by individuals against the civil rights movement, especially when civil rights activists were challenging racial segregation laws. Given the role it played in oppressing African Americans, students should be banned from wearing t-shirts with these symbols because it can create conflict between whites and blacks. In addition to the confederation flag, some form of Muslim dressing is considered oppressive because it is connected to dictatorship or political regime. For instance, some feel the wearing of the hijab is unjust. However, sufficient evidence must be provided to conclude that Muslim women are oppressed.
Some symbols might be disruptive. In the context of the United States, symbolic clothing is prohibited because it might cause considerable disruption. However, there is an overlap between what is considered offensive and disruptive. Therefore, it is upon the school administration to design dressing codes that ensure students are not disrupted from their learning activities due to a person’s dressing code. However, the school must safeguard student expressions unless their behaviors substantially interfere with the college’s functioning. Those with the opposing view regarding wearing symbolic clothing contend that disruption is paramount in challenging the intolerance and stereotype that characterize American society. Additionally, it provides a platform for individuals to open up and discuss the contentious issues surrounding appropriate dressing in learning institutions.
Recommendations
Based on the above report, the school administrations and the political class should consider tackling the less fortunate and minority groups’ inequity treatment. Besides, those opposing the school dress code policy should provide verifiable and concrete results that show that the approach could lead to undue hardship for the students. However, as per the above arguments, restrictions should exist regarding school clothing. The dressing code policy should outline the impermissible or permissible clothing. However, schools need to consider when designing dress code policies: whether the clothing creates safety and health concerns, whether or not others find the clothing oppressive, and whether or not the clothing considerably hinders the educational goals of the institution. For schools with a uniform policy in place, they should consider whether apparel is essential in promoting their identity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, school uniform policy has generated heated arguments among the citizens, the political class, and the school administration. Those who support the system alludes that it increases the level of discipline, improves the student’s grade, and increases the students’ learning capabilities since they feel they are equal and share the same traits, which creates an enabling learning environment and promotes competition among the students.
Those with divergent views argue that the policy infringes on the students’ rights in denying them the freedom to express themselves and space to dress as per their likeness. Therefore, school dress code policies should be tailored so that they do not undermine an individual identity or freedom of expression.
References
Chemaly, S.(2013). Dress codes or how school skirts around sexism and homophobia. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/soraya-chemaly/school-dress-code_b_2711533.html
Constitutional Law – Free Speech Clause – Fifth Circuit Upholds Texas School District’s Dress Code Under Intermediate Scrutiny. – Palmer ex rel. Palmer v. Waxahachie Independent School District, 579 F.3d 502 (5th Cir. 2009), cert. denied, 130 S. Ct. 1055 (2010). (, 2010). Harvard Law Review, 1232088.
Education Partnerships. (n.d). Research brief: Student dress codes and uniforms. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED537953.pdf
Menza, K. (2015). Which side are you on? Are school dress codes sexist?Choices/Current Health, (4). 2.
Springfield Public Schools (2014). Dress Code Guidelines. School Handbook, 17. Retrieved
from https://isharesps.org/websitedoc/CommunityRelations/Student%20Handbooks/ 2014-2015%20handbook.pdf