“Are my leggings distracting? Unprofessional?” Under the Kearny High Educational Complex Parent and Student Handbook issued for 2021-2022 Academic School Year, the section labeled as Dress Code Expectations prohibit the wearing of “Leggings or “jeggings,” with no exceptions. Students that take required physical-education classes must change into athletic attire without their beloved sport-leggings.

The leggings rule reflects the districtwide obsession within the schooling community, to control and regulate the rights and dignity of students. Where there is extreme emphasis on clothing, there is a lack of acknowledgment towards education. Students that violate the dress code are required leave class in order to change either into school-offered loaners, call their parents for a change of attire, or simply to put it— go home.  This is not okay.

With this petition, we hope not only to bring leggings back on the table, but to slowly work for a full revision of the entire dress code at Kearny High School.

“All students should be able to dress comfortable for school and engage in the educational environment without fear or actual unnecessary discipline or body shaming… Teachers should focus on teaching without the additional and often uncomfortable burden of dress code enforcement,” says Canyon Hills High School policy, under the section titled “Dress Code Philosophy.” Canyon Hills High School is 3.2 miles away from Kearny High School.

Principals within the San Diego Unified School District hold the power to modify dress code expectations within their own schools. This kind of treatment then proves to be not only subjective; but ineffective for an efficient and qualified education. It is evident in our own eyes, that the Stephen Watts Kearny High School Educational Complex needs a revision of the dress code policy and the much-overdue permission to allow students to wear leggings to classes.

There’s a way for school administrators to encourage professional attire without preventing the fundamental—that is school attendance— to students AND staff members, all while encouraging the pursuit of learning and comfort for all.

Revise the Dress Code! Permit all forms of Leggings/Jeggings!