As the days get hotter and school days feel shorter, students tend to dress with the weather. That means students are more likely to dress with the weather, resulting in more dress code violations. Is the dress code really fair?

Last week I decided that because it was going to be hotter in the middle of the afternoon I would wear black, high-waisted jeans, and a cropped tank top. Now when I put this outfit on I had no intention of distracting anybody because the shirt showed little more than an inch and a half of my stomach, but I walked into first period and, immediately, my teacher told me to cover up. Thinking there was nothing wrong with my stomach and belly button showing, I think she’s talking about my bra strap showing so I tuck my strap in and continue to settle into my desk. She then tells me that my stomach showing was violating the dress code and that I needed to put my jacket on and zip it up.

I continue on with my day. As I go into second period I start to get more irritated with what just happened in first period so I express my concern with my second period teacher, then ask to get a copy of the student dress code. The dress code says, “Student clothing must be safe, clean and non-distracting.” I continue to read to see where exactly my outfit choice violates the code. I then read, “No more than one inch of the abdomen may be exposed at school.” I had .5 of an inch of my stomach showing; it was considered that I was “distracting” my peers.

The dress code here at Centennial High is more targeted towards females rather than males. As you continue down the list of things that “violate” the rules it says very few things about guys. Here are the few things listed for males, “Wallet chains, spiked metal jewelry or accessories, and headwear will be regulated by the school administration.” And, “Clothing with direct or implicit sexual references, obscenities, or that implies violence, racism or gang affiliation.” While for females, the list goes on and on.

Dress code has been an issue for many years, and not just at my high school. It went from shoulders, thighs, stomachs, belly buttons, then elbows. Why is it that girls are constantly sexualized at schools across the world? Why is it that guys can wear what they want but girls can’t? “Skirts must reach fingertips.” “Tank tops may be worn but must have straps at least two fingers wide.”

The school’s dress code is supposed to be keeping students from getting distracted but, why take them out of class and disrupt their learning because of something they are wearing? There is no reason a shirt or stomach or legs or anything else should come before your learning.

If you think the school’s dress code is for the guys to focus more, those boys can see through all these girls clothing in their mind. The school’s dress code is extremely unfair for females and should be changed, as we are more mature.