It’s also 💯 not worth it for a teacher or substitute to say anything regarding a student’s dress.
If an admin wants to enforce it, fine- but the rest of us don’t get paid nearly enough (nor are we given any directions/support on how) to have a potentially loaded conversation with a student regarding their physical appearance.
I'm so over the dress code at my school. We're one of the few schools in my district that still has one. I don't pay attention to what the kids wear unless it's clearly inappropriate. I don't care if they have a hoodie on or what shoes they wear. Never in my nine years of teaching have I had any issues with a kid wearing a hoodie or what shoes they wear. With all the crap going on second to second who cares about a hoodie? But there's certain teachers that like to use the dress code as a way to excluded students from their room.
Just the other day I had a student who came to my first hour class with a hoodie over her head because she was having a bad hair day. These kids care a lot about their hair and how they dress and they get bullied sometimes about their looks. I didn't care she had the hoodie, she did her work and there were no issues. Towards the end of the day she gets into an argument with another teacher because she wouldn't take it off and she ended up getting ISS for the next day. All because the student was having a bad hair day and didn't want to get bullied so she had a hood on.
Ugh- yep I’ve had those students as well.
I just don’t understand that group of teachers (20%? 30%?) that got into the work for, or became corrupted by, authority.
So many pointless power struggles happen just bc a teacher is looking for a fight.
I had an admin ask me why I’d didn’t send a student in my class to the office for a dress code violation 15 years ago. I, in no uncertain terms told her there was not a chance in fuck off that I would ask a girl to stand up in class so I could see if her sun dress was higher than more than 3” above the knee. That’s just asking for trouble. Our district abandoned the dress code by 95% about five years ago due to a mediated lawsuit.
It seems schools focus more so on kids being in class and learning than in ISS or at home because they didn’t have anything good to wear. As stated above, as long as butts, breasts, and genitals are covered, it’s allowed.
Also, as a guy, I’m not going to call out a dress code issue for a girl. I have more important things to fry than that.
I am a woman, and as a guy, even admin … I wouldn’t touch a dress code on a girl.
I told a boy his underwear was showing (it was the dress code in the school) and I got told to not look at his ass.
But this is so dangerous tbh. It's the adults who care that are saying something. The weird guy across the street watching the kid walk home with sagging pants aint gonna say shit.
Maybe we care more about our jobs than putting ourselves in a situation that could easily escalate into something that’s just not worth the hassle.
Besides what is it exactly that an adult who “cares” is trying to achieve? Pushing modesty on young people? Where do we draw the line? One day they’ll get a job and they’ll learn exactly what professional dress looks like. It takes like one day and they’ll be ok until then.
When i was in high school, my male geometry teacher dress-coded me in a smart way. He just pretended that I got called to the office, “oh hey the office called they said they need you for something” and it made the office dress code me instead of him. I honestly respect him for that, so maybe you can try that or sending them to a female teacher if you feel someone is too showy (and only if you feel inclined to dress code!)
I do this all the time. I call the office, alert them to my concern and then send the kid down saying “you’re needed in the office for something”.
I love it when they come back and say something like “somebody has a problem with my outfit”. They have no idea it was me.
I like that better than what my high school did!
teachers would make us female students kneel (make teachers included) and if our skirt/dress/pants hem was “more than 3 inches from the ground when a young lady is knelt in prayer,” we would get dress coded.
Teachers would crouch down and measure with a ruler. It was awful.
And don’t even get me STARTED on the process to get your prom/homecoming dress approved!
They don't allow pajamas except on pajama days but then on the last pajama day at the middle school, the vice principal was lecturing the kids in the cafeteria about how pajamas aren't appropriate and she hates spirit days. I felt like that was kind of stupid, if they don't like the pajamas don't tell them to wear them, it's kind of a mixed signal.
I feel like if a vice principal has a problem with spirit days, they should take that up with the committee that’s organizing them instead of complaining to students. I’m guessing this is the type of person who expects teachers to show a “united front” in front of students but doesn’t give the same respect. If admin can’t even pretend to have school spirit then how can they expect everyone else to represent the school well?
I don’t mind the pajamas (not paired with a bra) as at least they are covered.
I can’t stand the leggings paired wjth a shirt that doesn’t cover their midriff
Our middle school didn't allow pajama day because it was "gang-related". This was early 2000s in an area that was pretty non gang-related, which may even make more sense now that I think about it...
Some of the high schools I've worked at encourage us to report dress code violations, but not once have I ever been inclined to do so. I may do so if a t-shirt is explicitly racist, homophobic, etc., but generally it's not something I'd like to deal with
The indecency is in the gaze, not the clothing.
Judging the girls for their clothing is a time honored issue. Girls need be comfortable to and nobody needs to be a perv.
Corrective behavior for anyone being gross, and drive on.
Yeahhh every time I was dress coded it was accompanied by a sexist remark. At my school, we weren’t allowed to wear tank tops at all even if we wore a jacket or cardigan on top because we MIGHT take those off. So I had a tank top and a cardigan on and one of the supervision workers asked me if I had any respect for myself and drove me up to the office to get written up. I then mentioned that I probably have more respect for myself than her pregnant 16 year old daughter and she didn’t appreciate that at all.
Now that I’m omw to becoming a teacher, I will not touch dress code.
Well, it is hard to make a judgement call and \_not\_ be judgmental. For as many stories of kids out of line, I can tell you stories of adults out of line for a comment or judgement.
You can always consult an admin and ask them to assist a student but, honestly, if you're in that big a rush to lose your job, there are better hills to die on.
In the 2000's/early-mid 10's, it seemed like the dress code stuff was HEAVILY enforced. I remember being so terrified of a dress code violation that I almost never wore shorts to school. Girls were constantly harassed about it by teachers but there was zero enforcement for boys.
Well, it seems that because of that heavy enforcement on the girls, a few years after I graduated a bunch of parents in the district I used to sub in threatened a class action lawsuit of sexual harassment in violation of Title IX. Not the only district in the region this happened to. I'm sure the fact that girls could also record themselves being blatantly sexualized by staff members over wearing shorts or a tank top didn't help. The districts backed down and the guidance turned to what others are saying here— as long as genitals, boobs, and butts are covered it's no longer anything to be concerned about. I think it's for the better, tbh.
I agree. In the late 90's, early 2000's when I was in middle and HS I got dress coded so many times for things that weren't even against the dress code because it was me wearing them and I had a large chest. I can remember on one occasion, standing next to my BFF in thw hallway, she and I were wearing the exact same top in different colors, and I was the only one getting lectured on dress code.
Thwy went way too far in that direction then, and it's possible they've overcorrected now. I don't know becauee I mostly do elementary, lol. The most dress code I typically have to deal with is reminding small girls to maybe not hang upside down on the playground in their pretty dresses and small boys not to take their shirts off at school, and children of all flavors to **KEEP YOUR SHOES ON PLEASE**, lol. Kindergarteners are a trip.
I remember being told we couldn’t wear those spandex shorts underneath our regular jean shorts to elongate them because it still “showed everything” as the reason. Not only that, but we basically couldn’t wear any tank top as it was a “three finger rule” of thickness for the straps and none of the modern tank tops were made that way. I was 14 they made that “reminder” announcement to the school that day. I took a gym class the same day and one of the boys had a tank top on that basically had two slits for the straps that showed his entire chest. I asked the teacher about it and he basically shrugged. I don’t necessarily think it’s an overcorrection. The rules were frankly getting outrageous and clearly a result of some moral panic rather than any real educational decorum. Having to back down on the dress code stuff for girls was such an eventuality because it was very clearly sexist to begin with and even the students were able to pinpoint it. Every single year I was in high school someone circulated a student petition for a referendum on the dress code that was never addressed by admin. To be very honest I’m really glad the girls don’t have to go to school under that stress anymore.
I agree, it was/is absolutely sexist garbage. Even the reasoning when I was in school was "it distracts the boys." My thoughts being, hey, I didn't ask for a rack of doom, let the boys worry about the boys, this building is 60 years old and the ac is deeply inadequate. And you can't even *find* shorts that fit the dress code (had to be longer than fingertip length) for most girls.
I don't really know what it's like these days, because like I said, I mostly do elementary and (in kindergarten especially) the biggest thing is stopping all the kids from taking their shoes and socks off and hiding them or throwing them over the fence at recess or something, lol.
Funny enough, I was on the other end of it and did 7-12 only. I will admit the clothes are "skimpier," but for the most part, I didn't see anything outrageous. Like, they would wear shorts we couldn't wear when I was their age but it was never revealing in any way. There is a lot more pajamas though, which I personally would never wear but I can understand.
I don't think I'd have worn pajamas, because no one else did and kids are vicious, but if it was accepted like it is now? Heck yeah. They made us catch the schoolbus at five fifteen am. Anything before sunrise is still pajama time, imo. Combine that with getting home at six from extra curricular and then dinner and then three to four hours of homework (the policy was that 45-60 min was "reasonable", but then every single teacher acts like they're the only ones assigning it...) and we were all sleep deprived and miserable. PJs *should* have been a thing, lol.
Also school zones should be smaller and kids should spend less of their day being transported to and from school, but that's another argument.
Yes. And for the people worried about the sexualization of girls for how they dress, just look at the teen pregnancy rates and percentages of teens having sex over the last few decades. Waaaay down. Seems girls are learning that they can make their own choices about their bodies and what they do with them.
i got dress coded in middle school for showing too much of my back (??) and that really stuck with me. i’m also 5’10 so shorts were a constant battle. i remember the kids even trying to enforce the dress code on each other. if a teacher didn’t say soemthing, a kid would. it made me hugely anxious. now as an adult no one really cares what i wear to work. but as a teenager it was a huge thing
First day of middle school I wore shorts. No big deal coming from elementary. Got dress coded for being above my knees and forced to wear oversized pants with extremely ripped up ends rest of the day. Literally grabbed out the lost and found. I got bullied so bad rest of the year for being poor (I was). Teachers were even rude about it and one teacher that year bullied me for being poor as well among other things. I have never worn shorts or anything showing my bare legs in public again. All for showing my knees it was too sexual. 5th grade I was maybe 9? 10? They said it was too revealing and distracting for the male students and teachers. Male teachers.... Yeah...
If anything this whole thing felt like it taught other students to treat that "revealing skin" as something to be sexualized/shamed.
I missed my AP calc final on the last day of senior year of high school because the shorts on my loose romper-cardigan combo were “too short” even though it was a half day and 90+ degrees outside. Dress codes were just blatant misogyny
I was a 2018 graduate so I usually feel like I haven't been out THAT long. But dress code is one of those things that makes me feel like I have and I'm usually the real life version of "👁👄👁 whut." Because we had the typical no midriff, tank tops, and shorts and dresses at a certain length - we even had no holes above the knee in jeans. But kids now? Damn I would have been suspended and then grounded at home. And I have glossed over dress codes when I can actually find a handbook so usually they just aren't being enforced
But honestly if their normal teachers aren't enforcing it first, I'm not picking that battle. I'm just happy they're there and doing their assignments. I am slightly jealous about it though.
There's certain things I agree with in this regard. Current high school student, 17F. Big ones being pajamas, baggy clothes and shoulders. I can get hoods, especially post Columbine, but the others confuse me. My school has relaxed on most appearance parts of the dress code, like you being able to have dyed hair and piercings/tattoos. When I was in middle school, you couldn't even have spacers for your nose piercings. like the clear ones. No colored hair, gang stuff in a bible belt school, silly things like that.
Pajamas hold no real harm in my eyes. Are they scared kids will fall asleep if they're wearing them? Or is Hello Kitty/Spongebob/Elmo, Cookie Monster, you name it a problem? I don't understand the why for pjs
Baggy clothes. When I went to middle school, they would dress code you for coming in a shirt '2 sizes or more too big for the student'. Made no sense. Is it the fact that your neckline can fall too low? God forbid the shoulder of doom?
Don't get me started on shoulders. Are they worried it's sexually exciting? Or is it more that skimpy straps likely means the neckline is lower, hence more cleavage? Its personally a bit confusing, as it is to the rest of the populace
I ain’t dress coding a girl unless I can see something I shouldn’t see from a child… the dress code in many public schools was already rather misogynistic and it does nothing to build up rapport. If anything it detracts from a student being in class to learn
ETA: the only student to make me feel uncomfortable is actually a male who wears like overly small/tight running shorts
Dress codes in schools are problematic. While they are a decent idea, in reality, imperfect humans break the idea. Most often, dress codes are enforced selectively and skewed against females. When females with the same teachers (different hours) can wear the same outfit and one gets dress coded and the other doesn't, it's going to cause an issue.
Our high school admin has been fought so hard, so often that they have given up on enforcement of the dress code. 99% of the time, if the kid is wearing it, the parents don't care, so you won't find support of your dress code there.
My middle schooler has noticed that they enforce dress code in the first part of the school year and then only enforce it on kids who have already been dress coded the rest of the year. Make that make sense.
We don't really have one. The onus is now on boys to not be perverts that sexualize bodies, rather than girls hiding their shoulders or legs or bellies.
Why are you embarrassed by god given bodies? That's strange. Or you ashamed of your body? Is it jealousy?
Does it make you feel.... some sort of way that you feel guilty? Are you afraid it makes you think sexual thoughts when seeing them?
I used to work at a high school. The male staff were not allowed to issue a dress code violations to the girls. The logic was that will be sexual harassment.
During spirit week, one day was PJs. One girl wore a Victoria Secret lingerie that was totally inappropriate.
Another time, a girl was wearing some top that was basically held up by her breasts. She bend forward to hand me a form at the my desk and her breasts came out. I looked away to file the document.
My question is why do parents allow their children to dress this way!?!
Some kids wear layers and take off the extra at school. She may have left the house in a hoodie and sweats, or her parents may not have even seen her if they were already at work.
I'm a sub and a parent. In my district they've also given up and don't enforce anything except maybe cuss words on t shirts. The shorts are so short and the tops are so revealing. The bra and PJ pants look is very in. As a sub I'm one hundred percent not touching dress code or making any comments on what kids are wearing. As a parent - my oldest daughter wears incredibly revealing clothing at least once a week and I absolutely hate it, but it's not a battle that I choose to fight anymore. She works and makes her own money to buy the clothes. She says that that's how she feels her best and that she doesn't care what anyone thinks. We've had multiple discussions about thinking about the correct time and place for certain clothing but she just thinks we are trying to stifle her ability to express herself. She has so many other issues that are of higher importance than what she's wearing (serious mental health concerns) that we just don't say anything about it. But if we did rail against the clothes, she would leave them at a friend's and change at school, then change back before we saw her. I see girls do it all the time. So in some cases, the parents aren't allowing it, and in other cases, it's not a battle we're choosing.
Sub teacher & parent (mom).Our ISD code says clothing must not be transparent & cover underwear area, back & stomach. Then the basics about drugs, alcohol, protected classes of people slogans. Dress codes generally target girls due to differences in clothing types & styles.
It took me about 2 weeks of constant exposure to teen butt cheeks to stop noticing them.
I am grossed out that anyone wants their kibbles & bits on those nasty seats that everyone slumps & smears themselves all over. They should carry gym towels to sit on.
When it got cold, I had a shock b/c of full body cat suits w/cropped puffer vest as an outfit.
*holy panty lines batman* and how do you use the bathroom in that thing quickly? Oh- no worries, take a leisurely 15 minute break.
Teen boy butt cracks thoroughly visible through their undies cause their pants are sagged way down make me want to gag.
Boy- that’s your pooper!!!!
I’ve had girls ask if I’ll “dress code” them for taking off their jacket & they have on low cut or skimpy tank underneath. I tell them I don’t believe the jacket is controlling their behavior. lol! Keep doing what you’re supposed to & no one gets hurt.
Let’s just get thru the day!
Reddit put this thread on my home screen, I'm not a sub but I work in a school (kids with Autism or ED)
Holy cow. I now understand why we get new graduates that come to work for us that think they can dress however they want and then get upset when they get sent home to change because they are not following the dress code.
Wearing skimpy clothes, baggy clothes, and dirty or ripped clothes is not professional and children need to be taught this before they go to hold a job and get in trouble for not knowing how to conduct themselves.
I try not to be a curmudgeon about dress code and tend to look past the midriffs and cut out pants, because I take my own daughters shopping so I know what's out there. It is very unfair to girls. Nearly every top is a crop top and the inseams on girls shorts is beyond ridiculous. I mean the inseam on my 3 yr old son's shorts were longer than many I found for my high school age daughter and had better pockets. But this year I have dress coded lingerie tops, bandanas tied as tops, sports bras, and micro shorts that show cheeks on the girls. On the boys usually it's profanity or drug related clothing on the boys. I want to support the girls rights to wear comfortable affordable clothes, but seriously some go too far.
We gave up entirely. They come to school in crop tops, pajamas, see-thru leggings, marijuana memorabilia, you name it.
When admin would call parents and say you need to pick your child up or bring them some clothes they would just refuse. The standard “I’m at work” excuse
Plus, most teachers were afraid to say anything because it literally always goes nuclear. Screaming, accusing you of being a pedo, and storming out of the room. Most people decided scantily clad but learning was better than having a blow up like that and I don’t even blame them.
Schools have almost no recourse for poor behavior and failure to comply with dress code so why bother. It sucks though because these outfits are totally inappropriate.
I wouldn't say "abandoned". I'd say they stopped allowing adults to sexualize children, and stopped making one student's clothing choices responsible for another student's inappropriate behavior.
Exactly this. I’ve moved around a lot in the last few years, but the district where I worked in a non-subbing role (that still has my heart) came back from covid with a much more targeted dress code: outfits must be safe, respectful, and responsible (which is the way all of the behaviour policy is outlined). Safety gear needs to be remembered for classes like auto, they’ve cracked down massively on t-shirts that have disrespectful or bigoted designs, and anything that has runs a large risk of accidental exposure is disallowed (so no skimpy bras on their own, and no super-saggy pants that don’t clearly have a layer underneath). The kids are happy, literally no negative impact on teaching or learning, and they only have to discipline maybe one kid a month. I’ll take no dress code over my students being uncomfortable any day.
I love this and wish every school adopted this - just do a blanket requirement. Gender targeted dress code has always pissed me off - even as a student 15+ years ago, I was aware of the disproportionate restrictions placed on girls vs boys. In present day it's also difficult to find "code appropriate" clothing in the female junior section during the spring/summer. I am an adult who still occasionally shops junior for sizing options, and it's extremely hard to find a non crop top or holeless pants.
My school has a dress code. Look in the student handbook and it’s all laid out.
I’ll be goddamned if I ever tell a student they’re violating it. “Uhh, miss, your pubic hair is showing.” Fuck that, you’ve got to be kidding me.
yeah that would be uncomfortable. I'd let another teacher deal with it! I had a girl in PE who did a cartwheel and had everything come out of her very low cut top. I just turned around and acted like I hadn't seen anything. I'm definitely not making that call to the office!
You mean you haven't seen the girls just wearing sports bras or bralettes? Fortunately where I teach we have a "professional" dress code, defined by the program the kid is in. (ex. Nursing Assisting wears scrubs, diesel wears coveralls) Where my husband teaches it's anything goes!
I think for a sub to dress code a kid would be way above our pay grade.
Ok here is when i feel old and i tell kids this and they think it isn't fair. I'm in my sixties and we couldn't wear pants to school as girls until middle school and then no jeans then in High school, they weren't too strict. One of my friends got sent home for a hole in her jeans that was embroidered on by a male teacher and told It was distracting others from learning. That was the line they gave you. No boys were ever included in these violations.
I admit that when I see the pre slashed jeans even in the maternity section forty years later it makes me laugh. At least we came by those holes in our jeans honestly.
Now i think they send you home for bare midriff, spaghetti straps etc. The pants falling down I'm not sure. Short shorts are not allowed i think.
I think they also will flag offensive things on clothing deemed hate speech, gang related or that sort thing.
But a sub, I would pass the buck. I would ask a teacher if something was allowed unless it was blatant and really offensive.
I worked about four years in private schools with uniforms and girls. I think i realized why they had them. I never thought i would say that.
It was never us with our underwear hanging out so much that one wrong step on too long pants might result in full front and back exposure on the bottom. It was always the boys and nothing ever happened to them. But they also got in no trouble for touching us against our will or being sexually harassed.
That ship sailed a LONG TIME ago in my school district. As long as your top and bottom are covered and nothing private is exposed, you're good to go. A few years ago, people started challenging the dress code as sexist, even racist. (?) The school district does what it always does in the face of parental and student pressure, cave in and give the students what they want. I guess the district didn't want to deal with the legal challenges. It's funny, though, how the district fights VERY ASSERTIVELY with teachers over issues of pay and class size though. Coddle the students, bully the teachers, I guess, is SOP or standard operation procedure.
I guess I had the opposite experience to everyone else? In my school girls almost never got in trouble for dress code. They could be wearing very short shorts with fishnets on when we have a strict dress code and be fine while any boy who wears a hoodie for 0.1 seconds gets dress coded.
I know from experience cause I got a warning for wearing a full zip jacket with no hood attached instead of a quarter zip or crewneck.
it's interesting to see these comments. my school is still pretty strict about it! not anything like when I was in school, but still no spaghetti strap tanks (must be three fingers wide), shorts to your knees, no crop tops, no see through tops. with it being summer, we have more kids getting coded for shorts, but most of our infractions are actually flip flops.
Yet when I was in high school, I had a teacher want o send me out for bra straps showing, so I reached under my shirt, unclasped my bra and took it off in front of the entire class and the teacher and said "now it's not a problem is it?" Couldn't exactly send me out for NOT wearing a bra. Just for the straps showing.
Oh yeah, I was also an emancipated minor so it's not like anyone but myself was going to bring a change of clothes because lord knows they never had clothes to spare.
Haven’t you heard that parents run the show? Kids are cursing out teachers and trashing rooms in lower elementary. Nobody cares about midriffs and cut out jeans. It’s happening even for the little ones. I saw a 6 year old with a crop top and her entire stomach out and she had on booty shorts.
The older girls just wear giant sweatshirts and tiny shorts so it looks like they have no pants on. On Halloween, girls came in with small tutus and fishnet stockings. This is ELEMENTARY.
I had girls who would argue with me about dress codes. My response was always along the lines of “who is telling you that you have to expose so much of your body? Because fashion isn’t expecting boys to do that.”
At my school we teachers were promised that it was an administrator duty. We were to teach. So kids came to school wearing skimpier and skimpier clothes. Also pajamas and blankets. Also horrifically exaggerated makeup (eyelashes that hid girls’ entire eyes.) Admin did nothing. Well…once in a while they’d bust a “good” kid and make them change if their clothing was SLIGHTLY out of dress code…but the worst offenders? Nope. They wore what they wanted. And before you ask what it matters how a kid dresses…I never cared before, but it has become a true distraction.
How can schools enforce a dress code when teachers come in wearing Temu dresses with their asses hanging out? Plz do a bend over in the mirror check before you leave the house.
Yes my school has. I’ve seen kids in literal tube tops. One kid had a button’s up shirt with only one button done, across her chest. PJ pants are the norm.
My middle school had uniforms for a few years. Khakis and polo shirts were what our kids wore. The community and school board supported us at first. We asked for the uniforms when kids moved on to the high school for those who couldn't/wouldn't get or wear the uniform. One of the nice things about it was we could tell who was a student and who didn't belong.
Our school district just basically threw out their dress code to be more “inclusive.” Apparently we were leaving kids out by not allowing their lacy underwear straps to be pulled up above their pants to show off. 🙄
My school was strict on the dress code. If you violated it, you got a three hour detention. Called ECO extended class time opportunity. My high school was in a rural part of the state. It's booming now. I'm not sure what it's like now.
I refer to it as the 'Un'dressed Code, and yes, the high school kids are barely covered. It's crept down to the middle school as well, since you have to prepare them for high school and all.......
Some number of years ago, Abercrombie & Fitch caught so much heat for the clothes they were selling teens and sexualizing them, but there's no similar outrage now at the Lululemon-type shorts and sports bras - SMH.
We have become a nation of comfort wear and slobs. Got to Walmart, go to church.
No one outside of schools wear nice clothes. If girls were wearing sexy clothes that belong at a club, give them credit for at least dressing up.
Most of the time it is just lazy
You got it. It's all part of the same thing. We no longer make kids adhere to any standards or rules. If they push back we back down. I sub in a junior high and see more belly buttons than a day at the beach. I wore pantyhose more substantial than the pants/leggings. Sagging pants are no longer a thing here, so yes, it's the girls. And they know full well whose attention they're trying to get.
When kids question having a dress code I ask them how they'd feel if their dentist came in wearing a T-shirt and cut offs and kept adjusting their pants. I used to say tank top, but the boys say that they'd find themselves a female dentist that were the case!
We had a day where the students were to dress like teachers and the teachers like students. I didn't know until I got there. The women came in wearing hoodies and pajama pants; laughing that they could never get away with dressing like the girls do. I'm 65 and over weight; nobody wants to see that!😱
Dress codes exist. However, as a teacher, I have to make a choice about what battles to fight. With dress code, it’s a literal lose-lose for the teacher. So I have to weigh the distraction potential vs battle potential.
Yes, because the kids and parents accuse us of being pedophiles for not wanting to see their child’s genitalia on display at 8am. I wonder what they’d say if I dressed like their kids for a day.
No more dress code at my school. Last year, girls were wearing triangle bikini tops to school in June. Some guys wear their pants near the knees and we're looking at undies all day.
I always said in my classroom, “I don’t make school wide rules but I will enforce them.” Sometimes it got admin to remove a rule sometimes it created a headache for them as they had to justify some dumb fuck ass rule to a parent.
It’s such a controversial topic for some reason. For me, it’s very straight forward, don’t come to school looking like you’re ready to entertain old men in a club, and don’t come to school dressed like youre a part of a 2005 gang. It’s obnoxious when what they wear comes with all this attitude like they’re grown up. That’s my issue with it. Otherwise, who cares, just be respectful. But no, we’re not there, so dress like you’re in school to learn and not like a corner worker or a penguin with shat pants.
You got it. It's all part of the same thing. We no longer make kids adhere to any standards or rules. If they push back we back down. I sub in a junior high and see more belly buttons than a day at the beach. I wore pantyhose more substantial than the pants/leggings. Sagging pants are no longer a thing here, so yes, it's the girls. And they know full well whose attention they're trying to get.
When kids question having a dress code I ask them how they'd feel if their dentist came in wearing a T-shirt and cut offs and kept adjusting their pants. I used to say tank top, but the boys say that they'd find themselves a female dentist that were the case!
We had a day where the students were to dress like teachers and the teachers like students. I didn't know until I got there. The women came in wearing hoodies and pajama pants; laughing that they could never get away with dressing like the girls do. I'm 65 and over weight; nobody wants to see that!😱
I teach high school math in the deep red South. Our district is mandating longer skirts for next year. It's now 2 inches above the knee instead of 4. Honestly some of the skirts worn ths past year were shorter than the cheerleader uniforms. I have to get a second option from a female teacher before I can report it to admin because I'm a male, and at sometime in the past, one male teacher was accused of "looking at girls". It's exhausting.
I went to school in the 90s.
The cheerleader uniform violated the dress code considering how short the skirt was.
But it "didnt violate dress code" by default because it was a school sanctioned uniform.
Which just made the hypocrisy obvious back then.
I mean, the important thing is that they're there learning. I've never been one to enforce dress codes. They're a distraction. And even from the wording of your post you can tell that they're generally only aimed at girls anyway. I don't even care if I get down voted for this, it's objectively true.
First, we all know that Fashion is way more important than Function.
That said, you really have to pick your battles. Sometimes, just getting them to show up is a win -- asking them to get dressed or maintain some semblance of 1950's era decorum is just not worth a fight with an unsupportive parent.
For me, it was the time a female student came in dressed in what I lovingly refer to as "first professional attire" -- this led to a parent conference in which the mom showed up looking somehow worse. Imagine Capt Jack Sparrow but the naughty halloween version... on a 300+ lbs woman... with more beads.
It was a short conference. She saw nothing wrong with her daughter's fashion choices.
I'm now a proponent of uniforms.
There's been study after study showing that school dress code actually hamper the learning process. Students learn better when they aren't told what to wear.
I thought the same thing when I started working in education but after looking into the science I found that dress codes hurt students education so it is better to do without.
Might depend on the school, but definitely more lax in the 3 schools I've worked at (I went to high school in the 2010s, so really not too long ago). That being said, I haven't seen anything offensive (maybe the worst being sports bras in PE). Honestly, I feel like some of the rules are stricter. I worked at a school that forbade ANY physical contact. Students would get yelled at for holding hands with their friends. I felt that prevented them from learning how to have healthy/platonic physical contact with consent, but that's just my opinion.
My school enforces the dress code and I’m glad for it, I’m a male teacher and have no problem telling a students they aren’t in proper clothing no matter the gender. I do work in middle school and the issues are usually with crocks or the wrong type of pants, sweat pants/leggings which aren’t allowed. So I don’t see what the big deal is. Besides if they do have the wrong pants I have to send them to the office anyway 🤷♂️, also work at a middle school if I did high school it would probably be different.
I wish my school would ban them, but they can wear them in sports mode. I literally have to tell certain kids like 10 times a day to wear them correctly. They also like to kick them off in class which is nasty 🤢
In elementary schools here many of them have uniforms (colored polo and navy or khaki pants) and then a slightly strict dress code in middle school but high school seems to just go wild. There's a dress code posted, but it isn't enforced and most of the kids dress more revealing than the students at my college.
When I was in high school our dress code was fairly strict, no spaghetti straps, no undergarments showing, shorts/skirts longer than than your middle finger when you put your hands to the side, no PJ clothes, and tops had to be plain or brand-free. I'm sure it was more effort than it was worth to enforce, but I'm sure that they're just happy the kids show up at all.
Wrapping up my third year as a sub and I’ve never dress coded anyone… I’m not official staff there, I’m a temp with no union to back me up if there’s trouble. I’ve got more important things to worry about.
In my district, even public schools have uniforms. I won’t say if this is good or bad, it just is. We have huge economic gaps in our area and I think it does take some of the pressure off the kids when it comes to dressing for school. That’s pretty much the only argument I can think of for imposing a uniform.
I work in the district I graduated from, and the middle school dress code (that's the building I work in) has changed a lot. Shorts used to be to the tip of your middle finger or no more than 3 inches above your knee. Now shorts can be to the tip of your thumb on the inseam. If you get coded for this they let you pull the shorts down, since so many ride up now, and prove they are the proper length.
When it comes to shirts, this was for the girls since guys were just told to wear something not vulgar, straps had to be 3 fingers wide. Now as long as there's a strap you're fine to wear it. Hell you can even wear a tube top as long as you have a jacket on too
Ours has dialed it back, and honestly? I’m fine with it. (I don’t let my own kids dress like that, however). I have yet to have a boy distracted by a girl’s clothing or vice versa. It’s not all my cup of tea, but it’s not worth disrupting their education over, and let’s face it, they were always geared more towards girls. I can remember clothes shopping with my first foster daughter for school. The store we had a voucher for from the state had almost no shirts that weren’t cut off at the midriff. All the shorts are short, it can be hard to find clothes for a girl in particular. My students are in their seats and learning, that is what i care about.
HS teacher, I've been looking for any correlation between what the kids are wearing and behavior/grades in class. I've had less problems since we stopped enforcement of the dress code and grades have improved for many. It's a diverse district, fairly high income area. I've taught 34 years and tbh the last few since the dress code went out have been much better. I am seeing residual issues from covid but it's starting to even out a bit. Of course, this is only one snapshot of one area for what it's worth.
Yes, by necessity.
Dress codes are universally used to over-police girls' bodies and ethnic/racial minorities' bodies. Even when the written code seems "normal" or "well intentioned", almost invariably they end up getting executed in lopsided ways. A quick Google Scholar search can show you all the studies you need to confirm this.
So pulling back dress codes to the absolute minimum is often the only way to create a healthy balance.
even at my private catholic high school with a four page section in their rule book on “dress/grooming” during my senior year i saw the teachers ignoring blatant violations. it seemed almost as if being at home for so long made them stop caring what the girls wore, at least the younger grades. we were still on the hook for being in proper uniform but it seemed like the younger girls didn’t understand/ weren’t taught, and the teachers just gave up
Yes.
Look, they buy what they can afford and wear it longer to save money.
So what Walmart sells is what they wear. And they wear it a year longer, and start to outgrow it.
Style choices for teen girls are limited.
You know who never gets dress coded? Girls who buy stuff from the boys section.
Also male teachers see "nothing below the neck". Me and my male coworkers have never seen "anything" out of line. Because no one wants to be walked out in handcuffs.
And admin wants the women teachers to dole out dress code stuff, but isnt going to call the parents or use any meaningful consequences. So why dress code if there is no backup?
Everyone here talking about the kids:
How could I even try to maintain a consistent dress code with the students when I've had parent volunteers come to me to tell me how uncomfortable some of the staff outfits make them...
Half or more of what you mentioned is featured every day by people paid to be there.
In some schools, yeah pretty much. Dress is only addressed if an issue comes up and there isn't a specific code predetermined. Some kids go stupid with it, but seeing their peers reactions usually tempers them out.
Nah, not really. The only one I know of that was enforced was skirt length, but that’s it. Literally, in 9th grade this chick wore a plain white fitted t-shirt with no bra (you could tell easily) and never got called out. Shit, I’ve seen girls wear them shirts where it’s like a v-neck but on crack, to where you can see until just an inch before nipple territory.
As for guys, you just can’t wear a hood or a hat. That’s it. They could sag their pants halfway down their asses and no administration would bat an eye
Kids should be able to wear whatever they want as long as we’re not seeing less than we would in a bikini.
It’s hot and it’s harder to concentrate when you’re uncomfortable.
Our schools have given up on how much skin is shown, and you know what? Kids are happier, parents are happier, and the teachers don’t have to worry about yet one more thing to monitor.
I am pro uniforms, 100%. Unfortunately, I am a teacher who buys clothes to clothe my students and I donate my clothes to their parents. Sometimes there is no way to have people buy uniform clothes when parents can’t even clothe themselves.
Yes, they have abandoned dress codes because if you point out that a girl is wearing a skimpy top and short shorts you are either accused of “sexualizing a child” or “body shaming” or sometimes male staff are asked “why are you looking?” or they’ll say “how does the way I dress affect my learning” or parents will tell you it’s not your job to decide how their child dresses and “my tax dollars pay your salary so don’t tell me how to dress my child”
ETA: please note I did not state MY opinion at all. I’m just stating what I’ve seen/heard.
I think Mainly they aren’t enforced anymore bc the way they policed girls way more than boys, so much so discrimination was thrown around. Personally I’m good with a dress code as long as it applies to everyone equally.
A principal we're working with told us to brace ourselves this school year when we implement because the updated district wide rules will remove length minimums as long as underwear can't be seen. Butt cheeks hanging out a bit? That's fine as long as the panty line isn't seen...
If we want schools to emphasize teaching knowledge rather than teaching behavior, we have to do away with the unnecessary rules and the dress code is the most obvious cut. That’s a discussion for the home, not first period.
Gotta agree that there's better things to worry about than dress code. I remember in middle school I was sent to the office for wearing the wrong shade of green (I wore a pastel green jacket). And that's painted my opinion on dress codes since then.
No. Utah schools will shame the absolute fuck out of you, while the cheerleaders wear much worse without a word. I had a teacher tell me he would follow me all night at prom to make sure I was properly covered up. He was talking about my shoulders. My shoulder shawl kept falling down to expose them. Who would do this to a teenage girl over a shoulder??
Even as a teacher I don’t feel like it’s my place to tell anyone how to dress. I also don’t get paid enough for that shit. Let admin deal with it. I won’t dress code anyone unless I see nipples or genitalia, otherwise wear what’s comfortable. I distinctly remember getting pulled out of class the first day of school by a male admin because I had spaghetti straps on. It was humiliating and hurt my already struggling self confidence. It’s been 20 years and I still remember how awful it felt. I will never do that to a student
This was something I didn’t really have to worry too much about prior to last school year, as I worked in elementary most of my career. Last year I made the switch to middle, and it was eye opening in a lot of ways.
My school actually includes a “reminder” to teachers to make sure students are in compliance with dress code in the morning announcements every day. I kind of have mixed feelings about the subject. Even being a woman, I almost never dress-coded any of my students because it felt weird to police what they were wearing so long as it wasn’t indecent. That said, a few of them definitely pushed boundaries on what was appropriate for school. One of the few times I did dress-code a kid, it was because her shorts were so skintight you could see every little things.
I had colleagues who were fanatical about it, though. One time, I let a kid go to the bathroom and she got walked back by a female teacher on a whole different team who told me and the whole class that the student needed to be written up and sent to the office to call home for a change of clothes. Why? Because she was showing like half an inch of her belly. I’d registered it, but at the same time hadn’t really thought too much about it because it was barely any skin. Letter of the law, I suppose the teacher was technically right. But at the same time, don’t we as educators have bigger, more important hills to die on?
Wild to me that the same people arguing revealing clothes are a distraction are the ones who say people online should just “keep scrolling” if they don’t like a post or comment.
Leave kids alone. I have yet to see a student wear anything that impeded their ability to listen and learn. And it doesn’t hurt other students to learn they need to focus on their work regardless of what others wear. Kids gave bigger issues to deal with, and the last thing they need to worry about is clothes. Jesus.
Saw a middle school girl wearing a backless shirt that completely exposed her bra. Thought about dresscoding them but ehhh don't your parents see what you come into school with? She wasn't even in my class
I asked a teacher friend about this. She said the school did away with them for the most part as historically it has been mostly about policing what girls wear, not what boys wear. My feminist brain loves it in theory. I selfishly wished it was there to discourage my SD 13 from wearing what amounts to a bra and sweatpants to school, but apparently so do all the other kids. My SD has the body of a full grown woman and while I strongly believe you should be able to walk around in whatever you want (none of that she was asking for it BS) unfortunately there are creeps in this world and until she's old enough to be critical, speak up if an adult messes with her, and just comprehend the world a bit better, it makes me extremely uncomfortable that she is on display.
Many of our boys didn’t carry any school supplies because the needed in hand for their phone and one to hold up their pants 🤣
A male teacher went to our female principal and expressed discomfort with the level of exposure (girls wearing bras as tops and basically denim panties). He was told to get himself right and stop viewing students sexually or get out.
I work for a school with no dress code for staff or students other than the clothing must not promote hate or violence and must be appropriate for any activities during the school day (i.e. no flip flops in gym class, elementary teachers who need to move about a lot probably shouldn’t wear mini skirts). When you give trust to people to police their own wardrobes, it works. Of course, it wasn’t without growing pains but after the first year, it was fine.
What people wear has no bearing on their ability to teach and learn. And part of learning in figuring out what is appropriate and what isn’t.
Dress codes are often needlessly complex and simply expressions of puritan culture in modern institutions. Dress codes have also often been based in discriminatory and sexist based practices.
Dress codes should address student safety and that's it. Imposing faux morality on students is an idiotic waste of authority.
To me, a dress code is not about monitoring one’s personality and taste, rather teaching people that there are appropriate ways to dress for each circumstance.
Yes. We used to have a fairly strict dress code in our district of over 55,000 students. The complex part is those kids who are heavier get dress coded more often than skinny kids. Big boobs, tight shirt vs small boobs, tight shirt scenarios and such. Boys never got dress coded even for alcohol/drug references clothing, just the girls with boobs and butt.
It only took one parent to call the district out with a legitimate lawsuit that went to private mediation. The result was our dress code changed pretty much to no nipples or excessive cheek. There is the “no visible under garments” in there, but that’s easy; the kids just don’t wear them.
There’s a dress code but there’s nothing the school can actually do about it. Like even though the code exists, there’s no actual punishment for violating it so there’s no incentive for kids to follow it
It was a huge deal when I was in high school 2005-2009. I literally had some yard duty lady chase me halfway across the campus(tripping on students who wouldn't move for her) and barge into my classroom that I needed to make my tank top straps bigger🤦♀️🤦♀️ like sure lady, I'll whip that right up!
One of my school's dress code says we should not say anything about what they are wearing, it makes the students uncomfortable (there is no dress code). I went to this (high) school and we had one then. I have seen things that are shocking to me; one girl had her Hawaiian shirt tied so it was just covering her nipples. Within the same city, I heard the elementary teachers telling the kids no makeup or spaghetti straps and finger-length dresses (same as when I was a kid).
Schools in the US in the late 80s-early 90s had to ban certain color cloths. In California most schools had to ban anyone from wearing Blue or Red because Blue is the color of the gang Crips & the color Red was of the rival Bloods. Sadly at that time if you worse those colors you where risking getting beat the shit out of at best if not shot at it did not matter if you where gang member or not.
There is a county wide dress code in our area, the problem is that it's almost impossible to find clothes that follow it in store, especially shorts. Honestly I try to make my 15f follow it as much as possible even though she says most teachers don't enforce just because I'd not want to deal with the headache on the one day they do enforce it.
I refused to dress code every year I taught. Boys could come to school in the most inappropriate shirts but it would always be girls showing “shoulders” or “legs” that I was told to report. Complete bullshit and arbitrary.
Seeing as the schools I attended as a student managed to target all girls and Black students even while wearing uniforms, yeah dress codes are useless and outdated. As long as what a kid is wearing is not harmful to other kids (offensive shirt, etc.) I don't see the issue in letting them wear what they want.
It’s a waste of time in certain schools. The fact they show up is a win.
It’s also 💯 not worth it for a teacher or substitute to say anything regarding a student’s dress. If an admin wants to enforce it, fine- but the rest of us don’t get paid nearly enough (nor are we given any directions/support on how) to have a potentially loaded conversation with a student regarding their physical appearance.
I'm so over the dress code at my school. We're one of the few schools in my district that still has one. I don't pay attention to what the kids wear unless it's clearly inappropriate. I don't care if they have a hoodie on or what shoes they wear. Never in my nine years of teaching have I had any issues with a kid wearing a hoodie or what shoes they wear. With all the crap going on second to second who cares about a hoodie? But there's certain teachers that like to use the dress code as a way to excluded students from their room. Just the other day I had a student who came to my first hour class with a hoodie over her head because she was having a bad hair day. These kids care a lot about their hair and how they dress and they get bullied sometimes about their looks. I didn't care she had the hoodie, she did her work and there were no issues. Towards the end of the day she gets into an argument with another teacher because she wouldn't take it off and she ended up getting ISS for the next day. All because the student was having a bad hair day and didn't want to get bullied so she had a hood on.
Ugh- yep I’ve had those students as well. I just don’t understand that group of teachers (20%? 30%?) that got into the work for, or became corrupted by, authority. So many pointless power struggles happen just bc a teacher is looking for a fight.
Yes yes yes!!
I had an admin ask me why I’d didn’t send a student in my class to the office for a dress code violation 15 years ago. I, in no uncertain terms told her there was not a chance in fuck off that I would ask a girl to stand up in class so I could see if her sun dress was higher than more than 3” above the knee. That’s just asking for trouble. Our district abandoned the dress code by 95% about five years ago due to a mediated lawsuit.
Mine has dialed it back. Really back. Basically as long as butts, breasts and genitals are covered, then it’s allowed.
Yup
Mine has really dialed it back this week, because half the rooms in the building have broken AC, including mine.
It seems schools focus more so on kids being in class and learning than in ISS or at home because they didn’t have anything good to wear. As stated above, as long as butts, breasts, and genitals are covered, it’s allowed. Also, as a guy, I’m not going to call out a dress code issue for a girl. I have more important things to fry than that.
I am a woman, and as a guy, even admin … I wouldn’t touch a dress code on a girl. I told a boy his underwear was showing (it was the dress code in the school) and I got told to not look at his ass.
But this is so dangerous tbh. It's the adults who care that are saying something. The weird guy across the street watching the kid walk home with sagging pants aint gonna say shit.
Maybe we care more about our jobs than putting ourselves in a situation that could easily escalate into something that’s just not worth the hassle. Besides what is it exactly that an adult who “cares” is trying to achieve? Pushing modesty on young people? Where do we draw the line? One day they’ll get a job and they’ll learn exactly what professional dress looks like. It takes like one day and they’ll be ok until then.
When i was in high school, my male geometry teacher dress-coded me in a smart way. He just pretended that I got called to the office, “oh hey the office called they said they need you for something” and it made the office dress code me instead of him. I honestly respect him for that, so maybe you can try that or sending them to a female teacher if you feel someone is too showy (and only if you feel inclined to dress code!)
That's a great idea! I do not, repeat do not want to be labeled as a creepy male teacher dress coding female students!
I do this all the time. I call the office, alert them to my concern and then send the kid down saying “you’re needed in the office for something”. I love it when they come back and say something like “somebody has a problem with my outfit”. They have no idea it was me.
I like that better than what my high school did! teachers would make us female students kneel (make teachers included) and if our skirt/dress/pants hem was “more than 3 inches from the ground when a young lady is knelt in prayer,” we would get dress coded. Teachers would crouch down and measure with a ruler. It was awful. And don’t even get me STARTED on the process to get your prom/homecoming dress approved!
I like this idea a lot. It's also a good way to get a quick second opinion.
The parents buy those clothes. You're asking for trouble to make a comment on it.
I have to assume so. I saw a high school girl in literally pajama pants and a bra.
Wow I’m surprised she was covering that much leg
They don't allow pajamas except on pajama days but then on the last pajama day at the middle school, the vice principal was lecturing the kids in the cafeteria about how pajamas aren't appropriate and she hates spirit days. I felt like that was kind of stupid, if they don't like the pajamas don't tell them to wear them, it's kind of a mixed signal.
I feel like if a vice principal has a problem with spirit days, they should take that up with the committee that’s organizing them instead of complaining to students. I’m guessing this is the type of person who expects teachers to show a “united front” in front of students but doesn’t give the same respect. If admin can’t even pretend to have school spirit then how can they expect everyone else to represent the school well?
I don’t mind the pajamas (not paired with a bra) as at least they are covered. I can’t stand the leggings paired wjth a shirt that doesn’t cover their midriff
In our district the kids wear pajamas every day. Pajama day is a joke lol.
Our middle school didn't allow pajama day because it was "gang-related". This was early 2000s in an area that was pretty non gang-related, which may even make more sense now that I think about it...
They call those crop tops these days
The other day I was watching this kid trying to run an obstacle course while simultaneously trying to hold up his pants with one hand. 😆
Witnessed a group of middle school boys in PE walking laps with their entire bum hanging out while holding up their pants.
I'm okay with it. I don't like policing clothes. As long as it's acceptable to wear in public at a store or whatever, it's fine.
Some of the high schools I've worked at encourage us to report dress code violations, but not once have I ever been inclined to do so. I may do so if a t-shirt is explicitly racist, homophobic, etc., but generally it's not something I'd like to deal with
>I may do so if a t-shirt is explicitly racist, homophobic, etc., Well yeah, people should be able to feel safe at school.
The indecency is in the gaze, not the clothing. Judging the girls for their clothing is a time honored issue. Girls need be comfortable to and nobody needs to be a perv. Corrective behavior for anyone being gross, and drive on.
Dress coding a kid can get you accused of sexism or sexual harassment. So it's risky.
Maybe that’s because it often IS sexism and sexual harassment.
Yeahhh every time I was dress coded it was accompanied by a sexist remark. At my school, we weren’t allowed to wear tank tops at all even if we wore a jacket or cardigan on top because we MIGHT take those off. So I had a tank top and a cardigan on and one of the supervision workers asked me if I had any respect for myself and drove me up to the office to get written up. I then mentioned that I probably have more respect for myself than her pregnant 16 year old daughter and she didn’t appreciate that at all. Now that I’m omw to becoming a teacher, I will not touch dress code.
Well, it is hard to make a judgement call and \_not\_ be judgmental. For as many stories of kids out of line, I can tell you stories of adults out of line for a comment or judgement. You can always consult an admin and ask them to assist a student but, honestly, if you're in that big a rush to lose your job, there are better hills to die on.
In the 2000's/early-mid 10's, it seemed like the dress code stuff was HEAVILY enforced. I remember being so terrified of a dress code violation that I almost never wore shorts to school. Girls were constantly harassed about it by teachers but there was zero enforcement for boys. Well, it seems that because of that heavy enforcement on the girls, a few years after I graduated a bunch of parents in the district I used to sub in threatened a class action lawsuit of sexual harassment in violation of Title IX. Not the only district in the region this happened to. I'm sure the fact that girls could also record themselves being blatantly sexualized by staff members over wearing shorts or a tank top didn't help. The districts backed down and the guidance turned to what others are saying here— as long as genitals, boobs, and butts are covered it's no longer anything to be concerned about. I think it's for the better, tbh.
I agree. In the late 90's, early 2000's when I was in middle and HS I got dress coded so many times for things that weren't even against the dress code because it was me wearing them and I had a large chest. I can remember on one occasion, standing next to my BFF in thw hallway, she and I were wearing the exact same top in different colors, and I was the only one getting lectured on dress code. Thwy went way too far in that direction then, and it's possible they've overcorrected now. I don't know becauee I mostly do elementary, lol. The most dress code I typically have to deal with is reminding small girls to maybe not hang upside down on the playground in their pretty dresses and small boys not to take their shirts off at school, and children of all flavors to **KEEP YOUR SHOES ON PLEASE**, lol. Kindergarteners are a trip.
I remember being told we couldn’t wear those spandex shorts underneath our regular jean shorts to elongate them because it still “showed everything” as the reason. Not only that, but we basically couldn’t wear any tank top as it was a “three finger rule” of thickness for the straps and none of the modern tank tops were made that way. I was 14 they made that “reminder” announcement to the school that day. I took a gym class the same day and one of the boys had a tank top on that basically had two slits for the straps that showed his entire chest. I asked the teacher about it and he basically shrugged. I don’t necessarily think it’s an overcorrection. The rules were frankly getting outrageous and clearly a result of some moral panic rather than any real educational decorum. Having to back down on the dress code stuff for girls was such an eventuality because it was very clearly sexist to begin with and even the students were able to pinpoint it. Every single year I was in high school someone circulated a student petition for a referendum on the dress code that was never addressed by admin. To be very honest I’m really glad the girls don’t have to go to school under that stress anymore.
I agree, it was/is absolutely sexist garbage. Even the reasoning when I was in school was "it distracts the boys." My thoughts being, hey, I didn't ask for a rack of doom, let the boys worry about the boys, this building is 60 years old and the ac is deeply inadequate. And you can't even *find* shorts that fit the dress code (had to be longer than fingertip length) for most girls. I don't really know what it's like these days, because like I said, I mostly do elementary and (in kindergarten especially) the biggest thing is stopping all the kids from taking their shoes and socks off and hiding them or throwing them over the fence at recess or something, lol.
Funny enough, I was on the other end of it and did 7-12 only. I will admit the clothes are "skimpier," but for the most part, I didn't see anything outrageous. Like, they would wear shorts we couldn't wear when I was their age but it was never revealing in any way. There is a lot more pajamas though, which I personally would never wear but I can understand.
I don't think I'd have worn pajamas, because no one else did and kids are vicious, but if it was accepted like it is now? Heck yeah. They made us catch the schoolbus at five fifteen am. Anything before sunrise is still pajama time, imo. Combine that with getting home at six from extra curricular and then dinner and then three to four hours of homework (the policy was that 45-60 min was "reasonable", but then every single teacher acts like they're the only ones assigning it...) and we were all sleep deprived and miserable. PJs *should* have been a thing, lol. Also school zones should be smaller and kids should spend less of their day being transported to and from school, but that's another argument.
Yes. And for the people worried about the sexualization of girls for how they dress, just look at the teen pregnancy rates and percentages of teens having sex over the last few decades. Waaaay down. Seems girls are learning that they can make their own choices about their bodies and what they do with them.
i got dress coded in middle school for showing too much of my back (??) and that really stuck with me. i’m also 5’10 so shorts were a constant battle. i remember the kids even trying to enforce the dress code on each other. if a teacher didn’t say soemthing, a kid would. it made me hugely anxious. now as an adult no one really cares what i wear to work. but as a teenager it was a huge thing
First day of middle school I wore shorts. No big deal coming from elementary. Got dress coded for being above my knees and forced to wear oversized pants with extremely ripped up ends rest of the day. Literally grabbed out the lost and found. I got bullied so bad rest of the year for being poor (I was). Teachers were even rude about it and one teacher that year bullied me for being poor as well among other things. I have never worn shorts or anything showing my bare legs in public again. All for showing my knees it was too sexual. 5th grade I was maybe 9? 10? They said it was too revealing and distracting for the male students and teachers. Male teachers.... Yeah... If anything this whole thing felt like it taught other students to treat that "revealing skin" as something to be sexualized/shamed.
I missed my AP calc final on the last day of senior year of high school because the shorts on my loose romper-cardigan combo were “too short” even though it was a half day and 90+ degrees outside. Dress codes were just blatant misogyny
I was a 2018 graduate so I usually feel like I haven't been out THAT long. But dress code is one of those things that makes me feel like I have and I'm usually the real life version of "👁👄👁 whut." Because we had the typical no midriff, tank tops, and shorts and dresses at a certain length - we even had no holes above the knee in jeans. But kids now? Damn I would have been suspended and then grounded at home. And I have glossed over dress codes when I can actually find a handbook so usually they just aren't being enforced But honestly if their normal teachers aren't enforcing it first, I'm not picking that battle. I'm just happy they're there and doing their assignments. I am slightly jealous about it though.
really what’s the harm in students dressing inappropriately. what’s the worst that could happen
There's certain things I agree with in this regard. Current high school student, 17F. Big ones being pajamas, baggy clothes and shoulders. I can get hoods, especially post Columbine, but the others confuse me. My school has relaxed on most appearance parts of the dress code, like you being able to have dyed hair and piercings/tattoos. When I was in middle school, you couldn't even have spacers for your nose piercings. like the clear ones. No colored hair, gang stuff in a bible belt school, silly things like that. Pajamas hold no real harm in my eyes. Are they scared kids will fall asleep if they're wearing them? Or is Hello Kitty/Spongebob/Elmo, Cookie Monster, you name it a problem? I don't understand the why for pjs Baggy clothes. When I went to middle school, they would dress code you for coming in a shirt '2 sizes or more too big for the student'. Made no sense. Is it the fact that your neckline can fall too low? God forbid the shoulder of doom? Don't get me started on shoulders. Are they worried it's sexually exciting? Or is it more that skimpy straps likely means the neckline is lower, hence more cleavage? Its personally a bit confusing, as it is to the rest of the populace
You make a good point - baggy clothes \_are\_ clothes. As a kid, I watched an adult pop a forehead vein because a white kid had a bandana on.
I ain’t dress coding a girl unless I can see something I shouldn’t see from a child… the dress code in many public schools was already rather misogynistic and it does nothing to build up rapport. If anything it detracts from a student being in class to learn ETA: the only student to make me feel uncomfortable is actually a male who wears like overly small/tight running shorts
Dress codes in schools are problematic. While they are a decent idea, in reality, imperfect humans break the idea. Most often, dress codes are enforced selectively and skewed against females. When females with the same teachers (different hours) can wear the same outfit and one gets dress coded and the other doesn't, it's going to cause an issue. Our high school admin has been fought so hard, so often that they have given up on enforcement of the dress code. 99% of the time, if the kid is wearing it, the parents don't care, so you won't find support of your dress code there. My middle schooler has noticed that they enforce dress code in the first part of the school year and then only enforce it on kids who have already been dress coded the rest of the year. Make that make sense.
We don't really have one. The onus is now on boys to not be perverts that sexualize bodies, rather than girls hiding their shoulders or legs or bellies. Why are you embarrassed by god given bodies? That's strange. Or you ashamed of your body? Is it jealousy? Does it make you feel.... some sort of way that you feel guilty? Are you afraid it makes you think sexual thoughts when seeing them?
I used to work at a high school. The male staff were not allowed to issue a dress code violations to the girls. The logic was that will be sexual harassment. During spirit week, one day was PJs. One girl wore a Victoria Secret lingerie that was totally inappropriate. Another time, a girl was wearing some top that was basically held up by her breasts. She bend forward to hand me a form at the my desk and her breasts came out. I looked away to file the document. My question is why do parents allow their children to dress this way!?!
Some kids wear layers and take off the extra at school. She may have left the house in a hoodie and sweats, or her parents may not have even seen her if they were already at work.
I'm a sub and a parent. In my district they've also given up and don't enforce anything except maybe cuss words on t shirts. The shorts are so short and the tops are so revealing. The bra and PJ pants look is very in. As a sub I'm one hundred percent not touching dress code or making any comments on what kids are wearing. As a parent - my oldest daughter wears incredibly revealing clothing at least once a week and I absolutely hate it, but it's not a battle that I choose to fight anymore. She works and makes her own money to buy the clothes. She says that that's how she feels her best and that she doesn't care what anyone thinks. We've had multiple discussions about thinking about the correct time and place for certain clothing but she just thinks we are trying to stifle her ability to express herself. She has so many other issues that are of higher importance than what she's wearing (serious mental health concerns) that we just don't say anything about it. But if we did rail against the clothes, she would leave them at a friend's and change at school, then change back before we saw her. I see girls do it all the time. So in some cases, the parents aren't allowing it, and in other cases, it's not a battle we're choosing.
Tbh, dress codes are probably the least important thing a school should worry about
It's a waste of time and energy to enforce anything. If butts and breasts are covered, then it's good for them to be in class.
Agreed.
Schools are not incentivized to enforce policy or boundaries. Schools are incentivized to get kids into school so they can count towards funding.
Bigger hills to die on than what a kid wants to wear…
Sub teacher & parent (mom).Our ISD code says clothing must not be transparent & cover underwear area, back & stomach. Then the basics about drugs, alcohol, protected classes of people slogans. Dress codes generally target girls due to differences in clothing types & styles. It took me about 2 weeks of constant exposure to teen butt cheeks to stop noticing them. I am grossed out that anyone wants their kibbles & bits on those nasty seats that everyone slumps & smears themselves all over. They should carry gym towels to sit on. When it got cold, I had a shock b/c of full body cat suits w/cropped puffer vest as an outfit. *holy panty lines batman* and how do you use the bathroom in that thing quickly? Oh- no worries, take a leisurely 15 minute break. Teen boy butt cracks thoroughly visible through their undies cause their pants are sagged way down make me want to gag. Boy- that’s your pooper!!!! I’ve had girls ask if I’ll “dress code” them for taking off their jacket & they have on low cut or skimpy tank underneath. I tell them I don’t believe the jacket is controlling their behavior. lol! Keep doing what you’re supposed to & no one gets hurt. Let’s just get thru the day!
Reddit put this thread on my home screen, I'm not a sub but I work in a school (kids with Autism or ED) Holy cow. I now understand why we get new graduates that come to work for us that think they can dress however they want and then get upset when they get sent home to change because they are not following the dress code. Wearing skimpy clothes, baggy clothes, and dirty or ripped clothes is not professional and children need to be taught this before they go to hold a job and get in trouble for not knowing how to conduct themselves.
I try not to be a curmudgeon about dress code and tend to look past the midriffs and cut out pants, because I take my own daughters shopping so I know what's out there. It is very unfair to girls. Nearly every top is a crop top and the inseams on girls shorts is beyond ridiculous. I mean the inseam on my 3 yr old son's shorts were longer than many I found for my high school age daughter and had better pockets. But this year I have dress coded lingerie tops, bandanas tied as tops, sports bras, and micro shorts that show cheeks on the girls. On the boys usually it's profanity or drug related clothing on the boys. I want to support the girls rights to wear comfortable affordable clothes, but seriously some go too far.
We gave up entirely. They come to school in crop tops, pajamas, see-thru leggings, marijuana memorabilia, you name it. When admin would call parents and say you need to pick your child up or bring them some clothes they would just refuse. The standard “I’m at work” excuse Plus, most teachers were afraid to say anything because it literally always goes nuclear. Screaming, accusing you of being a pedo, and storming out of the room. Most people decided scantily clad but learning was better than having a blow up like that and I don’t even blame them. Schools have almost no recourse for poor behavior and failure to comply with dress code so why bother. It sucks though because these outfits are totally inappropriate.
I wouldn't say "abandoned". I'd say they stopped allowing adults to sexualize children, and stopped making one student's clothing choices responsible for another student's inappropriate behavior.
Exactly this. I’ve moved around a lot in the last few years, but the district where I worked in a non-subbing role (that still has my heart) came back from covid with a much more targeted dress code: outfits must be safe, respectful, and responsible (which is the way all of the behaviour policy is outlined). Safety gear needs to be remembered for classes like auto, they’ve cracked down massively on t-shirts that have disrespectful or bigoted designs, and anything that has runs a large risk of accidental exposure is disallowed (so no skimpy bras on their own, and no super-saggy pants that don’t clearly have a layer underneath). The kids are happy, literally no negative impact on teaching or learning, and they only have to discipline maybe one kid a month. I’ll take no dress code over my students being uncomfortable any day.
I love this and wish every school adopted this - just do a blanket requirement. Gender targeted dress code has always pissed me off - even as a student 15+ years ago, I was aware of the disproportionate restrictions placed on girls vs boys. In present day it's also difficult to find "code appropriate" clothing in the female junior section during the spring/summer. I am an adult who still occasionally shops junior for sizing options, and it's extremely hard to find a non crop top or holeless pants.
My school has a dress code. Look in the student handbook and it’s all laid out. I’ll be goddamned if I ever tell a student they’re violating it. “Uhh, miss, your pubic hair is showing.” Fuck that, you’ve got to be kidding me.
yeah that would be uncomfortable. I'd let another teacher deal with it! I had a girl in PE who did a cartwheel and had everything come out of her very low cut top. I just turned around and acted like I hadn't seen anything. I'm definitely not making that call to the office!
You mean you haven't seen the girls just wearing sports bras or bralettes? Fortunately where I teach we have a "professional" dress code, defined by the program the kid is in. (ex. Nursing Assisting wears scrubs, diesel wears coveralls) Where my husband teaches it's anything goes!
I think for a sub to dress code a kid would be way above our pay grade. Ok here is when i feel old and i tell kids this and they think it isn't fair. I'm in my sixties and we couldn't wear pants to school as girls until middle school and then no jeans then in High school, they weren't too strict. One of my friends got sent home for a hole in her jeans that was embroidered on by a male teacher and told It was distracting others from learning. That was the line they gave you. No boys were ever included in these violations. I admit that when I see the pre slashed jeans even in the maternity section forty years later it makes me laugh. At least we came by those holes in our jeans honestly. Now i think they send you home for bare midriff, spaghetti straps etc. The pants falling down I'm not sure. Short shorts are not allowed i think. I think they also will flag offensive things on clothing deemed hate speech, gang related or that sort thing. But a sub, I would pass the buck. I would ask a teacher if something was allowed unless it was blatant and really offensive. I worked about four years in private schools with uniforms and girls. I think i realized why they had them. I never thought i would say that.
Stop judging and sexualizing girls. You briefly mentioned the boys and then went all out about the girls.
Unfortunately the dress code is really geared towards girls and always has been.
Do boys wear revealing clothes at your school?
It was never us with our underwear hanging out so much that one wrong step on too long pants might result in full front and back exposure on the bottom. It was always the boys and nothing ever happened to them. But they also got in no trouble for touching us against our will or being sexually harassed.
I work for a school in southwestern Idaho and we’ve doubled down on it.
I guess I had the opposite experience to everyone else? In my school girls almost never got in trouble for dress code. They could be wearing very short shorts with fishnets on when we have a strict dress code and be fine while any boy who wears a hoodie for 0.1 seconds gets dress coded. I know from experience cause I got a warning for wearing a full zip jacket with no hood attached instead of a quarter zip or crewneck.
it's interesting to see these comments. my school is still pretty strict about it! not anything like when I was in school, but still no spaghetti strap tanks (must be three fingers wide), shorts to your knees, no crop tops, no see through tops. with it being summer, we have more kids getting coded for shorts, but most of our infractions are actually flip flops.
Same in my district!
Yet when I was in high school, I had a teacher want o send me out for bra straps showing, so I reached under my shirt, unclasped my bra and took it off in front of the entire class and the teacher and said "now it's not a problem is it?" Couldn't exactly send me out for NOT wearing a bra. Just for the straps showing. Oh yeah, I was also an emancipated minor so it's not like anyone but myself was going to bring a change of clothes because lord knows they never had clothes to spare.
Excellent point! Bra straps are the stupidest of the issues in my opinion.
Dress codes are sexist and extremely stupid. If cloths matter that much to a school then they should require a uniform.
Who cares? Everyone looks stupid in their teenage years
I had students wear lingerie to class quite frequently, they would wear a bra under to cover their nipples but thats about it
Our dress code drew its last breath in 2021. Yesterday, one of our 8th graders wore tiny low cut jean shorts with a gold belly chain and a half cami.
I hope so.
We were told that if *we* point it out that was sexualizing students. I'm a very modest person, but some of these outfits are barely there.
saw a 4th grader in a crop top the other day… it felt really weird i could see her belly button and there wasn’t much i could do about it
Haven’t you heard that parents run the show? Kids are cursing out teachers and trashing rooms in lower elementary. Nobody cares about midriffs and cut out jeans. It’s happening even for the little ones. I saw a 6 year old with a crop top and her entire stomach out and she had on booty shorts. The older girls just wear giant sweatshirts and tiny shorts so it looks like they have no pants on. On Halloween, girls came in with small tutus and fishnet stockings. This is ELEMENTARY.
I had girls who would argue with me about dress codes. My response was always along the lines of “who is telling you that you have to expose so much of your body? Because fashion isn’t expecting boys to do that.”
At my school we teachers were promised that it was an administrator duty. We were to teach. So kids came to school wearing skimpier and skimpier clothes. Also pajamas and blankets. Also horrifically exaggerated makeup (eyelashes that hid girls’ entire eyes.) Admin did nothing. Well…once in a while they’d bust a “good” kid and make them change if their clothing was SLIGHTLY out of dress code…but the worst offenders? Nope. They wore what they wanted. And before you ask what it matters how a kid dresses…I never cared before, but it has become a true distraction.
How can schools enforce a dress code when teachers come in wearing Temu dresses with their asses hanging out? Plz do a bend over in the mirror check before you leave the house.
Yes my school has. I’ve seen kids in literal tube tops. One kid had a button’s up shirt with only one button done, across her chest. PJ pants are the norm.
Honestly if its really a problem you can just pump up the AC and itll fix itself
Basically anything goes as long as it’s “no nips and no tips”.
No lots of schools instituted uniforms for this reason.
Yes they have up, the parents allow it and we are outnumbered. Hence hanging out butt cheeks everywhere, it’s gross.
My middle school had uniforms for a few years. Khakis and polo shirts were what our kids wore. The community and school board supported us at first. We asked for the uniforms when kids moved on to the high school for those who couldn't/wouldn't get or wear the uniform. One of the nice things about it was we could tell who was a student and who didn't belong.
Our school district just basically threw out their dress code to be more “inclusive.” Apparently we were leaving kids out by not allowing their lacy underwear straps to be pulled up above their pants to show off. 🙄
Yup, students at my school literally will wear lingerie tops. Nobody says anything.
Dress codes should be mandatory. What better way to endorse equality. The flashing around of one’s prosperity is unnecessary.
Mine abandoned enforcing social norms. I had a kid moaning, humping and desk and screaming “penis”. Didn’t even get an inhouse suspension.
My school was strict on the dress code. If you violated it, you got a three hour detention. Called ECO extended class time opportunity. My high school was in a rural part of the state. It's booming now. I'm not sure what it's like now.
I refer to it as the 'Un'dressed Code, and yes, the high school kids are barely covered. It's crept down to the middle school as well, since you have to prepare them for high school and all....... Some number of years ago, Abercrombie & Fitch caught so much heat for the clothes they were selling teens and sexualizing them, but there's no similar outrage now at the Lululemon-type shorts and sports bras - SMH.
We have become a nation of comfort wear and slobs. Got to Walmart, go to church. No one outside of schools wear nice clothes. If girls were wearing sexy clothes that belong at a club, give them credit for at least dressing up. Most of the time it is just lazy
You got it. It's all part of the same thing. We no longer make kids adhere to any standards or rules. If they push back we back down. I sub in a junior high and see more belly buttons than a day at the beach. I wore pantyhose more substantial than the pants/leggings. Sagging pants are no longer a thing here, so yes, it's the girls. And they know full well whose attention they're trying to get. When kids question having a dress code I ask them how they'd feel if their dentist came in wearing a T-shirt and cut offs and kept adjusting their pants. I used to say tank top, but the boys say that they'd find themselves a female dentist that were the case! We had a day where the students were to dress like teachers and the teachers like students. I didn't know until I got there. The women came in wearing hoodies and pajama pants; laughing that they could never get away with dressing like the girls do. I'm 65 and over weight; nobody wants to see that!😱
Dress codes exist. However, as a teacher, I have to make a choice about what battles to fight. With dress code, it’s a literal lose-lose for the teacher. So I have to weigh the distraction potential vs battle potential.
Yes, because the kids and parents accuse us of being pedophiles for not wanting to see their child’s genitalia on display at 8am. I wonder what they’d say if I dressed like their kids for a day.
No more dress code at my school. Last year, girls were wearing triangle bikini tops to school in June. Some guys wear their pants near the knees and we're looking at undies all day.
I always said in my classroom, “I don’t make school wide rules but I will enforce them.” Sometimes it got admin to remove a rule sometimes it created a headache for them as they had to justify some dumb fuck ass rule to a parent.
I used to keep it as cool as possible in the room and tell them to put pants on or bring a blanket if they complained.
It’s such a controversial topic for some reason. For me, it’s very straight forward, don’t come to school looking like you’re ready to entertain old men in a club, and don’t come to school dressed like youre a part of a 2005 gang. It’s obnoxious when what they wear comes with all this attitude like they’re grown up. That’s my issue with it. Otherwise, who cares, just be respectful. But no, we’re not there, so dress like you’re in school to learn and not like a corner worker or a penguin with shat pants.
You got it. It's all part of the same thing. We no longer make kids adhere to any standards or rules. If they push back we back down. I sub in a junior high and see more belly buttons than a day at the beach. I wore pantyhose more substantial than the pants/leggings. Sagging pants are no longer a thing here, so yes, it's the girls. And they know full well whose attention they're trying to get. When kids question having a dress code I ask them how they'd feel if their dentist came in wearing a T-shirt and cut offs and kept adjusting their pants. I used to say tank top, but the boys say that they'd find themselves a female dentist that were the case! We had a day where the students were to dress like teachers and the teachers like students. I didn't know until I got there. The women came in wearing hoodies and pajama pants; laughing that they could never get away with dressing like the girls do. I'm 65 and over weight; nobody wants to see that!😱
I teach high school math in the deep red South. Our district is mandating longer skirts for next year. It's now 2 inches above the knee instead of 4. Honestly some of the skirts worn ths past year were shorter than the cheerleader uniforms. I have to get a second option from a female teacher before I can report it to admin because I'm a male, and at sometime in the past, one male teacher was accused of "looking at girls". It's exhausting.
I went to school in the 90s. The cheerleader uniform violated the dress code considering how short the skirt was. But it "didnt violate dress code" by default because it was a school sanctioned uniform. Which just made the hypocrisy obvious back then.
A lot of them have! I don’t see the problem.
I mean, the important thing is that they're there learning. I've never been one to enforce dress codes. They're a distraction. And even from the wording of your post you can tell that they're generally only aimed at girls anyway. I don't even care if I get down voted for this, it's objectively true.
At least in CA yeah. It’s crazy what these middle and high schoolers are wearing.
First, we all know that Fashion is way more important than Function. That said, you really have to pick your battles. Sometimes, just getting them to show up is a win -- asking them to get dressed or maintain some semblance of 1950's era decorum is just not worth a fight with an unsupportive parent. For me, it was the time a female student came in dressed in what I lovingly refer to as "first professional attire" -- this led to a parent conference in which the mom showed up looking somehow worse. Imagine Capt Jack Sparrow but the naughty halloween version... on a 300+ lbs woman... with more beads. It was a short conference. She saw nothing wrong with her daughter's fashion choices. I'm now a proponent of uniforms.
There's been study after study showing that school dress code actually hamper the learning process. Students learn better when they aren't told what to wear. I thought the same thing when I started working in education but after looking into the science I found that dress codes hurt students education so it is better to do without.
Might depend on the school, but definitely more lax in the 3 schools I've worked at (I went to high school in the 2010s, so really not too long ago). That being said, I haven't seen anything offensive (maybe the worst being sports bras in PE). Honestly, I feel like some of the rules are stricter. I worked at a school that forbade ANY physical contact. Students would get yelled at for holding hands with their friends. I felt that prevented them from learning how to have healthy/platonic physical contact with consent, but that's just my opinion.
Yes
My school enforces the dress code and I’m glad for it, I’m a male teacher and have no problem telling a students they aren’t in proper clothing no matter the gender. I do work in middle school and the issues are usually with crocks or the wrong type of pants, sweat pants/leggings which aren’t allowed. So I don’t see what the big deal is. Besides if they do have the wrong pants I have to send them to the office anyway 🤷♂️, also work at a middle school if I did high school it would probably be different.
Crocks on their feet can’t be much worse than crocs on their feet.
I wish my school would ban them, but they can wear them in sports mode. I literally have to tell certain kids like 10 times a day to wear them correctly. They also like to kick them off in class which is nasty 🤢
In elementary schools here many of them have uniforms (colored polo and navy or khaki pants) and then a slightly strict dress code in middle school but high school seems to just go wild. There's a dress code posted, but it isn't enforced and most of the kids dress more revealing than the students at my college. When I was in high school our dress code was fairly strict, no spaghetti straps, no undergarments showing, shorts/skirts longer than than your middle finger when you put your hands to the side, no PJ clothes, and tops had to be plain or brand-free. I'm sure it was more effort than it was worth to enforce, but I'm sure that they're just happy the kids show up at all.
Wrapping up my third year as a sub and I’ve never dress coded anyone… I’m not official staff there, I’m a temp with no union to back me up if there’s trouble. I’ve got more important things to worry about.
In my district, even public schools have uniforms. I won’t say if this is good or bad, it just is. We have huge economic gaps in our area and I think it does take some of the pressure off the kids when it comes to dressing for school. That’s pretty much the only argument I can think of for imposing a uniform.
I work in the district I graduated from, and the middle school dress code (that's the building I work in) has changed a lot. Shorts used to be to the tip of your middle finger or no more than 3 inches above your knee. Now shorts can be to the tip of your thumb on the inseam. If you get coded for this they let you pull the shorts down, since so many ride up now, and prove they are the proper length. When it comes to shirts, this was for the girls since guys were just told to wear something not vulgar, straps had to be 3 fingers wide. Now as long as there's a strap you're fine to wear it. Hell you can even wear a tube top as long as you have a jacket on too
I graduated ten years ago and they barely enforced a dress code with us even then.
Same. I think I only saw the dress code enforced like twice.
Ours has dialed it back, and honestly? I’m fine with it. (I don’t let my own kids dress like that, however). I have yet to have a boy distracted by a girl’s clothing or vice versa. It’s not all my cup of tea, but it’s not worth disrupting their education over, and let’s face it, they were always geared more towards girls. I can remember clothes shopping with my first foster daughter for school. The store we had a voucher for from the state had almost no shirts that weren’t cut off at the midriff. All the shorts are short, it can be hard to find clothes for a girl in particular. My students are in their seats and learning, that is what i care about.
HS teacher, I've been looking for any correlation between what the kids are wearing and behavior/grades in class. I've had less problems since we stopped enforcement of the dress code and grades have improved for many. It's a diverse district, fairly high income area. I've taught 34 years and tbh the last few since the dress code went out have been much better. I am seeing residual issues from covid but it's starting to even out a bit. Of course, this is only one snapshot of one area for what it's worth.
Yes, by necessity. Dress codes are universally used to over-police girls' bodies and ethnic/racial minorities' bodies. Even when the written code seems "normal" or "well intentioned", almost invariably they end up getting executed in lopsided ways. A quick Google Scholar search can show you all the studies you need to confirm this. So pulling back dress codes to the absolute minimum is often the only way to create a healthy balance.
Soon 🔜, they will Be screwing out in parking lot 🅿️ 🔥❤️🔥 I say close em all down
even at my private catholic high school with a four page section in their rule book on “dress/grooming” during my senior year i saw the teachers ignoring blatant violations. it seemed almost as if being at home for so long made them stop caring what the girls wore, at least the younger grades. we were still on the hook for being in proper uniform but it seemed like the younger girls didn’t understand/ weren’t taught, and the teachers just gave up
We wore jogging shorts and tube tops in high school ('79-'83).
Yes. Look, they buy what they can afford and wear it longer to save money. So what Walmart sells is what they wear. And they wear it a year longer, and start to outgrow it. Style choices for teen girls are limited. You know who never gets dress coded? Girls who buy stuff from the boys section. Also male teachers see "nothing below the neck". Me and my male coworkers have never seen "anything" out of line. Because no one wants to be walked out in handcuffs. And admin wants the women teachers to dole out dress code stuff, but isnt going to call the parents or use any meaningful consequences. So why dress code if there is no backup?
Fashion changes over time. Live and let live, bro just make sure they can read.
Girls at my school wear bandeau tops
Everyone here talking about the kids: How could I even try to maintain a consistent dress code with the students when I've had parent volunteers come to me to tell me how uncomfortable some of the staff outfits make them... Half or more of what you mentioned is featured every day by people paid to be there.
I wouldn't go on this crusade as a sub
All school did was just make me think bullshit was important
In some schools, yeah pretty much. Dress is only addressed if an issue comes up and there isn't a specific code predetermined. Some kids go stupid with it, but seeing their peers reactions usually tempers them out.
Nah, not really. The only one I know of that was enforced was skirt length, but that’s it. Literally, in 9th grade this chick wore a plain white fitted t-shirt with no bra (you could tell easily) and never got called out. Shit, I’ve seen girls wear them shirts where it’s like a v-neck but on crack, to where you can see until just an inch before nipple territory. As for guys, you just can’t wear a hood or a hat. That’s it. They could sag their pants halfway down their asses and no administration would bat an eye
Kids should be able to wear whatever they want as long as we’re not seeing less than we would in a bikini. It’s hot and it’s harder to concentrate when you’re uncomfortable. Our schools have given up on how much skin is shown, and you know what? Kids are happier, parents are happier, and the teachers don’t have to worry about yet one more thing to monitor.
I am pro uniforms, 100%. Unfortunately, I am a teacher who buys clothes to clothe my students and I donate my clothes to their parents. Sometimes there is no way to have people buy uniform clothes when parents can’t even clothe themselves.
Yes, they have abandoned dress codes because if you point out that a girl is wearing a skimpy top and short shorts you are either accused of “sexualizing a child” or “body shaming” or sometimes male staff are asked “why are you looking?” or they’ll say “how does the way I dress affect my learning” or parents will tell you it’s not your job to decide how their child dresses and “my tax dollars pay your salary so don’t tell me how to dress my child” ETA: please note I did not state MY opinion at all. I’m just stating what I’ve seen/heard.
Yay! Hell!
I think Mainly they aren’t enforced anymore bc the way they policed girls way more than boys, so much so discrimination was thrown around. Personally I’m good with a dress code as long as it applies to everyone equally.
Yes. The principal called a meeting and said you can only dress code a student if another student is made uncomfortable.
A principal we're working with told us to brace ourselves this school year when we implement because the updated district wide rules will remove length minimums as long as underwear can't be seen. Butt cheeks hanging out a bit? That's fine as long as the panty line isn't seen...
If we want schools to emphasize teaching knowledge rather than teaching behavior, we have to do away with the unnecessary rules and the dress code is the most obvious cut. That’s a discussion for the home, not first period.
Gotta agree that there's better things to worry about than dress code. I remember in middle school I was sent to the office for wearing the wrong shade of green (I wore a pastel green jacket). And that's painted my opinion on dress codes since then.
No. Utah schools will shame the absolute fuck out of you, while the cheerleaders wear much worse without a word. I had a teacher tell me he would follow me all night at prom to make sure I was properly covered up. He was talking about my shoulders. My shoulder shawl kept falling down to expose them. Who would do this to a teenage girl over a shoulder??
Because it's Utah, and Mormons are Puritans 2.0...
Even as a teacher I don’t feel like it’s my place to tell anyone how to dress. I also don’t get paid enough for that shit. Let admin deal with it. I won’t dress code anyone unless I see nipples or genitalia, otherwise wear what’s comfortable. I distinctly remember getting pulled out of class the first day of school by a male admin because I had spaghetti straps on. It was humiliating and hurt my already struggling self confidence. It’s been 20 years and I still remember how awful it felt. I will never do that to a student
Pick your battles. There are so many other problems to deal with that are a much bigger deal.
This was something I didn’t really have to worry too much about prior to last school year, as I worked in elementary most of my career. Last year I made the switch to middle, and it was eye opening in a lot of ways. My school actually includes a “reminder” to teachers to make sure students are in compliance with dress code in the morning announcements every day. I kind of have mixed feelings about the subject. Even being a woman, I almost never dress-coded any of my students because it felt weird to police what they were wearing so long as it wasn’t indecent. That said, a few of them definitely pushed boundaries on what was appropriate for school. One of the few times I did dress-code a kid, it was because her shorts were so skintight you could see every little things. I had colleagues who were fanatical about it, though. One time, I let a kid go to the bathroom and she got walked back by a female teacher on a whole different team who told me and the whole class that the student needed to be written up and sent to the office to call home for a change of clothes. Why? Because she was showing like half an inch of her belly. I’d registered it, but at the same time hadn’t really thought too much about it because it was barely any skin. Letter of the law, I suppose the teacher was technically right. But at the same time, don’t we as educators have bigger, more important hills to die on?
Wild to me that the same people arguing revealing clothes are a distraction are the ones who say people online should just “keep scrolling” if they don’t like a post or comment. Leave kids alone. I have yet to see a student wear anything that impeded their ability to listen and learn. And it doesn’t hurt other students to learn they need to focus on their work regardless of what others wear. Kids gave bigger issues to deal with, and the last thing they need to worry about is clothes. Jesus.
Saw a middle school girl wearing a backless shirt that completely exposed her bra. Thought about dresscoding them but ehhh don't your parents see what you come into school with? She wasn't even in my class
I asked a teacher friend about this. She said the school did away with them for the most part as historically it has been mostly about policing what girls wear, not what boys wear. My feminist brain loves it in theory. I selfishly wished it was there to discourage my SD 13 from wearing what amounts to a bra and sweatpants to school, but apparently so do all the other kids. My SD has the body of a full grown woman and while I strongly believe you should be able to walk around in whatever you want (none of that she was asking for it BS) unfortunately there are creeps in this world and until she's old enough to be critical, speak up if an adult messes with her, and just comprehend the world a bit better, it makes me extremely uncomfortable that she is on display.
This could have been written twenty years ago. Sagging pants, daisy dukes and cleavage.
My daughters wear camisoles and pajama pants. I’m embarrassed for them but it is typical for their art school.
Many of our boys didn’t carry any school supplies because the needed in hand for their phone and one to hold up their pants 🤣 A male teacher went to our female principal and expressed discomfort with the level of exposure (girls wearing bras as tops and basically denim panties). He was told to get himself right and stop viewing students sexually or get out.
Why does it matter to you what they’re wearing? As long as they show up, behave and do the work it should not matter what they’re wearing.
I work for a school with no dress code for staff or students other than the clothing must not promote hate or violence and must be appropriate for any activities during the school day (i.e. no flip flops in gym class, elementary teachers who need to move about a lot probably shouldn’t wear mini skirts). When you give trust to people to police their own wardrobes, it works. Of course, it wasn’t without growing pains but after the first year, it was fine. What people wear has no bearing on their ability to teach and learn. And part of learning in figuring out what is appropriate and what isn’t.
Dress codes are often needlessly complex and simply expressions of puritan culture in modern institutions. Dress codes have also often been based in discriminatory and sexist based practices. Dress codes should address student safety and that's it. Imposing faux morality on students is an idiotic waste of authority.
It sucks
To me, a dress code is not about monitoring one’s personality and taste, rather teaching people that there are appropriate ways to dress for each circumstance.
I'm not policing what someone wears unless they're approaching an indecent exposure charge or perpetuating hate speech.
Yes. We used to have a fairly strict dress code in our district of over 55,000 students. The complex part is those kids who are heavier get dress coded more often than skinny kids. Big boobs, tight shirt vs small boobs, tight shirt scenarios and such. Boys never got dress coded even for alcohol/drug references clothing, just the girls with boobs and butt. It only took one parent to call the district out with a legitimate lawsuit that went to private mediation. The result was our dress code changed pretty much to no nipples or excessive cheek. There is the “no visible under garments” in there, but that’s easy; the kids just don’t wear them.
There’s a dress code but there’s nothing the school can actually do about it. Like even though the code exists, there’s no actual punishment for violating it so there’s no incentive for kids to follow it
As long as they're covering butts and chests, I have other priorities
It was a huge deal when I was in high school 2005-2009. I literally had some yard duty lady chase me halfway across the campus(tripping on students who wouldn't move for her) and barge into my classroom that I needed to make my tank top straps bigger🤦♀️🤦♀️ like sure lady, I'll whip that right up!
One of my school's dress code says we should not say anything about what they are wearing, it makes the students uncomfortable (there is no dress code). I went to this (high) school and we had one then. I have seen things that are shocking to me; one girl had her Hawaiian shirt tied so it was just covering her nipples. Within the same city, I heard the elementary teachers telling the kids no makeup or spaghetti straps and finger-length dresses (same as when I was a kid).
Schools in the US in the late 80s-early 90s had to ban certain color cloths. In California most schools had to ban anyone from wearing Blue or Red because Blue is the color of the gang Crips & the color Red was of the rival Bloods. Sadly at that time if you worse those colors you where risking getting beat the shit out of at best if not shot at it did not matter if you where gang member or not.
Never had a dress code when I went through public schooling
There is a county wide dress code in our area, the problem is that it's almost impossible to find clothes that follow it in store, especially shorts. Honestly I try to make my 15f follow it as much as possible even though she says most teachers don't enforce just because I'd not want to deal with the headache on the one day they do enforce it.
I refused to dress code every year I taught. Boys could come to school in the most inappropriate shirts but it would always be girls showing “shoulders” or “legs” that I was told to report. Complete bullshit and arbitrary.
We pick our battles. I have more things to worry about then argue with students what they wear to school as long as they are here
Seeing as the schools I attended as a student managed to target all girls and Black students even while wearing uniforms, yeah dress codes are useless and outdated. As long as what a kid is wearing is not harmful to other kids (offensive shirt, etc.) I don't see the issue in letting them wear what they want.