The Problems With The Dress Code

Addressing Students

Part of the problem with dress codes is how they're dealt with, often times resulting in leaving students feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable. It's important that teachers learn the difference between appropriate talk and inappropriate talk. For example "excuse me, [student name] according to the dress code what you're wearing is a violation of our rules, could you please in the future not wear [the thing that is "wrong"]" is slightly better than shouting "dress code violation!" at a girl across the hall, or calling her out of class and interrupting her learning to tell her she looks "inappropriate" or "too sexy" or "too revealing" The key thing is if you have to enforce a dress code, proper discourse and explanation in a non-accusatory fashion will go a lot longer of a way than critiquing a girl's appearance. Think to yourself "if I said this during sensitivity training, would I be penalized?" if the answer is yes, don't say it.

Inconsistency and Discrepancy

A huge problem with dress codes are the inconsistencies and discrepancies. Like, curvier girls being called out on wearing v-necks because you can see their cleavage but thinner girls being left alone about the very same shirt, just because their cleavage isn't (as) noticeable. Or some teachers being more lenient than the rules while some teachers being more strict than the rules, for example the rule says "no strapless shirts" and some teachers allow halter-tops and tube tops while others won't even allow tank tops. 

Lack of Forthright Rules

Another problem is when the dress code is "Please no inappropriate clothing" or "Please dress with respect" or "Do not wear clothes that are too revealing" This allows for debate. The definition of "inappropriate" may vary for student to student to staff member to staff member. This allows for confusion and unwarranted punishments. How is one to follow the rule when they don't know what it is? How is one deserving of a punishment when all along they thought (and were possibly told by others) that they were following the rules?

 Sexism and Sexuality

Though the biggest problem, of course, is the inherent sexism of it all. Assuming girls must hide themselves more than boys must, sexualizing a girl's chest but not a boy's chest, telling girls that her comfort is less important than their male counterparts claimed inability to stop thinking about sex and focus.