My Opinion: Update Dress Code or Require Uniforms

Sabryna Strack ’17

For all four years that I have been at this school, confusion has surrounded dress code from both male and female points of view. The teachers believe that students defy dress code because we are teenagers who refuse to follow the rules, and the students believe that the teachers are too strict with their expectations of how students should dress. “If I look presentable and am not offending anyone with my attire, why should I have to wear a collared shirt?” remarked one student.

Matthew Petizian’s essay about dress code was provocative, but it made valid points. The dress code, as written today, requires boys and girls to follow the same basic dress code, yet girls’ clothing, especially sweaters, shirts and blouses, do not conform to the current code. There is a hefty list of the items female students can not wear, but there are no clear expectations of what a female student should wear.

I believe that the dress code in the Northwood School Student Handbook has blurred lines. It is outdated and should be updated. As time goes by so does style, and with a changing style should come an updated dress code policy.

During my sophomore year rumors circulated that the school was going to implement uniforms. This scared a lot of students because uniforms would have eliminated any freedom students have to express themselves with their clothing. Dress code has become such a problem that the school should either update it entirely with specific expectation for male and female students or we should start wearing uniforms. I don’t think anyone will like wearing a uniform, but at least there will be no confusion about what conforms to dress code.