What is Dress Code Really Like?

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Three junior high female friends walk out of the school building arm in arm and talking together.

Lollie Dawson, Writer

It’s no secret that dress code has been a problem in many school systems for years. Dress codes vary from school to school, some are more on the strict side, and some allow students to have more freedom. At Cartersville High School, students tend to have less freedom, especially the girls. Boy students seem to have it easier; they have more freedom with shorts and bottoms. The dress code implies that shorts, skirts, and dresses must be fingertip length. It’s hard for girls to find bottoms that are the right length and fashionable at the same time. It’s almost as if the dress code is only focusing on girls. Teachers also seem to care more about girls when doing a dress code check. They mostly focus on the length of girls bottoms instead of the length of boy’s bottoms. Another aspect of the dress code that seems unfair is tops. The dress code states that a shirt must be at least 3 fingers wide. This rule also seems to target girls. Boys aren’t likely to wear a spaghetti strap tank top, unlike girls. Many teachers claim that girl’s shoulders can be “too distracting for the boys,” but in reality, it doesn’t have a huge effect. Even if a girl’s shoulders were too distracting for a boy, teachers should start to educate male students more and teach them how to respect their peers. Teachers and staff shouldn’t target girls and make them feel guilty for distracting a boy. There are many aspects of the dress code that could and need to be changed. We need to stop targeting girls and start educating everyone.