Dress code Madness! | Teen Ink

Dress code Madness!

February 23, 2010
By Haleyq1316 BRONZE, Dexter, Michigan
Haleyq1316 BRONZE, Dexter, Michigan
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't act like the character, become the character"


"Excuse me, you need to go put on a sweatshirt, your shoulder is being exposed." This is what girls hear every day in ****** Middle School. "You need to go change out of your skirt." "...but the rule is that you are allowed to wear a skirt if it is past your finger tips, and my skirt is." "It doesn't matter, you need to go change." Seems unfair, doesn't it? ******** Middle School has a very strict dress code, and it is very annoying. Girls hate these strict rules. Most girls refer to it as "Over the top" (Quinn, survey) We understand that too much skin being exposed is not appropriate for school, but most of the "inappropriate" clothes we wear follows the code of conduct, but girls still get in trouble. The ******** Middle school dress code is much to strict.
"You need to go change out of those leggings, you can get something to wear out of the lost and found." Sense when are leggings innapropriate? Out of 13 girls interviewed, 100 % strongly disagree with the rule of leggings not being allowed in ********. (Quinn, survey) The skirt/shorts/pants rule is that whatever you wear, it has to be past your finger tips. And leggings go way past finger tip length. It confuses many students. Also, girls very strongly disagree with not being allowed to show your shoulder. I mean come on. . . IT'S A SHOULDER. A shoulder is not innapropriate! I I think this rule is rediculous. In my survey, 100 % agree that ******** needs to stop being so strict about dress code. (Quinn, survey) We are the ones who buy the clothes! And stores that teenage girls shop at rarely make "finger tip length" shorts/skirts. 100 % know atleast one other school that has a much less strict dress code. 100 % say that the will stop going to the school dances because it's too hot not being aloud to wear shorts. ...I guess ******* isn't going to be making much money from the school dances anymore. 100 % of people intervied want a change. (Quinn, survey)
Clothes are a way to express your self, through your own personality. So if we are following the code of conduct (not exposing too much skin) then what's the big problem? I interviewed my cousin Leah about my school's dress code, and here is how she felt... "Haley, you've told me a lot about your school dress code, and I just think the strict rules are way too over the top. I mean come on, not being able to wear leggings!? That's just rediculous. The one rule we have at our school is you can't show your midrift. But otherwise, we can wear whatever we want...I mean duh, your supposed to express your personality in your own way. I can't believe you guys aren't allowed to show your shoulder, what's next for ******* Middle School...not being allowed to show your ankles!?" (Quinn, interview) I agree with Leah.

The thing that bothers girls the most is when they are forced to wear something out of the lost and found!! EWW! Thankfully, I have never had to do that (and don't plan on it) but I think that's disgusting. Would YOU like to wear something out of a lost and found? I think not. What if the person who was forced to put on lost and found clothes caught a sickness from the previous person wearing that piece of clothing... I guess ****** never thought about that. Do they want their students out of school due to sickness? I think they need to stop and think how upset they would be if they were forced to wear someone else's clothing out of the lost and found. And half the time the girls that got in trouble WERE following the code of conduct. I saw my friend got in trouble for wearing a skirt that was "too short" when in fact the skirt was about two inches past "finger tip length." The parapros don't care if it is past finger tip length, they still make you change. They don't even listen to the rules of the code of conduct. So wait, if parapros don't follow the rules then why should we have to?
In Conclusion, many girls at ******** are outraged about the strict dress code and unnecessary rules. These rules are just making girls more and more angry, and it is time to make a change. You might ask what's the big deal about clothing, but a girl's clothes and appearance is important to her, especially in teen years, and it's unfair to be so structured about what we wear. I hope the person that is making these rules so strict stops and takes the time to realize that students are becoming upset, and they need to adjust dress code rules. "I thought you were allowed to have more freedom when you enter middle school, well I guess in ****** you don't. (Wajda, interview) Does ****** want their students to be unhappy? . . . apparently.


The author's comments:
At my school we were assigned a persuasive essay.

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This article has 10 comments.


jj235 said...
on Nov. 29 2012 at 3:26 pm
i agree with your post espasilly with you are not allowed to where straps it is just a shoulder what are guys going to do say hey look at her she has a sexy shoulder well they arent so middle school who cares as long as we are not showing inaproprit stuff i no they think we are but they are wrong they dont no us and what we do so they just need to get there heads out of the cloudes and into reall life

ally said...
on Sep. 28 2011 at 9:12 am
omg i shld do tht 2 my principal!!!!!! tht wld b good bc vball players walk around in skanky shortz and dont get in trobl!!! i am a vball player but dont get 2 walk round in my spandex!!!!!! its so unfair only the oldr girlz get 2

ally said...
on Sep. 28 2011 at 9:07 am
haha u no im fnny im bak on now 2!!!! ;)

jackulin said...
on Sep. 27 2011 at 1:01 pm
hahahahahah

ally said...
on Sep. 27 2011 at 1:01 pm
omg i luv u i will miss u wen i log off bye!!!!!!!!!!!

jackulin said...
on Sep. 27 2011 at 12:59 pm
ally i so no you hahahahahahah and i do agree with you tooooo

ally said...
on Sep. 27 2011 at 12:56 pm
omg i totally agree with that!!!!!!!!

Starre said...
on May. 16 2011 at 11:23 am

I think you should have posted it in your school on YOUR principals door! He would make some changes if he read this!(:

-INSPIRING STUFF CHICK!


Starre said...
on May. 16 2011 at 11:19 am
I agree. They dont care and your peice has helped me put together a paper of my own for class. I am handing it straight to the principal!(:<

Shania96 said...
on Apr. 20 2010 at 2:22 am
This was a very inspiring piece of work. I agree with all of your points. It is good to finally see a teen girl address this issue. You are very right about this whole thing. Our appearance is important to us. I believe we have the right to express that. Good job and keep up your independance.