Dress code continues to cause controversy

If you walk around Westside, you will see many people wearing unique and respectable clothing. What you won’t see are spaghetti straps and short-shorts. How can we all wear such different clothing, while still staying somewhat uniform? Because of the dress code. The dress code at Westside doesn’t say much about the sleeves on a shirt but it does mention that you shouldn’t wear when it says, “Clothing that shows an inappropriate amount of bare skin or underwear (midriffs, spaghetti straps, sagging pants).” Some students in our school and all over the US feel as though most dress codes have some unnecessary parts. I interviewed Assistant Principal Trudi Nolin, Junior Diauvion Conner and former student Hannah Heim about their thoughts on sometimes strict dress code.

“It [getting dress coded] irritated me because I feel that shoulders aren’t distracting anyone from anyone’s learning,” Conner said.

Being dress coded usually means having to change or put on something to cover the bare skin that you were dress coded over. However according to the Warrior Handbook, violating the dress code exposes the student to disciplinary action under the student code of conduct.

Nolin says that she usually isn’t completely strict but rather just gives the clothes an eye-test to see if they follow the rules.

“We don’t measure it to the mid thigh but that gives an idea of where it should be,” Nolin said.

Though the student dress code contains some specifics they are not always strictly enforced. The main point of Westside’s dress code is to make sure that students are dressed appropriately for their learning as well as the learning of their peers.

Former student Hannah Heim lives in Agora, California and goes to a school where there is not a dress code.

“Our policy enforces students to be themselves and wear whatever they feel is comfortable and appropriate; they get to wear what they want,” Heim said.

The topic of not having a dress code seems to be controversial for some people. Conner believes that students would take advantage of not having a dress code and go overboard with it. Nolin thinks the same and believes that not having a dress code absolutely would negatively impact students learning.

“It hasn’t affected my learning comparing Westside to Agora, no one seems to care[at Agora],” Heim said.

Some students feels that there is a double standard regarding the dress code and certain uniforms for school sponsored activities don’t exactly follow it. The uniforms in question are the cheer and dance team skirts.

“It says in the dress code that you can’t wear skirts and shorts that don’t go to your mid thigh, but cheerleaders do that, and I feel like they are pretty much allowed to break the dress code,” Conner said.

While dresscode continues to be a controversial issue to some, Westside’s standards as of now will continue with how they have been in years past.