School dress codes continue to be a method of targeting and shaming females, even in 2021. Disguised as a means to keep schools "safe" and "distraction free," dress codes ultimately do more harm than good.

The dress codes for Turlock Unified School District (TUSD) and Pitman High School (PHS) specifically target women, using words like "appropriate," "modesty," and "acceptable." TUSD's dress code includes provisions prohibiting apparel, hairstyles, cosmetics, or jewelry that "draws undue attention to the wearer," "distracts from the learning environment," and "detracts from the educational process." Specific examples of offending apparel are cited as including "clothing that exposes the body in a sexually suggestive manner," "clothing that reveals a bare midriff," "tube tops, halter tops, and spaghetti straps," and "skirts, shorts, and dresses that are more than four inches above the knee OR are form-fitting or tight around the body." 

PHS Student Handbook goes further stating, "It is a mark of maturity when students can freely choose apparel that demonstrates individuality without deviating from appropriateness." Wow. 

How many men are affected by the above provisions? Sure, probably some, but there is a grossly disproportionate effect on female students. In fact, many female students are constantly harassed by staff members about their clothing. These students are often approached by staff in front of peers, at times even being called out in classrooms by their teachers. They are shamed for wearing clothes that are "too sexy," "showing too much skin," or "inappropriate." The shaming and sexualizing of the female body needs to stop.

The dress code that is meant to prevent "undue attention" from being drawn to the wearer ultimately results in undue attention being drawn to the student's body in the form of shame and discipline. The dress code that is meant to prevent "distractions" ultimately causes distraction in the form of the wearer being ejected from class or campus, usually publicly in front of her peers.

Not only do these types of rules unfairly target female students, sexualize minors, and humiliate/shame women for their bodies, but they promote the belief that male students are unable to control themselves. They reinforce that a male student's education (heaven forbid they be distracted by someone's shoulder) is more important than a female student's education (who is ejected from class and/or campus, missing out on valuable teaching time). They also promote the idea that women in clothing that one may deem "immodest" or "inappropriate" deserves to be disciplined. Maybe this is why rape is such a huge problem on college campuses?

A recent survey of students at Pitman High School revealed that a vast majority of students that were cited for dress code violations were female students. Some of the most ridiculous examples of citations include: a female student using crutches whose shirt lifted up a little bit every time she leaned on the crutches to walk, a female student wearing a nude colored tank top under an open flannel, and a female student wearing an oversized/long tee shirt with shorts. Many of the responses included answers from female students like "spaghetti straps" or "shorts too short." Just yesterday, a female student was asked to leave campus for wearing high waisted leggings and a cropped shirt, (to be clear, there was no midriff showing). The argument was that her lower back could be seen if she bent over. She refused to leave and indicated that her outfit did not violate the dress code, insisting that she be allowed to go to class. Ultimately, the police were involved in the situation and three officers escorted the female student off campus, after which she was issued a suspension. This is outrageous.

On top of dress codes being dangerous and inherently sexist, Pitman High School also fails to enforce the rules consistently. Male students are permitted to practice for their sports during PE while shirtless. Staff members either look the other way or fail to notice when female members of student body government "violate" the dress code (as evidenced by a recent posting on the PHS ASB Instagram account where several female students are pictured wearing short shorts and midriff tops; a post that was shared on the stories of the official Instagram page for PHS). Let me be clear that calling attention to these female students is not done with an intent to get them in trouble. Rather it supports that the outfits themselves are not "inappropriate" or "immodest" at all, to the point that the teacher photographing the students and the administrators that caused it to be posted to Instagram failed to even notice that the clothing violated the dress code. 

This is 2021. If male students cannot study or learn without "distraction" because a female student's shoulder or leg is visible, we have more serious problems on our hands. It is bad enough our generation's education was derailed with COVID-19, now female students have to endure more disruption to our ability to learn. How much longer will this persist? WE ARE NOT A DISTRACTION. WE ARE NOT IMMODEST. WE ARE NOT IMMORAL. WE ARE NOT INAPPROPRIATE. WE ARE WOMEN, WEARING CLOTHING. 

Sign the petition and help us be heard by TUSD Board of Trustees. #reformthedresscode #iamnotadistraction