Friday, September 4, 2015
Dress code woes!
Great week! I've was challenged to share great news with one parent/guardian every day, and it has led to fun conversations with parents and their kids. The other challenge laid down this week was to share pics of awesome things happening in our school with the local paper. One a day. We have got to spread the news of how awesome our kids and teachers are. If we don't do it, who will?
But...my week has also been consumed with something that I need help with. So if you have any opinions or suggestions to help my dilemma, please share.
I could spend most of my day every day dealing with students who are violating, or on the cusp of violating the dress code. I don't expect our faculty and staff to deal with it because I think they have plenty on their plate to deal with. On their totem pole of priorities, I hope this is at the bottom. Let me and Mr. Stringer be the "bad guys" on this. Most of the student violations come from females. I have attached a youtube video. I imagine some of our students share some of the same struggles as the students in the video. It's 30 minutes long, but offers interesting perspectives.
https://youtu.be/XDgAZO_5U_U
I struggle with enforcing the dress code not because I think it's a bad thing. My personal belief is that our kids should follow it to a "T". I struggle with it because I don't know that my enforcement, or teachers enforcement, is always in the best interest of our students. I want them to be comfortable coming to school. I want them to feel welcome. I also want them to make the choice to dress appropriately. I don't want them to do it "because I said so".
So here is what I have tried doing so far this year. I casually stop kids, when I notice a dress code violation, and ask them if they have anything they can change into. (I try to make it an inconspicuous conversation) If not I let them know there are clothes available at school that they can change into. I also ask them not to wear the outfit again. 90% of the time the kids do as I ask. The other 10% that don't make my blood boil, but I chose not to make it a big deal. I chose to find time, that didn't interrupt class because most of this 10% are brilliant and bring great things to discussions in class, to have a conversation with these kids. So far those conversations have been great. The kids get a chance to share their opinion and thoughts and I get a chance to share mine. We will see if it has an impact.
Anyways...these are my manic thoughts for the week. Our teachers and students were great this week. They were creative, brilliant, and passionate about what they have been doing. They are the wolves that are changing our environment in a positive manner. My hope is to help with that, not create an atmosphere that disrupts that. Therein lies my dilemma with the dress code. Please help!
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I may be playing a bit of the devil's advocate here but maybe thats OK. First of all, I am all for having a dress code and certainly for enforcing it, in my own personal life the extent of my none teaching wardrobe is athletic shorts and t shirts because nowadays its nearly impossible to dress in a somewhat modest fashion with looking like a grandma. But I digress. I think that you are on the right track to not make dress code infractions a huge deal. However I think many of the female students rebel against a dress code for 3 main reasons, 1 they dont see anything wrong with their clothes because those are the only options available or "stylish" 2 they're seeking approval is some sense from their male peers and 3 they see male students in outfits or t shirts that may not explicitly violate dress code but maybe should. I'll give you an example, I have one male student that has on at least 3 separate occasions come into class wearing a t shirt with women, dressed or posed in a fashion you would only see in a victoria's secret catalog, to a young female student they dont understand why they would be permitted and jeans with holes would not. I also have heard numerous complaints in my class that some of my fuller figure female students get in trouble for certain outfit that their more athletic or "skinnier" peers do not. Now I know that certain outfits will look different on certain body types but teenage girls dont see it that way. I guess my advice would be perhaps tighten up on the male dress code (female students feel singled out and shamed by many dress code violations) and enforce it with the girls based on the item itself not necessarily how revealing or how it fits each student. Perhaps you already do this too but these are just my thoughts on the topic :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight!
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