By Sierra Barrios, Managing Editor
Clothes are powerful. They can embolden, inspire and help people express their inner truth to the world. It’s no surprise society sexualizes the clothes one wears, but it’s disappointing to think our own district participates in this injustice. A dress code holds everyone to one standard: a standard set by society on what is deemed appropriate, but appropriate means different things to different people. A crop top and jeans may be suitable for school to a student, but not to a staff member who believes their midriff is distracting.
The current TCHS dress code states that “While on campus or at any school sponsored event, students and guests shall be groomed in a manner which reflects good taste and decency and which does not distract from the educational environment, general morale or image of the school.” Demanding others to conform to unrealistic societal expectations sacrifices their freedom of expression. Regardless of gender, supporters of this policy perpetuate patriarchal ideas that continue the longstanding assumption that cisgender, masculine men are the only ones deserving of human expression. When interpreting the dress code, those in power often target marginalized genders due to the patriarchal perspective.
The clothes people wear are solely for their personal expression, not to attract unwanted attention. Singling people out for their “poor taste” in clothing sexualizes their chosen form of self-expression. On the TCHS website, the school claims to be “student-centered.” It’s hypocritical for TCHS to limit students’ rights and interrupt their academic experience over their choice of clothes.
It’s time to adopt a new dress code: one that protects most forms of expression. The only notion that should remain is prohibiting clothing that promotes the use of illegal substances, hate groups or violent behavior that might inspire fear or violence. Clothes are not meant to inflict harm, whether that be mentally, emotionally or physically, and it’s important to protect students from fashion related distractions: including those our current policy causes.
Moving forward, TCUSD should replace the dress code to state something similar but not restricted to the following: “While on campus or at any school sponsored event, students and guests shall represent themselves in a manner which reflects their authentic style in a way that does not inspire fear or cause harm to other students or staff.” This dress code allows all students to express themselves the way they choose, but protects students from any real interruptions to education.
No school should have the power to decide what attire reflects “good taste and decency.” The constitution gives every person, regardless of age, the opportunity to freely express themselves in a way that reflects their own taste. Outdated ideas that physical appearance defines your worth, intelligence, or sexuality have no place in schools or society.