Archbishop Wood High School currently has a skirt-only option for female students to wear as the uniform. There is no reason why students should have to worry about their safety, dignity, or comfort over what’s really at stake: a proper education; nor, is there any reason why the school should prioritize the visibility of young girls’ legs over their learning as well. The uniform dress code has proven time and time again that it is subject to change: white to black polos, knee-high socks to stockings, knit sweaters to fleece quarter-zips, and more. Female students of ABW have been allowed to wear pants before in the late 70’s, early 80’s, and even in the early 2000’s. It is far from being a new concept. I, and many other people in the ABW community, believe that this option should be brought back for the benefit of all students.

There should be an option for female students who are not comfortable in a skirt, for whatever reason. This is the 21st century, there is no reason why we should still be stuck in the 1950s. There are a plethora of reasons why Wood should provide pants as an option to all students. These include, but are not limited to the following:

• Many young women in high school are harassed and sexualized in skirts daily. Would create less worry and stress over the possibility of getting harassed or assaulted before, during, or after school.
• Pants are more physically comfortable to wear, especially in the winter months when temperatures reach freezing lows.
• This shows that Wood can be progressive, which can be a great pull for gaining more students, especially since Wood’s student body numbers are declining exponentially.
• Pants as an option will still uphold professionalism, respectfulness, and uniformity standards.
• This would reduce the problem of students rolling up their skirts to be too short, making one less thing in the dress code to worry about.
• Skirts are not practical. They can become a hazard to a student’s well-being, seeing how easily they can get in the way (caught on a railing, knock over chemical waste or other hazardous material in the lab, fly up on a windy day and expose the wearer to those nearby without one’s consent, etc.).
• This would create a more inclusive, safe space for the student body. Learning is hard enough, not being comfortable in your clothes for over eight hours a day should not be another problem students have to struggle with.

School should be a second home, a safe haven. The school should at least offer another option for students who are uncomfortable in a skirt. We are not petitioning to rid the school of skirts forever. We only ask that girls may be granted the option of the skirt, girls’ pants, or boys’ pants. This option could alleviate a lot of stress from students. Many other Catholic schools already successfully have a pants option for girls. In fact, half of the private high schools in PA allow female students to wear pants, many of which are Catholic archdiocesan institutions. Furthermore, not every student actively chooses to go to a private school with a uniform dress code; some students are forced to attend by their parents and have no other choice. This change would allow every student to be comfortable each day in school and to focus on what’s really important: learning. 

I may be a college student who no longer attends Archbishop Wood, but believe me when I say that I am not the only one who feels strongly about this issue. I am doing this for the people who have already graduated who wish they had had the option, for the people who currently attend that long for this option, and for those who have yet to attend who may want the choice. I am not doing this for nothing, nor do I lack a vested interest in this. I have a sister who goes there currently as well as friends whom I saw struggle with wearing a skirt while I was still there. I graduated just last year, and this is something I regret not doing sooner.