Dress codes have been a topic of debate in public schools for a long time. There are several ways that dress codes can be seen as both good or bad. According to the writer of Niche, over the past decade and a half, dress codes in public schools have increased by 21 percent. Due to dress codes increasing at a steady rate, people across the country have been debating on whether they are truly necessary as well as what they can perpetuate. Dress codes can be costly for families, differ between sexes, and prevent kids from truly expressing themselves and who they are. What schools are teaching kids by enforcing these dress codes needs to change.

If kids are not allowed to wear the clothes in class that they wear outside of school, low-income families could have a problem with this. Almost all girls have spaghetti strap shirts and dresses that they might want to wear when it gets hot outside. Schools across the country often prohibit girls from wearing these clothing options in class, forcing families to buy clothes that are “school appropriate”. The same problem arises when kids are required to buy a uniform for school. Public school is a time when kids are growing and figuring out who they are as a person. Children in the United States should be able to express themselves during their education for free. The same should go for both girls and boys in the United States.

Dress codes would not be so much of a problem if they were always enforced uniformly either. Schools can be accused of having a double standard when it comes to dress codes. The clothes that are often prohibited for girls usually require a call home and a change of clothes from their parents. Now, if boys are violating dress codes it is often for something similar to them sagging their pants or shorts. Boys can usually just fix their dress code violations on the spot rather than having to call home or changing into another clothing option that is appropriate. It is unfair that girls are far more prohibited as to what they are allowed to wear. These types of dress code violations often have to do with kids outfits being too revealing according to the schools. Dress codes in public schools do not always have to do with clothing options being too revealing.

During my time in middle school, I saw dress codes enforced in several different ways. There were certain sayings on shirts that boys could not wear while girls could. One case had to do with shirts and bracelets that said “I Love Boobies” and the money that one bought these shirts with went towards breast cancer research. It was perfectly fine for girls to wear these shirts while boys throughout the school were asked to change. These shirts were apparently too sexual for middle school boys even though it was for a good cause while not being too revealing in any way. Controversy arose quickly because of this. Kid’s parents were calling the school daily and complaining. In this case, boys were at a disadvantage as to what they were able to wear. Too often do dress codes differ between genders in public schools. Schools need to draw a line that is fairer between genders. All of these dress code restrictions end up restricting kids from expressing themselves.

From kindergarten to senior year in high school, kids are learning and figuring out who they are. Although what someone wears does not say who they are, it is still a way of expressing themselves. According to Charles Haynes in School Dress Codes Limit Students’ Freedom of Expression, “13-year-old Alan Newsom was recently told to turn his National Rifle Association T-shirt inside out…” Although likely a view instilled from the kids parents, he was restricted from expressing himself. Eventually, the parents of this kid went on the file a lawsuit against the school’s dress code policy. They won the lawsuit, saying that the dress code was too broad, making it unconstitutional. No, kids should not be able to wear shirts promoting gun use in school, but they should be able to wear something as harmless as a National Rifle Association shirt.

Charles Haynes also goes on to describe another case, “In North Carolina, a principal told students that he wouldn’t allow “gay, fine by me” T-shirts in his school.” This principal was asking for a lawsuit when he decided to ban shirts that had to do with gay pride. Messages are being sent the wrong way throughout our public schools and it is happening on a daily basis. Rather than being proud about homosexuality, this student was shamed for what he was wearing. Had this student actually been gay, how do you think the principal made him feel for banning shirts with this saying on it? A negative image of homosexuality was immediately created in this school because of the principal. Li Zhou from The Atlantic even says, “Transgender students have been sent home for wearing clothing different than what’s expected of their legal sex, while others have been excluded from yearbooks.” This is a perfect example of students not being able to express themselves. This was probably devastating for the kids involved, and was something completely unnecessary. Dress codes often target something unnecessary which often has a negative impact upon students in public schools.

Boys should not be distracted by something so simple as a girl wearing shorts that are too short or straps on shirts that are too thin. Girls in public schools are shamed everyday for reasons similar to these. Girls are often required to change their attire in order to avoid tempting boys. These concepts can be harmful to those who are punished. If girls were able to wear the clothes that are restricted by dress codes, then boys could learn to work in environments with them and not be distracted by their possible lack of clothing. Girls have even been punished for simply not wearing a bra to school one day. A People article by Cathy Free says, “Kaitlyn, who says that she had gone braless for more than a year after deciding that brassieres were too restrictive and uncomfortable, was shocked when she was told to step into an administrator’s office one week before graduating.” Schools have no business restricting what girls wear and don’t wear, especially when it comes to their under garments. Instead of restricting what girls can wear, our focus should be more on preventing boys from shaming and cat calling.

Boys should still be able to work effectively in a school environment, even if one girls’ shorts do not extend beyond the point that her fingertips do. Schools are shaming girls while they could be teaching the opposite gender self-control at the same time. Brenda Alvarez writes NEA Today that, “ After a two-hour wait, the student went home, too embarrassed to return to her last period class.”. No student should feel too embarrassed about what they wore to school to come back and join class. The sole reason this every happened was because a dress code was targeting the wrong person in the first place. Schools need to reevaluate what their dress code are exactly targeting.

While reevaluating what these dress codes are targeting, schools could start to educate kids on the problem with rape culture in today’s society. Teach kids to work with one another without being distracted by other’s bodies. This would help overall in public schools as well as in the future when kids that are in public schools become adults and go off to college.

When it comes to cost, sexism, and freedom of expression, dress codes are creating problems. Should dress codes exist at all? People all around the country are asking the same thing. As dress codes have been expanding rapidly over the past decade and a half, this is something that schools need to consider. Dress codes should never cost families more than school already does, perpetuate sexism, or limit kid’s freedom of expression while they are still growing and maturing. It is up to us to change this.