**The column below represents the personal views of the student journalist.
It was just an average school day, one of those days where nothing feels weird enough to remember. I had put a lot of thought into my outfit that morning. It was a cropped black top with light blue wide leg jeans. It was adorable, I got a ton of compliments, and yes, it showed a little bit of my stomach but nothing that stopped me from learning or walking through the halls like every other student.
During lunch, I got up to go to the bathroom with a friend. As we passed one of the administrators, he stopped me and told me I needed to cover up because my outfit was “inappropriate.” I stood there, embarrassed, nodding along, when a boy walked past us wearing his pants sagging so low that his entire butt was showing. The administrator said nothing to him. Not a word. At that moment, I realized this wasn’t about dress code, it was about who was being watched, judged, and corrected. Hint hint — it’s not the guys.
Girls are unfairly targeted when it comes to dress code.
“According to recent surveys, 60% of female students say school dress policies sexualize their clothing choices,” according to WifiTalents.
Girls aren’t allowed to show their shoulders but guys can come to school in muscle shirts and not get dress coded.
“A major federal review found that many school dress code policies disproportionately target girls’ clothing. Over 90% of dress codes banned clothing items typically worn by female students,” according to Education Week.
On the other hand, schools have students from many different places and cultures. For example, a hijab is a form of head wear but has been exempt from the rule because it’s part of a religion. What someone sees as stylish, someone else might see as inappropriate in a school. By having specific guidelines in place, schools try to balance personal expression with the goal of keeping a respectful and caring learning environment. The idea of having some form of dress code itself is not really that unreasonable, because completely removing the rules would create even more conflict among students and staff.
According to the NAHS handbook, “tops without sleeves unless deemed appropriate by a building administrator” are restricted. This vague rule gives administrators full control over what is considered “appropriate.” As a result, girls are frequently told their shoulders or tank tops are “distracting,” while boys are often allowed to wear sleeveless muscle shirts without consequences. This unequal enforcement sends the message that girls’ bodies are more distracting than boys’, even though shoulders are not inherently inappropriate.
“Research shows these policies affect students unequally, with girls and students of color disproportionately facing consequences. In many cases, enforcement makes these students feel less safe, not more,” according to US News.
Getting dress coded takes away more learning time than just wearing an outfit that is not distracting anyone.
The administrators should be taking charge and changing the dress code to make it fairly based for boys and girls. For example, boys’ biceps are going to be more distracting than a girls stomach or shoulder so they could be a little more strict on things like that.