As one of the most notorious social regulations, dress codes are a heated topic not just in the school environment, but throughout the world. They are often contested for being discriminatory and targeting certain demographics, resulting in an ongoing tug-of-war around freedom of expression between those who enforce these regulations and those who are subject to them. However, a dress code that is too liberal is just as harmful as one that is too conservative, and the balance between the two can often be hard to find and maintain.
North Penn is no stranger to having to grapple with encouraging student freedom, and also maintaining structure and discipline. However, there is a very thin line between general acceptance and a lack of regulations, and North Penn seems to be tiptoeing the line between those two sides. Despite this, the district is committed to maintaining an environment that their students feel comfortable in, ensuring that the voices of not just students are heard, but other members of the educational community as well.
The dress code that most in the district are familiar with was put in place about four years ago following many complaints from students in both middle and high school. Once it was brought to the attention of administration, a committee of students, teachers, and administrators was formed to discuss the needed changes.
“We had a lot of students coming forward and complaining about the policy, complaining they felt singled out, saying they felt targeted,” North Penn High School’s principal, Mr. Kyle Hassler said.
It’s no secret that dress codes, both in and outside of school, often target feminine individuals, with more restrictions being put on their level of modesty than their more masculine counterparts. For instance, many school uniforms demand skirts to be a certain length or outright restrict their female students’ range of attire entirely. In addition to this, a person’s figure is also subject to contradicting treatment under a dress code, as two individuals could wear the same outfit very differently. This double standard was addressed in the district’s recent revisions and was changed to reflect the progression of outfits since the original code’s adoption.
“A lot of the dress code violations we saw were mostly for female students, so we wanted to have more of a gender-neutral policy,” remarked Hassler. “We also wanted to write it in a way so [students] wouldn’t be singled out in front of their peers.”
Just as the nation is ever-changing, so too must school regulations adapt with it. It’s important that the school environment reflects the societal standards of their time, or it risks falling behind and becoming outdated.
“If the dress code were to change [again], we would start with a focus group of students and staff to talk about what changes are needed, the reason they are needed, and go from there,” Hassler said.
North Penn’s dress code, while not unique in its regulations, is at the forefront of a shift in societal expectations for permitted outfits in the school environment. Though some may call into question its leniency, it’s important to give students a space where they can express themselves without worry of being looked at the wrong way or punished for a piece of clothing they feel comfortable wearing.