#schooldresscode

  So, what is appropriate and what is inappropriate to wear to school? “LAUSD believes that appropriate student dress contributes to a productive learning environment,” (LAUSD Policy Bulletin: Student Dress Codes/Uniforms). At LIBRA students are free to express themselves by dressing however they would like as long as they wear an approved uniform shirt. Despite this there are many dress code restrictions. Open-toed shoes are not allowed, but the item of most concern is not allowing shorts and ripped jeans. Ripped jeans are fine as long as underwear is not visible. The policy is that shorts need to touch your middle finger when your fingers are by your side and not any shorter. “When they are too short there's several things that could happen,” Assistant Principal Cervantes elaborates, “First of all it is inappropriate. If you have to be tugging at them maybe you're uncomfortable with it… everything goes up so you are very uncomfortable. You are more aware of what you are wearing.”

When a student wears something that a particular staff member considers inappropriate the staff member typically approaches the student to make a remark about their clothing. “One time I was wearing my denim skirt and she [Ms. Cervantes] called me over and said, ‘Sweetie you are so pretty, but that skirt ruins it,’” shares a LIBRA junior. If her clothes were truly inappropriate, administration would have asked her to change, which was not the case. So, are such comments truly necessary? Chemistry teacher Mr. Chang comments, “You have to understand that they’re [LIBRA’s staff members] coming from a traditional setting. You have to consider that this is a professional setting.”

“Being a bigger-sized girl, it really gets frustrating when I’m not allowed to wear certain things at school,” student Maria Hernandez expresses, “When it’s really hot I want to wear my shorts.” She is not the only student that feels this way. When it gets hot, people want to wear shorts without being told that they are wearing shorts “for attention” or that their shorts are too inappropriate. “I’ve been dress-coded about seven or eight times,” says student Ielynn Cota who has been reprimanded countless times for wearing shorts or jeans that are too ripped, “I find it kinda dumb to spend all that time addressing what I’m wearing when I should be in the classroom.”

Considering that administrators have made these comments and dress-coded students countless numbers of times, the controversial topic of body-shaming arises. Body-shaming is “the action or practice of humiliating someone by making mocking or critical comments about their body shape or size”(oxforddictionaries.com). When asked about this Ms. Cervantes said, “You’ve gotta give credit to people who have a healthy self-esteem in their figure, but you also have to give credit to people who know what is appropriate for their body type.” In her opinion her comments are not body-shaming, and people will only perceive it that way if they were already feeling self-conscious. “The perception is different. If you already feel uncomfortable, and you know it is uncomfortable, if somebody makes a remark [about what you are wearing] I brought up what you were already feeling.” The way a student dresses can lead to comments and opinions: “It looks classier I think if you wear something nice,” says Ms. Cervantes.

Putting people down for their bodies has negative effects on their health. According to CNN, “A new study found that overweight women who believe negative messages about their bodies are at greater risk for heart disease and diabetes than those who maintain a more positive body image.” It is detrimental not only to mental health but physical health, too.

Dress codes differ based on gender, accommodating boys in many ways by ensuring that their girls’ clothing choices do not disturb their learning environment. This is not inclusive of students who do not identify within the gender binary. According to Rowena Lindsay from the Christian Science Monitor, “Dress codes are typically divided along a gender binary, making it difficult for trans and gender non-conforming students.” Aside from this people have also accused dress codes of perpetuating rape culture. Movements against sexism and discrimination have targeted other schools’ dress codes, similar to the dress code implemented by staff members at LIBRA Academy. Many campaigns have, “criticized the school dress codes for making girls responsible for preventing harassment from boys – logic that, they argue, contributes to rape culture where victims are blamed for dressing provocatively,” (the Christian Science Monitor).

It is staff members’ responsibility to enforce the uniform policy and dress code, which they extend past wearing an approved uniform shirt. “Regardless of what your shape is or your figure short shorts are not appropriate, and that’s a school policy anywhere you go. It really is up to the administration to enforce it,” says Ms. Cervantes. “I think there’s things appropriate for every occasion.”