School Dress Codes

1607 Words4 Pages

Dress codes are restrictions on clothing that students are required to follow. The schools set them in place to try to generate a safe learning environment. However these dress codes have went to far. School dress codes have became so strict that they are taking the attention away from the academics and placing them on the dress codes. Students complain about the dress code and not being able to find clothes that fit the requirements. School dress codes are not a good idea. They have become too strict and limit the students’ freedom of expression, and freedom of speech. (School Dress Codes) A person is given the freedom of expression and the freedom of speech under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. However, public schools …show more content…

The case of Elliot Chambers is another example of students speaking out against the dress codes. The student from Minnesota was told by the school that he could not wear his shirt that had the message “straight pride” on the front. The student sued his school and said that the ban against his shirt was unconstitutional. The school declared that Chambers shirt was seen as offensive to some students. They also said that the student’s shirt called attention to hostile incidents with the involvement of gay students. The judge of the case sided with Chambers. He said that the student’s shirt was in no way directly connected to the disruptions that the school had claimed. (School Dress Codes Limit Students’ Freedom of …show more content…

The dress code does the opposite of what it is planned to do. It takes all the attention off of the curriculum and transfers it onto the problems that the students are experiencing with the dress code. Critics say that the dress codes strongly limit the freedom of expression that the students are given. School dress codes also give an unwanted and unwarranted opportunity to the school administration that allow them to hinder with the personal choices of the students. (School Dress Codes) A negative message is sent by administrations with strict dress codes. The self identity that students long to express does not exist, and can not be found in a institution that enforces a strict dress code. (Should Schools have Dress Codes?) Is making sure that school is an environment that is open to diversity sometimes offensive or messy? Yes, but that is was the idea of freedom is all about. (School Dress Codes Limit Students’ Freedom of

Open Document