Against School Dress Code Essay Sample

What do you think of when you hear the term dress code? Do you picture a rule that prevents inappropriate clothing? Perhaps you believe that a dress code is a regular school rule that everyone has and is used to. These ideas couldn’t be further from the truth. Many people are treated differently because of teachers that think that skin is distracting. Dress codes should be banned because they target girls, are difficult to enforce, and hinder self-expression.

Firstly, dress codes should be shut down because they target girls. While schools need some sort of structure, dress codes do not have to be as strict as they are now. Rules included in dress codes hardly target males, because they typically wear long shorts, and clothes that fit into the unrealistically high dress code standards. Longer shorts/pants are what are sold in stores for boys, so they seldom get dress codes. If boys can wear what they want without getting dress codes, girls should be too. The vast majority of girls don’t want to wear the same styles of clothing as boys, just so that teachers don’t get upset. Many parts of the dress code are about how shorts can’t go past fingertip length, which makes it unfair because some people have longer arms or fingers than others. Also, most girls’ jeans have ripped parts that are above fingertip length. Girls’ shorts are also shorter than the required length. Franklin Central Junior High student handbook states, “Shorts, pants, skirts, and dresses need to be of an appropriate length. The guide to use is the length of the fingers as the arm hangs down the side. This standard should also be used for holes in shorts and pants. No holes should be above the length of the fingers as the arm hangs down the side.” The dress code also includes how no bare midriff should be shown. Not very many boys are going to want to wear a crop top to school, but many girls’ clothing items are cropped. The Franklin Central Junior High student handbook also states, “Clothing revealing bare midriffs, shirts, and tops must be able to be tucked in.”

Next, dress codes should be shut down is that they are difficult to enforce. The staff at schools can’t possibly enforce the dress code on every single student. There are many kids every day who wear ripped jeans, crop tops, etc. Most of the time, they aren’t dress-coded because the teachers won’t see every student. This makes it very unfair because not everyone will get in trouble for what they are wearing. Additionally, some staff members don’t care very much about the dress code, so it depends on what teachers see you throughout the day.

Third, dress codes should be shut down because they hinder self-expression. If students can't wear what they want, they can’t express themselves. Many students already have low self-esteem, and not being able to feel as if they look good in the clothes that they wear to school contributes even more to that. In contrast, some people might say that there should be a dress code because others could get jealous or insecure about what they are wearing. This is far from true. With a dress code in place, students cannot fully express themselves. The clothes that someone wears can be very reflective of who they are as a person. Lots of people like to wear clothes that are prohibited by dress codes, therefore making it harder for students to pick an outfit that they like. This can also make it harder for people to make friends at school. Schools should shut down their dress codes to make it fair to all genders. This will have the added benefit of relieving kids so they can dress with confidence. 

In conclusion, dress codes are making school environments worse. They make schools feel like a very strict, tense, and disciplined place. Having this feeling whenever you go to school makes it harder to learn, which is the entire point of school. Schools should get rid of their dress codes for many added reasons. Dress codes should be shut down because they target girls, are difficult to enforce, and hinder self-expression.