With the winter season coming to a close in a few weeks and temperatures rising well into the high fifties and low sixties, girls have been trading their heavy coats and sweaters  for more warm weather suited clothing. Light jackets, t-shirts, tank tops, and dresses have become more apparent in the hallways of LP. However, it isn’t rare that when it comes to fashion, everyone has a different opinion on what they would consider appropriate for school and it is not a secret that adults tend to be in favor of conservative clothing.

In the last two weeks I have been “dress-coded” twice, as well as seen many girls at lunch get pulled aside and asked to change clothes. I agree that extremely revealing clothing may not be school appropriate, but forcing someone to change because they are wearing a tank top with an un-buttoned sweater over the top? That’s ridiculous.

My grandmother was actually the one who gave me one of the shirts I was wearing when I was dress coded because it “had too low cut of a back” even though I was wearing a tank top under it. Not to mention I have worn that exact shirt to school several times without any of the staff saying anything. It is inconsistent to be strict about certain clothing some days, while completely lax about it another.

I feel that the whole process of getting dress coded is done in a completely unprofessional way. I understand that teachers are to be respected but it would be nice if that same respect was reciprocated while they approach us in front of all our friends and peers to tell us that what we are wearing is “showing too much of our body.” Last time I checked we all have shoulders, so I’m not too sure why it is just so inappropriate to show them. Not to mention that the students who get dress coded obviously aren’t planning on getting in trouble and being forced to change so they don’t have anything to change into besides items in the lost and found that the office happily provides from them.

Wearing a forgotten pair of pants of an unknown user or an old “Ranger” shirt 3x too big is sure to make someone feel uncomfortable and embarrassed all day which the staff doesn’t seem to care about.

Teachers have said in the past that one of the main reasons they dress code students is because it can distract others. Really? Because if someone can become so easily distracted by clothing they see others wearing outside of the school it sounds like the LP staff has other problems to worry about. My thoughts on the dress code is simple, don’t have one. Students should be able to decide for themselves what they can wear or not. Someone shouldn’t be punished for wearing what they want.