Change Your World Week Fall 2021 (Archived)

On a cold Saturday, we took to the streets to ask the public about their thoughts here are just a few of the interviews. To view, these interviews just click below. 

The first interview was with two young college girls and the second interview was with two people from the chamber of commerce that we just so happened to stumble across

Today's school dress code guidelines have targeted female clothing choices more than male clothing choices which have sparked protests around the nation of women standing up to dress codes. Dress codes have become such an issue to where women have felt uncomfortable in their own bodies, been blamed for being sexually assaulted by boys because of the way they are dressed and have lost education time because of them being told to change or getting sent home early from school. Girls seem to be the only ones being called out on what they are wearing. Their reasoning for this is because it is a distraction to the boys at school and they are not able to focus, which is not okay and should be the boy's problem, not the girls.

The administration of schools has always seemed unbothered regarding this situation which has been difficult for there to be any changes made. Students have tried reaching out to make a change but there aren't that many people standing with them on this issue to result in a change happening. 

 A change in policy in the dress codes is needed to help create a better learning environment that treats female and male students equally. The current dress codes not only are out of date, but they openly target the female population of students. I believe that the school cannot mandate the width of shoulder straps, they can only demand that there is a strap of some kind.

Schools should not publicly point out what they feel are dress code violations as to not embarrass or degrade the student. All dress code violations should be done in private non-teaching times. To properly protect students we need to establish a dress code that is gender-neutral and in no way eludes to any particular gender. It will also not discriminate against any religious and cultural customs a student has or wears.

This will help protect female students from being discriminated against and will include the males accountable for their dress choices. The updated dress code should be visible to every person in the school so that all students and staff can refer to the dress code in any moment of doubt or concern. 

This could mean that a copy is displayed in every classroom and any high population areas like lunchrooms and libraries. It should be the right of the student to be able to make a case regarding their dress code violation. This case should either be taken up with the faculty member that issued it or with the principal. Nor should the student be punished for a first-time offense if the violation is carried through and accepted by the student, teacher, principal, and parents. The student should also never be sent home due to the violation of the new dress code.

       Many surveys done by educational groups have indicated that teachers and principals are more interested in a school dress code, stating that it brings unity to the school and decreases the chance of someone having less than the others clothes-wise. While these are valid points, the school dress code has become something more than that, a tool to discriminate against young females' bodies. Pulling them out of class, disrupting their learning, just because their jeans have one hole in the knee.

Clothes are meant to be a way to express yourself, show people who you really are. When you are called out for wearing something that may distract the opposite gender, maybe the clothes aren't the problem. Establishing a dress code that is fair to both genders would be the best option, and enforcing it not just for one of those genders, but for both. 

The stakeholders in regards to a school’s dress code are anyone who has any relevance on the topic.  This could be the students, who are required to oblige to the dress code, the staff members in the building, who are required to oblige and enforce the dress code, as well as the school board members or whoever put this dress code in place. This could also be parents of students who may be unhappy with their child being required to dress a certain way. The members of the school board are typically the ones who hold the power regarding the school's dress code, as they tend to be district-wide rules. However, this could be principals too, depending on the school. 

There are many actions that we can take to make the proper steps in the direction of fixing this injustice in our schools. One action that we all can take to raise awareness and enact change is to directly contact the people that can help create a better system for dress codes. In this case, the members of the Bay City public school board would be the best people to contact. By flooding their mailboxes with the letter attached below and using their contact information also attached we can bring to their attention our frustration with the dress code.

With the evidence gathered and the real-life examples found in your schools can you help take the step to create a movement to make a change. Our children should not have to suffer inequality at such a young age and keep them innocent.