Are School Dress Codes Sexist and Racist?

With #dresscoded and #Imnotadistraction, school dress codes are coming under fire from students who say these policies can be sexist and racist. But many argue strict dress codes are necessary for a safe learning environment. So, how should schools decide on dress code policies?

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What are school dress codes?
School dress codes are policies that mandate how students should dress in school. They vary from school to school, district to district.

Are school dress codes sexist?
Many people feel that some school dress code policies unfairly target female-identifying folks since most of the items that are banned are items that females would wear, like certain types of skirts and tops. Many also argue that school dress codes can be unfairly enforced based on body type, where curvier or heavier females are punished more frequently compared to less developed or thinner folks. Critics say that this sends the wrong message to young women about their bodies and contributes to the sexualization of young women.

Are school dress codes racist?
Many people feel that some school dress code policies unfairly target people of color by banning things that may wear like durags, hair wraps, braids, and dreadlocks. Critics argue this criminalizes culture and can lead to a system where students of color are getting disciplined more for dress code violations.

What are the advantages of dress codes?
Many proponents of dress codes feel that dress codes contribute to a safe learning environment. Dress codes that prohibit gang-related clothing or clothing that others may find offensive or distracting help create an environment where students can focus on their education rather than distracting or dangerous clothes. Many also feel that strict dress codes help prepare students for work-life after school since many jobs require employees to dress a certain way.

SOURCES:
Pudding: The sexualized Messages Dress Codes Are Sending to Students

Vox: Students are waging war on sexist and racist school dress codes - and they're winning

Ed Week: Do School Dress Dodes Discriminate Against Girls?

Phi Delta Kappan: How dress codes criminalize males and sexualize females of color

NPR: When Black Hair Violates the Dress Code:

NBC News: Parents Outraged Over School's 'Discriminatory,' 'Racist' Dress Code:

The Daily Beast: 'Discriminatory': ACLU, NAACP Go After Florida School That Banned Child for Dreadlocks

NBC News: Louisiana girl sent home from school over braided hair extensions

SF Chronicle: Alameda schools' new dress code: Tube tops are in, shaming girls is out

[lanumoli]

just wanna vent real quick! my school recently started undergoing lots of changes. like, literally everything changed. even the dress codes. it's been two days since school started and i've already gotten dress-coded twice. by the same teacher. honestly... if anything, i was showing a little midrift(from rushing to get to class). just frustrates me because i had my sweater on both times. second day, i was trying to be more careful. still got flagged down and yelled at. i'm in middle school! no other teachers cared, even when i took my sweater off! welp-

[shadowalice]

I just realized how lucky I am that the only thing at our school that is banned is spaghetti strapped tops/dresses without something covering it

[orsettomorbido]

Where i live (Italy) there is no such a thing as a dress code, except in elementary school where, in some schools, students should have uniforms to 'be equal' and no one would be biased by their clothing (es: hey, that person has Gucci and that person has their grandma's shirt, so i will treat worse the poor student).
Of course, they fucked it up gendering things. With white and black uniforms.

Also, you can still teach how to prepare to dress for the future without making them dressing like small sized adults.

Last thing. Distracting? You all better work on your attention span, instead of focusing on skin.

[solarichan]

*Me who got dresscoded for wearing a hijab:* * peacefully nods and screams on inside *

[lunamoon]

When I was a little kid I got pulled out of class and had a huge group of teachers who run the school talking about kicking me out of school to my face cos I had barely showing green hair chalk :/ I was like 10

[dylanhatton]

The worst thing in my dress code is that hoodies have to be bought from the school (not really enforced) and that we can't have our hoods up (enforced greatly).

[haymaker-mva]

Once I wore a t-shirt (not cropped, mind you.) and shorts and yet somehow got dress coded.

[jamesriddle]

I'm 30 now but when I was in high school girls couldn't wear low cut shirts and boys weren't allowed to wear sweatpants but girls were.

[aquamarine]

I wore a tight shirt to school and got dress coded. But my white friend was wearing short shorts under a big sweater and wasn't dress coded. I wasn't showing anything bruh

[lemmenia]

I feel like we should be allowed to wear items that the teachers can wear, I go to an all girl school where we can’t show our legs above the knee and can’t show our shoulders like most schools, but the teachers can wear short skirts and tank tops which is really unfair

[wrennie]

I can’t have rips even if they have something underneath

[skrdman]

Maybe the problem with school dress-codes is that their idealistic standards for what is and is not appropriate conflicts with what is portrayed as culturally acceptable in the media and elsewhere in the real world.
It's unfortunate that dress codes tend to target articles of female fashion, but I think that that's due to the fact that as a culture female fashion tends to be more exposing and provocative. Schools are just one of the few places where we have rules that try to restrict that behavior.
If we as a society and culture had better standards for what qualified as appropriate attire, this would be far less of a problem.

[Lerkero]

I prefer school uniforms. A button shirt and plain colored pants or shorts with no holes in them. If kids want to express themselves they could still do so as long as they have that basic set of clothing.

Its not because I dislike expression and free speech, it's because I think people should be focusing on education in school and not on clothing choices.

[kaeliriley]

Honestly, the general IDEA of dress code is fine, but the execution is terrible. I'm sick and tired of being pulled aside in the hallway for a 1 inch rip in my jeans that I didn't even notice was there, then having to feel insecure about it all day after that.

In my opinion, if we're gonna keep dress code in place, it should minimized to this:
-No obvious display of private parts (ex: see-through shirts or "cheeky" shorts).
-No promotion of offensive/violent ideals.

Both of which applies to ALL genders.

[floofkitty]

People have to understand, when girls wear a tank top or shorts, they aren't doing it to show off their body or to impress boys. A lot of people are self conscious about their body and it takes confidence to wear those things, it does not help self esteem to be sent home because you felt confident and comfortable in your clothing

Edit: spelling

[kiyamoon]

This takes me back to two different times in my school life first time was when, was in middle school, and this happened to a student I didn’t know her but she gotten in trouble from wearing short short mean while the teacher who was yelling at her was also wearing short short.
The second time was my 3rd year in high school and I had on pants with fake holes, and a teacher pulled me out to the side as I was walking to class and she said you can’t wear pants with holes. So I smirked and showered her the fake holes . Ya she got made and told me well then put duck tape on them then. As she had shoved the tape into my hand.

[truyancy]

I can't wear tank tops to school and I am sad I can't wear any of my blue jean pants because they have rips and all I can where is jogging pants a shirt and a jacket my dress code is too strict

[Kaia-cz]

Am I the only one who doesn't have a dress code?

[walledotzip]

I'm from middle Europe, here there are no dress codes in schools, it's just not the thing
We only have to wear slippers or crocs, and we can't wear hat inside (btw. Most of my classmates doesn't wear slippers or crocs and are just fine, I wore headscarf and no one said a word)
But other than that, no one doesn't give a thing about what we wear and we learn and live our lifes just fine
I don't really think dress codes should be a thing, like I don't think someone just wears a dinosaur costume to school

[Shroomie_Tomi]

My school doesn’t allow short shorts but

The freaking gym pants have short shorts!

They go above my knees! And they want people not to wear that!

Like bruh!?
If you don’t allow shorts above your knees but you allow it in gym
Then
Ima wear shorts above my knees!

I honestly hate dress codes
It’s not really letting me express myself