Indian River Charter High School is a VAPA school. Meaning this school attracts the most artistic and creative teens of the cities of Vero Beach and Sebastian. 

In the past 5 years, this A grade school has been becoming even more restrictive with their dress code. IRCHS believes that the students must learn to dress appropriately and professionally. Here are some of the main issues with the dress code.

• Subjectivity - The new student handbook states that bras (referred to as undergarments) are mandatory. this is problematic in itself, as wants to police clothing items that aren't even visible. That aside, it punishes curvier women. A student who has a smaller chest would be able to get away with not wearing one, but a girl with a bigger chest would not. This rule instills a subconscious belief that being tiny and small chested is better, which can and does cause self image issues in many women.
• Professionalism - Administration says the dress code is meant to teach professionalism (mainly to women), and it dictates that we must be covered up to be respected or viewed professionally. Do female bodies belong so little in the workforce that we must cover them so they emulate a man's silhouette?
• Conformity - As previously stated, IRCHS is an arts school, regardless of gender, the students should be allowed to express themselves. If we can learn about human anatomy, and if we can draw naked bodies in art class, the students should be allowed to have visible shoulders. Doesn't the dress code just enforce conformity?
• Safety - The dress code wants to take safety into account, especially by restricting violent words or profanity on shirts. Which most agree is fair. However, this school is located in a humid subtropical climate, yet it prohibits tank tops of any kind. Tank tops are prohibited even under cardigans or sweaters; so is it about controlling what is professional or just control over students, especially female students?
• The long term - Let's say the dress code does condone professionalism and creates respect, are women dressed any differently less deserving of respect or less capable of their work or being professional? What you put on your body does not dictate who you are as a person, it only dictates what you look like. Something we have all heard, and have learned since kindergarten has been "Don't judge a book by its cover." The dress code goes entirely against that.

The people that have the power to change this are the school board and parents.

What needs to change is that the school board allows the students and parents to dictate what is appropriate for their children, and the children control what goes on their bodies.

If this isn't changed, the rules will only get more conservative, and will only further normalize policing women's bodies.