…Of the People

…By the People

…For the People

Abraham Lincoln spoke these words about choice in his Gettysburg address, but what do these words really mean?

These nine simple words may just seem like scribbles on a page.

Scribbles going on and on about people, what they want and how they want it, which may seem like a childish, silly notion, but the deeper meaning is that rules, regulations and restrictions should be made by the people that they have a direct effect on.

The strict dress codes that govern the style choices of high schools and their student body are unethical, outdated and only inspire conformity- rather than individuality.

It is not uncommon to look into any school’s dress code and find something unethical in plain sight. Sadly, most of these unethical codes are directed at the female student population.

According to Public School Review, Franklin has a gender ratio of 48% female to 52% male. This small imbalance tilted towards the male population is interesting since, according to a study by National Education Agency, “NEAToday” six out of every nine dress code regulations are directed at the female student body that is two thirds or 66% for only 48% of the student population here.

Experts have spoken out against the disparities within the school dresscode debate.

Girlhood expert Shauna Pomerantz is one. According to a report, Pomerantz feels it’s detrimental to female students to take them out of the classroom.

“It is outrageous girls lose critical class time for what they are wearing.”

Pomerantz went on to say that, since, most dress codes that are made for female students are created because their attire is deemed too distracting to the male students.

Dress coding a student for being distracting is a form of victim-shaming, it gives the impression to female students that the male’s response is their fault and that their body is causing negativity.

Which is not only insulting for females but downright offensive to male students, by suggesting that they do not have the ability to talk to a female student without going completely wild.

The student population especially in high school should have the maturity to handle themselves despite the attire either party is wearing.

When you look at the differences between environments at the collegiate level and at secondary education, the students at the collegiate level are allowed to show up to lectures however they deem appropriate.

Why is this, you may ask? Professors at the collegiate level have too much information to cover in their classes, that takes priority over what the students choose to cloth themselves in.

This is important because regardless of what the students choose to wear to classes and lectures, they pass their classes, take their exams and manage to graduate.

When put in a public setting or environment like a high school, we as people would like to stand out among the masses and show our true ourselves.

We like to show who we are, how we feel, what our interests and hobbies are.

We like to be different.

The strict dress codes and uniforms alike, that are put in place at our schools are making us all more alike, more of the same.

We as students should have the freedom to express ourselves in our clothing and come to our classes in a way that feels comfortable to us.

Now, the opposing argument is relevant, there is always two sides of a story.

Every point I have presented can easily be refuted with counter arguments.

The truth of this matter is, I don’t think that there shouldn’t any rules at all.

Some structure and boundaries would be good, but only if the rules are based on the clothes themselves rather than how they fit because fit is subjective and different for everyone.

It’s time we put the power back into the hands of the students. To let the masses, the student population create the rules in this ever-changing world.

The rules need to be of the people, for the people, and by the people, so the students have the power to create an environment, that is accepting of them, where they don’t have to put time into planning how to break the codes without getting caught, where they don’t worry every class period that the teacher is going to send them to the office for a rip in their jeans or a sliver of skin showing.

See what Cougars are saying:

Sound Off: Dress Code