Dress Code: Sound Educational Practice or Suppression of Self Expression?

Luke Sonderman and Lilah Nick take on the age-old argument over dress codes. Ripped jeans, crop tops, and short shorts all get called into question. Dr. Sherman even contributed to the matter. Read on to find out the fashion fate of Palm Valley. – Editor-in-Chief, Jesse Denyer

By Lilah Nick and Luke Sonderman

Dress Codes:

Dress codes are a common rule set at schools, workplaces, and special events. Most dress codes create a uniform and appropriate look for a body of people, but some dress codes can be unfair and suppressive of self-expression. 

There is no doubt that dress codes do serve important purposes in a professional and educational setting–such as to prevent offensive symbols and wording on clothing and accessories, but do dress codes go too far? Laura Bates, a founder of The Everyday Sexism Project, says, “There’s a real culture being built up through some of these dress codes where girls are receiving very clear messages that male behavior, male entitlement to your body in public space is socially acceptable, but you will be punished [for your clothing choices]” (theatlantic.com). At many high schools in the United States, dress codes restrict clothing that women wear: such as not allowing shoulders or collarbones to be visible or not allowing short skirts, bare midriffs, or leggings. When dress-coded at most schools, students are usually forced to change into other clothing provided by the school which may cause embarrassment and distraction. Sometimes, a student will even get sent home. “That’s crazy that they’re caring more about two more inches of a girl’s thigh being shown than them being in class,” says Anna Huffman who recently graduated from Western Alamance High School in Elon, North Carolina, and helped organize a dress-code protest involving hundreds of participants (theatlantic.com). 

Many schools around the country, and specifically in California, have reformed their restrictions to be more accepting of women’s fashion. Alameda Unified School District in the Bay Area is a new leading example of a no-shame, accepting dress code. This dress code allows tube tops, tight pants, ripped jeans, short skirts, and pajamas as long as they don’t show underwear (USAtoday.com). According to Dani R., Staff Writer of the Grizzly Growler, a young person’s social-justice news source, “Women’s shoulders, knees, or stomach, should not have to be covered up on a hot summer day due to men being ‘distracted’” (grizzly growler.org).

Uniforms:

Having uniforms in private schools is very common, but do uniforms oppress student expression? According to the National Youth Rights Association, “Uniforms restrict students’ individuality, expression, and creativity” (youthrights.org). Although dress codes and uniform systems are being reformed all over the United States, “[T]he percentage of public schools requiring uniforms increased from 12 to 20 percent” (youthrights.org). The NYRA website adds, “The increase in the use of uniforms may be due to a mistaken belief that uniforms prepare students for the workplace and reduce bullying in schools” (youthrights.org). But, there is controversy even amongst the experts on the effect of uniforms on bullying in schools. Tony Volk, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Brock University, stated, “Overall, there is no evidence in bullying literature that supports a reduction in violence due to school uniforms” (Britannica). 

David L. Brunsma, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), analyzed a group of 10th graders and discovered “no effects of uniforms on absenteeism, behavioral problems (fights, suspensions, etc.), or substance use on campus” and “no effects” on “pro-school attitudes, academic preparedness, and peer attitudes toward school” (Britannica). In addition, Brunsma found a “negative effect of uniforms on academic achievement” (Britannica). Some ways that uniforms have a negative effect is they take away individuality; they can be an additional school expense; and they can be pretty uncomfortable and stressful. Brunsma’s research found that uniforms did not improve academics or reduce bullying with even elementary students and 8th graders (Britannica). “A peer-reviewed study found no significant effects of school uniforms on performance on second-grade reading and mathematics examinations, as well as on 10th-grade reading, mathematics, science, and history examinations.… [In] many of the specifications, the results are actually negative” (Britannica). Studies suggest the common argument schools make–that uniforms take away distractions from the learning environment–has little scientific basis and may actually have a negative effect on a student’s performance. 

Relevance to Palm Valley School:

At Palm Valley, there is only one day a month where students wear their own clothes to school, and many students have to purchase separate clothes to wear on these free-dress days. In the past few years, the uniform dress code has become more relaxed as to what types of pants and shorts are allowed, but the free-dress code has stayed the same. By our interpretation, all preschool, lower school, middle school, and high school students follow the same clothing dress code found in the Students and Families Handbook 2021-2022. When asked to comment, Dr. Sherman, Palm Valley Head of School, countered, “It actually is not the same for Preschool through Upper School.” Dr. Sherman adds, “[I]f you are referring to certain freedoms that you would like to see given to Upper School students, I would encourage you to involve Mr. Coffey in a conversation that you might foster towards that end.”

Palm Valley School is a preschool, lower school, middle school, and college-preparatory upper school. Although it is common for college preparatory schools to have uniform policies, colleges do not implement uniforms unless they are a special academy or military school. It is important for high-school students to be able to express themselves socially before going to college and through allowing students to wear their everyday clothes, students begin to embrace freedom of expression.

In an email interview, Dr. Sherman explains the school’s position: “[T]he objective in having uniforms as part of the PV dress code is to eliminate clothing issues from the social, disciplinary, and academic agenda of our school. Sometimes, clothing can be polarizing and controversial – leading to a distraction from our sole purpose as a school. As students mature, they often choose to express their individuality in overt ways by their choice of clothing and outward dress.” Dr. Sherman went on to say, “[Free dress days are] an attempt to allow students some freedom of expression as it relates to their dress.” 

Palm Valley Student Survey:

In a survey, we asked Middle and Upper School students if they had ever been “dress-coded” (approached about violating the dress code or ever asked to change because of violating the dress code), and, out of 66 responses, 32 had been “dress-coded.” 70% of these “dress-coded” students were female. 

We also collected quotes from students about the dress code. Indiana Behr of the 10th grade said,

“Clothes are a way for people to express themselves, so when we have a day once a month to wear clothes that we are comfortable in, telling girls all of these excessive rules is completely unnecessary.”

Indiana Behr, Sophomore

Ciera Carr from the 8th grade responded to the Handbook guidelines prohibiting cleavage:

“This society really needs to desexualize breasts…. I don’t understand why girls are being taught to be ashamed of their bodies.”

Ciera Carr, 8th Grade

Other students who responded under anonymity said, “We should be comfortable while learning”; “[The dress code] makes [students] feel shameful about their own body”; “Boys have almost no dress-code, on the other hand, girls struggle to find things to wear”; “School should be a place where you can explore yourself freely and respectfully and not be shamed for it.”

As a small preparatory school, it is important to improve the social aspect of the school environment in all ways that we possibly can. In the past five years, too many studies have shown that uniforms have no positive impact on academic performance, and the lack of social expression actually has a negative impact on academic performance and mental health. The Palm Valley School dress code and uniform policy is something that needs to be continually discussed and possibly reformed. As social change progresses, the policies and code on student expression need to change with it.