Why Students Should Have a Dress Code
Anthony L Link
Baker College
Why Students Should Have a Dress Code In schools across the world, students are permitted to wear certain types of clothing, or even have a school uniform that they are designated to wear on certain days, although for most public schools, this is not the case. For many public schools, students are allowed to wear certain clothing that expresses their opinions, views or likes and dislikes, although there are certain restrictions in this type of dress as well. School systems have been getting lax with what they are allowing in schools, and it may be hurting, helping, or even distracting students’ progress within the schools. Dress codes should be followed and enforced in order to provide a proper learning environment to students, so they can get the most out of their learning experience. Many schools have dress codes that adhere to when the school itself was founded, although certain professors and school officials have their own interpretation of the dress code. Many people wonder what exactly a dress code is. A dress code adheres to the standards that the establishment sees fit to promote and the values it was founded on (Evans, 2008). Although people have different views on what exactly a dress code should follow, be it business casual, street casual, or a type of uniform, there should be a standard of dress that everyone should follow as to keep people from being distracted or distraught from the way someone else looks. There have been in many schools problems with gang violence in relation to the way students dress. Certain colors, symbols and other related signs can show that one person may “represent” a certain group, but this may be counter-intuitive to learning, due to other students may be afraid, or have a grudge against these students for various reasons. Students have been allowed to dress this way perhaps out of fear of the establishment or fear from backlash on the school officials, or even on the school themselves, but the school must still be able to enforce their standards of dress without fear of reprisal from students or people that students are affiliated with. In the case of cultural or religious circumstances that students may face that may not adhere to the clothing standards put down by the establishment, student religious speech cannot be curtailed unless the school can show an absolutely compelling reason to do so, and that there are no less restrictive alternatives available (Espejo, 2012, p. 17). Although schools cannot ban religious speech, speech concerning drug use may be banned from schools if it is found to be distracting or inappropriate for school environment. Even so, schools are a learning, drug-free environment, and such dress is inappropriate for a learning environment, due to it not only being a distraction, it could promote illegal, or in some views, immoral activity within and outside of the school. Not only should students be made to follow a dress code, but teachers and professors should have to follow their own dress code as well. In order to create a proper learning environment for their students it is imperative that professors keep themselves to professional standards, to show their prospective students the proper attire to bring them forward in life. Teachers should not have to wear suits and ties to each class, but should still dress functional, a collared shirt and slacks with a belt is appropriate and still looks professional. The need to switch to a school uniform may be helpful and show the students a need to conform.
To the school, it’s about safety, pride and discipline. Random kids from off the street stick out when everyone is in uniform. Gang colors vanish. Distractions like expensive clothing or plunging cleavage are minimized. Wearing a uniform means you’re part of a team; there’s a sense of belonging and community. Plus, once you have a few pairs of khakis, it’s cheap and easy getting ready for school. These are the positives. (Hamilton, 2008, p. 46.)
Students themselves may not like to have to don a uniform every day before class though. Even though it may be beneficial to the school, the students lose their ability to express themselves freely using their style of dress while within school, and it may limit their own personalities. Students themselves are expected to learn, but when other students clothing promoting something that they might find offensive distracts said student, then these articles of clothing should not be allowed in schools. Such clothing could be ones which promote political views, drug or alcohol use, or even those which promote illicit activities or offensive words, or even clothing that shows an excess of skin, which some students raised in a more conservative environment may find extremely distracting and distasteful and make the student leave and choose not to return due to the nature of the environment that they have to learn in. There are certain clothing restrictions that should be standard throughout all schools, such as no sagging pants, no shirts promoting illicit activities, no mini-skirts or clothing that shows the midriff, and no sweatpants or excessively tight clothing. These types of clothing do not belong in schools due to the fact that they distract from proper learning. A student coming into school that wants to learn should not be distracted by someone’s underwear hanging out, or showing part of their body that should not be shown in school. School officials should be able to remove said students when they notice this, or give them warnings of dismissal if this activity proceeds to be disruptive. Student culture is also an important part of how students dress, although some students take this to the extremes. It is important to be proud of the culture that you grew up in, but when you are constantly being told that it is not appropriate to wear certain things, have certain types of jewelry on your body, or even emulating another culture by having certain parts of your body enlarged such as the earlobes, then it can be distracting to teachers and students, not to mention harm chances of future employment.
While in schools, not only should students have to learn the course material, but they should also learn proper etiquette as pertaining to business, and proper business dress as well. This behavior should be passed down from the professors through the way that they dress as well as the way that they act, as to give the students a look at how they should be in the future, not only inside school, but out in the workplace, searching the job market, and being proper in your attire is one of the key elements of finding a job. Keeping a firm grip on student dress codes can allow school officials to teach the students how to dress while within a job to allow their students a much higher chance at success.
Dress codes may have beneficial elements, but they also can harm the school environment in the same way. Students should be allowed to have the ability to express themselves freely, but in the same sense, they need to be aware of what the other students feel as well. If school officials create a standard dress code which is able to allow students freedom while keeping a safe learning environment, it will be beneficial to all, but putting too much into the dress code can cause rebellion within the student body and cause more problems than the school anticipated when placing the dress code in effect.
References
Evans, I. (2008). The dress code: some Black college students embrace the business-casual dress code with personal style. The Black Collegian, (1). 16.
Espejo, R. (2012) Dress. Detroit : Greenhaven Press. c2012.
Hamilton, J. (2008). Dress codes in schools. Detroit, Mich. Greenhaven Press. c2008.