"I think the school dress code is dumb because if we're here to learn then why can't we learn in our own comfort of what we want to wear" - anonymous student  

Many girls say the dress code is sexist because they're not allowed to wear any clothes that are revealing because of the boys and their raging hormones. 

These dress codes include, but are not limited to, rules monitoring skirt/short length, how low a neckline can lay, how much of students’ shoulders can show, or even  “adornments, or decorations in the hair”, which is stated in Mystic Valley Regional Charter School’s “uniform policy”.

Naugatuck High School’s Associate Principal, Ms. Kristina Wallace, has a few words to say about dress codes.

“I do think there is a level of embedded bias or implicit bias in dress codes in terms of often a dress code for an institution will dictate clothing or headgear that more often or not women or students of color are apt to wear as opposed to male students or white students.”

Regarding our dress code, it's proven that more than half of the rules in the dress code are directed toward students that identify as female.

“When you look generally through most of it, more than half of the list are things that girls would wear dress code includes rules regarding shorts/dress/skirt length, low necklines, “spaghetti straps”, exposed midriff, headbands, and ripped jeans. The school dress code also includes a rule against leggings, which are a staple piece in many female students’ closets.

The dress code at Darnell Cookman does not even take into consideration that people come in all different shapes and sizes. Some girls are curvier than others, and that can cause some disagreement.

For example, a shirt can be seen as inappropriate for a girl that has a larger chest rather than someone smaller, even if they are wearing the same shirt.

This could also be a problem with skirts and shorts. Someone whose bottom is bigger than others can run into a problem when it comes to the length of their skirts, dresses, and shorts compared to someone skinnier.

Students want to feel comfortable while at school, and when most of the clothing items in their closets violate the dress code, it is hard to have a comfortable and stress-free learning environment.

“It makes a lot of students mad

Many girls feel this way because, especially in the summertime, they cannot wear some of their favorite outfits.

For example, if a girl is violating the dress code in the summer for her shorts, she will be forced to put on a pair of sweatpants provided by the school, or they may have the option to call home to get a change of clothes.

This not only takes time out of the student’s learning time, but this also causes many other problems for the girl.

Making the student put sweatpants on could be more of a distraction than the outfit she was previously wearing. It could make her hot and sweaty all day, causing her to be more focused on how uncomfortable she is rather than spending that valuable time learning. It also brings more attention because now students are worried about why they were pulled out of class making it more of a distraction.

Another problem that making the student change could cause is self-image issues. Dress code policies, including ours, send the message that girls should cover up because their bodies are distractions.

Social media puts the idea that girls have to look a certain way to meet society’s standards, and being told they have to dress a certain way adds to the stress that teenage girls are already facing outside of their life at school about their bodies.