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Argument Essay

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Date

School dress code is a set of specific rules adopted by schools to prescribe what students

and employees are required to wear. The school dress code is applied uniformly at all schools,

although the rules vary from school to school. Some schools may require all shirts and blouses

for girls and boys to have blue jeans with an approved top, while others might require that no

flip-flops be permitted in the classroom because they can cause irritation on some students' feet.

The school dress code is used to protect the students and teachers by dressing appropriately

according to their age, furthering the idea that everyone belongs in school. The dress code also

helps to differentiate between staff and students; although both staff and students can wear

different clothing, some rules differentiate between the two groups. The purpose of a dress code

is, of course, to have a uniform set of rules that all students must follow, as well as teachers

(Proctor, n.p). The paper below will go ahead to provide an argument that I am against the school

dress code.

One reason why I am against the school dress code is that it restricts the students from

exploring their tastes and preferences in clothing. The school dress code places limitations on the

types of clothes that are worn to school and is not a democratic matter. By enforcing the dress

code, they are restricting their children's rights to wear whatever they feel comfortable wearing.

The dress code also limits their right to express themselves through fashion choices or interests.

By forbidding swimsuits, the school also suppresses their children's right to express themselves
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through personal interests. The dress code is also a form of cultural imperialism that is imposed

on their children (Pomerantz, n.p).

In other words, this concept of the school dress code has mainly been developed into a

tool for imposing one's culture and values onto another culture. For example, in many schools

throughout the world, there has been a common practice of banning the burqa and hijab, mostly

in Western countries such as France. They are doing this to preserve the secularism of their

country; some states in France have gone as far as to ban full-face veils and other face-covering

items worn by Muslim women while they are in public places. This is an act of cultural

imperialism imposed on these women because they can no longer wear what they feel

comfortable wearing.

School dress code is disadvantageous because it only segregates rather than unites the

students and teachers. Rather than promoting a sense of community, it promotes separation and

discrimination among students. To put it in perspective, if a student wants to wear shorts and

decides to do so, they will be punished or even prevented from going home by their parents just

because the school dress code forbids it. What is even more ridiculous than this idea is that the

school dress code does not respect the kids' right to wear what they want. The most frustrating

aspect of the school dress code is that if they disobey the rule, they will not receive any

punishment (since it should be their parents that are forced to punish them). In other words, the

dress code makes students uncomfortable in going to school and treats them like criminals just

because they do not follow some rules.

In the future, schools should consider abolishing the dress code to promote solidarity

among students and teachers. Schools should also look into ways of empowering children by

developing their social skills and allowing their creativity to flourish in the classroom. It is a
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matter of fact that the school dress code does not have any good reason for existing. It serves no

purpose but to cause more harm than good. Since it deprives students and teachers of expressing

themselves freely, it only makes them alienated from each other, causing constant frustration

among both students and teachers.

Another reason why I am against the school dress code is that it promotes the idea of

conformity. Allowing students to wear whatever they please, as long as they don't disrupt the

class, will produce a better learning environment. A student having to be forced to have

something on their back will promote a more harmonious setting in the classroom. In opposition

to this, all students in the class need to follow the same rules, which are usually more strict than

what most people are used to at school. Therefore, some students may get embarrassed or not be

able to adapt to this new rule. This can make them feel left out or even excluded from the class.

Also, it is important to mention that there are different kinds of students, so they all

should be allowed to wear what they please while still respecting the dress code. For example, if

a school forces the students to follow a certain dress code that is too strict for them, and they do

not want to follow it, their parents need to come and see their child get embarrassed over

something as trivial as clothing (Wilson, n.p). Therefore, doing this will lead to a potentially

negative effect on the student's social life.

In conclusion, I believe that the school dress code is not beneficial to students because

they limit their freedom of expression and suppress their rights to impose a set of customs and

values on the student body. Not all students will be comfortable with this set of rules; therefore,

it should not be imposed on them. The School Dress Code is a policy that is in place at all public

schools throughout the United States. The dress code will vary from school to school based on

what the principal thinks will be best for the student body and school environment. The dress
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code tends to have rules based on conformity, consistency, and equal opportunity. If a student

has a physical disability or needs an accommodated learning style, there are many exceptions in

place to allow for students with specific needs within certain guidelines.
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Work-Cited

Pomerantz, Shauna. "Cleavage in a tank top: Bodily prohibition and the discourses of school

dress codes." Alberta Journal of Educational Research 53.4 (2007).

Proctor, J. R. Quantitative analysis of standardized dress code and minority academic

achievement. Diss. Stephen F. Austin State University, 2013.

Wilson, Richard E. "Impact of School Uniform Dress Code on Principal Perception of School

Violence." (1999).