I'm just in high school, so ive seen a lot about dress code. but for them to single her out and humiliate her in front of everybody is definitely going way to far. its so stupid. the other day i actually witnessed a girl getting in trouble for wearing a loose sleeve shirt an tights that were "to tight". for me i really think its time to stand up for the kids at schools and give a good fight.
2
This is so ridiculous. The dean and principal singled her out and humiliated her simply for having nipples. I could understand if, say, a female nurse or teacher mentioned it to her privately so she wouldn’t be embarrassed- the fact that the heads of the school stared at her chest and made her jump up and down is horrifying. Girls deserve the freedom to just exist in their bodies.
Have you ever heard of a boy being called to the principal’s office to change because his pants were too tight and you could see the outline of his genitals? I sure haven’t. Built into the dress-codes, rules, and laws is the idea that men are to watch and women are to be watched.
I went to an all-girls high school. After morning soccer practice before school (in 90 degree weather) we would rinse off with a hose so we weren’t just sitting in sweat for the next 8 hours (still before school started). We would be in sports bras and shorts for 2 minutes while we frantically rinsed off in freezing cold water just off the field. The admin made an announcement to the whole school that we were not permitted to “get wet” on school grounds because it made the male teachers uncomfortable.
It’s not a girl’s job to ensure that boys and men stay focused and avoid feeling uncomfortable. These kinds of rules and adults enforcing them make GIRLS feel different, lesser, than males. It’s almost like conditioning girls to slut shame themselves to avoid ever having to address the merit of the rules to begin with.
10
I Think some kids just need to grow up so what if she wanted to go braless its her choice and if you had a sunburn would you want a tight strap touching it ?????????
8
My opinion on this article is that she shouldn't have been put down when all she wanted to do was be comfortable. There's nothing wrong with a female not wearing a bra especially in her case with sunburn tight straps can really hurt rubbing against that constantly all day. You could tell she tried to avoid making it obvious by wearing a bigger shirt they should have taken those things into consideration before shaming her for trying to be comfortable.
5
I wish people wouldn't make such a big deal about it and try to understand the situation first.
1
I think the principles weren't wrong. No female should be able to walk around school with no bra on. It will draw attention to it and people will start unnecessary drama or threats. At Barberton our dress code is fai. Their only strict if you wear something that shows to much.
@Shelby I disagree with this comment, females should be able to walk around comfortable in their skin. If their bodies were showing too much like if they had a tight shirt on making it obvious then yeah that wouldn't be okay, but in her situation she purposely wore a baggy shirt so she wouldn't cause all the attention.
4
Our school has a dress code and only some of its rules are fair, but I have seen women specifically being discriminated against for body parts that aren't even a distraction. It is really suspect and weird for the principals to be looking at the girl the way they did. They left her feeling creeped out and humiliated and that is not right. Why is it that females are forced to hide their nipples, but men can show them? This is because our society is sexist, even if you do not notice it. Females are constantly seen as sex objects and distractions to boys. It is nasty that people think a dude's education can be ruined by a girl showing her shoulders.
1
i don't think she did anything wrong, she was sunburnt and wore a baggy shirt to cover anything she shouldn't of gotten in trouble.
@sonya I think she did. You should have a bra on no matter what, If it was that bad she should of stayed home.
I think the girl's shirt was too big, so you can't tell if she had a bra on or not. She should not have been in trouble.
@Ameer Hikmat As long as nothing was too revealing, I agree.
The dress code at our school has become absolutely mental over the years. Their defense for enforcing it so strongly is always "it's a distraction". I'm in 11th grade now and not once have I seen a class get distracted over anything the school would deem not allowed. More often than not, none of us have a problem with what is worn, just the administration does. It seems like they're the ones being distracted.
@Stillings understand what your saying but she of had a bra on no matter what.
I feel like girls should be allowed to wear what they want to school as long as they are covered up. That girl should not have been punished for not wearing a bra. Just because you can "see her nipples" through her shirt, doesn't mean you should punish her. Not to be weird but there are boys that walk around my school that could probably use a bra. No one tells them to cover up. I think it's ridiculous how people are over sexualizing girls bodies and there has to be a stop to that.
@mags Girls should be allowed to wear certain stuff but not wearing a bra is too far. She should of got suspended
our dress code is not to strict in my opinion if it isn't revealing or has any bad things on your cloths you're allowed to wear it
I just started ninth grade back in September. My high school is known for having a strict dress code. I was sitting in my biology class and I get pulled aside by the dean. I was first off really embarrassed and second off confused on what I had done. She told me my collared sweatshirt was inappropriate and was a distraction. When I asked why because it wasn't a cropped sweatshirt or anything she said it wasn't finger tip length. My problem with that rule is that I have long arms and fingers touch around my mid-thigh, so I was thinking do want me to wear a nun's dress or what? Then was given an ODR for being out of dress code. Then I went back class horrified and on the verge of tears. The dean emailed my parents and were so confused. They didn't understand why my sweatshirt was a "distraction." I'm not the only girl that was given an ODR for wearing our regular clothing. When I was eighth grade I was given an ODR for my bra strap showing. The thing that made me more uncomfortable that it was given by a male teacher. Why was a full grown adult staring at fourteen year old bra strap. Yes, I think my dress code is too strict.
1
@Bella I agree that your school dress code is too strict because a grown man should not be looking at you in a way that makes him feel that you are a distraction.
This is ridiculous, I just don’t understand why he made her walk around, look at her boobs just to tell her she needs bandaids on her nipples, it’s not like anyone’s going to be looking that hard. What’s really the issue here? Society is shaming girls for everything we wear. I mean at least we’re allowed to wear the things we can today, because we couldn’t for centuries.
@Hannah
that is actually so true, why would a principle focus on what shows or not? couldn't that be like wrong in society but since they are trying to "be distraction free" it somehow means they can stare at people to see what shows on them? it don't make sense to me
I agree, Lizzy was just trying to be comfortable. The people who were looking have the problem.
@Hannah Yeah, it is really creepy for a grown adult to look at an underage female this way.
Being in our society today, it's extremely hard to find pants without holes in them or shirts that aren't crop tops or off the shoulders. Both of which are banded at my school. While, yes, I understand that no one needs to show up at school in a bikini or really short shorts. But when we walk into the school in a off shoulder shirt, with or without the noodle straps that are sometimes on the shirts, no one is gonna be like "those shoulders though" that's not something that I have ever heard from anyone. I feel that getting dress coded is one of the most embarrassing things that could happen at school especially when its for something as little as a hole in your pants or your shoulders showing. I also feel that if us girls have such a harsh dress code but guys can get away with anything considering their are only few restrictions on them. Recently, I saw a video where a group of guys from a high-school dressed in woman's clothing such as short skirts and off the shoulder shirts. When they got to school, everyone thought it was hilarious but also proved so many points on the strict dress codes against girls. These men got pulled into the principals office yet didn't get in trouble because, and I state, "That part of dress code was meant for girls". So these guys got to walk around the school in their short skirts and off the shoulder shirts while we get dress coded and sent home.
@Lily I agree that most female clothing today is against school dress codes because that is just the trending style girls wear today. It is really degrading when girls get dress coded for reasons like their shoulders showing.
I am fourteen and going into my sophomore year of high school. In high school we have a very lenient dress code. There is barely any enforcement. Junior high was different. I do not believe I dress provocatively at all. I do not like dressing flashy, it makes me uncomfortable. I was dress coded twice and given a warning once. The first time I was wearing shorts that were down to my finger tips. To my surprise they needed to be to my knees. I was forced to wear lost and found clothes until I went home. The second time I had to buy new shorts. For girls my age it is nearly impossible to find knee length shorts. I did my best to find some and got dress coded before school started. The school said it is due to boys getting distracted. From my experience it wasted and distracted me from my learning experience. I stopped wearing sorts to school altogether. I wore leggings during the hot weather at the end of the school year; it was extremely hot! I am disappointed in my school for making me go to that extent so boys wouldnt be distracted.
I am a 13 year old girl, I feel like that my schools dresscode is too strict. I am in middle school, my school I feel are very wrong with their dresscode rules, every morning right after the Pledge they make us stand up and do a dresscode check. It is unfair because the school if they see a womens bra strap at all they will either make you cover it up or give you a dresscode violation. The school rules state, (I am reading it right now.) •“Administration will determine appropriateness.
• The dress code applies to ALL SCHOOL EVENTS including Back to School Night, Open House, field trips, games and dances.
General
All clothing must be free of inappropriate words, pictures, and signs and must fit properly.
Bandanas are not permitted.
Hats and hoods are to be worn outdoors only with bill facing forward.
Make-up, jewelry, and other accessories will be kept to a minimum and appropriate to the grade level.
No undergarments may be showing at any time.
Okay so there is the end of that part, the Tops section of the dress code is all for women and so is the bottoms section.
I really do not like my dress code because I feel like it is mainly pointed towards girls which I feel is very unfair and sexist.
-Alyssa Maxim grade 7
@Alyssa I agree with you 100%
I think that dress codes are necessary to a certain extent but sometimes the schools administration can be too strict for example the article states she had told her school administrators about the sunburn.For them to not take that under consideration and still make her change is unfair. Also, the school said the reason she had to change was because boys were laughing at her. What is that teaching a young lady? That we must be uncomfortable so that boys will not laugh at us? In the real world there is no strict dress codes so I strongly believe that we don't need strict dress codes at school.
@Gaby
to be honest the school administration for some reason likes to focus more on what people wear then figuring out more ways to help students get better education, or figure out ways to make learning easier. And don't you think it would be weird for a boy to laugh at a girl for exposing something? as a guy myself i rarely see someone having the slightest exposure of something, but i frankly don't care because its so minor. i just don't pay attention to it or if it is really big exposure, and i know the person, i kindly let them know so they can at least try to cover it up as best as they can so they don't get pulled away from *ahem* LEARNING TIME, to fix a small error in clothing. the school system is really weird
I do not feel that my dress code is too strict. We are allowed to wear whatever we want as long as it is not too revealing, and does not contain alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or other profanity.
@Liz lucky you
My school dress code isn't too strict in my opinion because what the things that shouldn't be worn are common sense too not be worn
I think schools dress codes are way too strict. Girls have it hard at school during warmer months. When it’s hot outside and it’s too hot to wear pants, girls often wear shorts above their knee. Many schools think short shorts are a poor clothing choice, but when it’s hot most students want to be cool and comfy. Kids have been sent out of important classes just to be told they need to change; it rudely interrupts the class for an unnecessary talk. To conclude, girls should not have to be punished for wearing cool and comfortable clothes.
@Addy
i feel its unfair that guys can wear tanks and shorts that is above the knee, but when a female wears something similar to that, its automatically considered a distraction to the class. like wth, a guy with tank tops on, are a distraction to me more than females are to be honest. i see them and i think, do u have to wear that. in the summer i wear a hoodie and sweat pants. sometimes shorts with a hoodie. i am perfectly fine, other guys can cover up more
My school dress code is too strict in my opinion. It is summertime, so girls wear clothes that don't make them as hot. However, the problem with that is they get in trouble even though it is comfortable for them and doesn’t make them as hot as usual. I think that it’s really unfair for girls personally. Because they enjoy wearing short shorts and tank tops and it gets them dress coded. To illustrate, girls are dress coded way more often than boys are.
Are these girls that are getting in trouble wearing clothes that may be inappropriate? Maybe a little too revealing?
I think the school was being to uptight on the dress codes now days they need to change them.
I think the way her dress code violation got addressed was a bit wrong and unfair by the way the issue was addressed. For example the person who was evaluating the issue told her to put an extra gourmet because it was ¨boys were looking and laughing” But then she states that “No one said a thing to me until I got to the dean’s office” I think the way her dress code violation got addressed was a bit wrong, and unfair because the person said ¨boys were looking.¨ The way the person worded the scold was as if she was an object that needs to be cover up because she is female and it might interfere with the other male students. Maybe if the person who was trying to resolve the issue didn't word there scold that way it might have made the situation a bit better. The other flaw was what they stated happen compared how Lizzy said it. Apparently, the ¨boys were looking and laughing,¨ but she contradicted what they said by saying it did not happen. That is a bit wrong to say something that did not happen to address an issue. Another flaw was the whole situation. Lizzy had sunburn which explains why she wore what she did on top of that, the government she wore was to cover it. She wore what she did so she wouldn't be in pain. In the end, I feel like if the issue was addressed in a nicer and way where she wouldn't be hurt and feel ashamed by a little situation that didn't need to be escalated so high.
I think that school are getting to much into deals with dress code and they should have shirts and pants so kids dont have to miss school if they look alittle to grown!!
I think that the schools are getting out of hands with there dress codes and that they need to fix it
I think that she definitely should have gotten told to put on another shirt or a bra or whatever. But I do not think that she should be punished for it.
i think the dress code wasn't that bad but i do see where the school is coming from she should have had on a appropriate bra to help cover up.
@Rayne but she had a loose shirt on
I don't think she should have gotten in trouble because its a valid reason to not wear a bra but at least she could put on another shirt if needed.
i feel that the school should of approached it better with her
i don't see why she got in trouble for trying to be conferble
i think the school should of let her wear what she had on just to help her and nothing was revealing
she can't wear what ever she wants she not outside of school hun.
The fact that the school humiliated her over such a problem is absolutely appalling to me. They mention that it was distracting to boys and that they were mocking her throughout the whole ordeal, yet nothing was mentioned to Lizzy. It’s really unfortunate to see that these “boys are getting distracted” over such miniscule things, but realistically, that never happens. I have not heard of a case where a girl had been dress-coded for something as small as a hole in their jeans simply because another student was distracted by their knees. There are countless guys across schools that have their pants sag so far that their underwear is on display, yet they haven't pulled aside and talked as much as a girl who shows a bit of shoulder. Dress codes are there for a reason, however, the degree that some schools take them to can be a bit far.
i agree with you i feel the school should have done something more reasonable with her
exactly the whole situation should have been handled different.
The school should've handled it more differently
Yes, students have started to stand up ever since the 1950’s.
In my opinion our schools dress code is not strict at all. My school is really good at letting us express ourselves through clothing or our hair. Also in my opinion dress codes are direct more towards females. For example shorts must be finger tip length or no tights what can guys not wear. Females seem to be judged on every little thing. When is it their time to step up to society. Can they step up to society for things that are equal and fair.
That's how most schools should be,they should just let students express their themselves at least through clothes.
A lot of schools are to strict
i feel like they are more strict on females because some female do come to school with stuff out they needs to be put away
It is not the staffs business if someone is wearing a bra or not. for all they knew she was wearing a pad-less sports bra. everyone has nipples. I don't understand why it matters if they show or not. I have never seen a boy be pulled aside for his nipples showing through his shirt.
lol i agree this a good point but boys are flat chested at least most are but girls have more to show.
I don't like how they pulled her out of class just because she wasn't wearing a bra so what if she wasn't it shouldn't be a problem she was minding her own business in class doing what she was supposed to be doing but no they thought it was a huge deal and an apparent distraction but where in the dress code does it say that someone can't wear a bra they just wanted to be stupid about it and take away her school time
It's stupid about how they handled it. they shouldn't have done nothing about it and have left it alone. It doesn't say anything in the handbook about girls not wearing a bra to school, so they shouldn't have done nothing
and she said that no one has said anything to her and some guys should have to wear them in this case.
I cannot count how many times I've been told to cover up in school. I've never seen a teacher pull aside a boy to tell him the muscle tee he's wearing is too revealing. I remember a specific instance where I was told my shorts were too short and that it made my appearance 'too sexual for school.' I was ELEVEN. My body wasn’t developed, I still looked like a kid. The fact that an adult could look at my body and say it was ‘too sexual’ is disgusting. I was already struggling with body image, and this interaction made me ashamed of my body. No middle schooler should feel like she needs to hide her thighs because they’re ‘too sexual’.
I remember when my friend got asked to change clothes because it was distracting a boy. In the article, Lizzy was told that boys were ‘looking and laughing’ at her, and that’s why she had to put on an undershirt. Even if it’s true that a boy was distracted, why should girls be responsible for his distraction? My friend’s teacher said it was because it was ‘affecting his ability to learn.’ Wasn’t pulling her out of class to lecture her affecting her ability to learn? Oh wait, I forgot; men’s comfort should be prioritized over women’s basic rights, because we still live in the 17th century.
Lizzy and my friend weren’t trying to get people’s attention, they were just trying to be comfortable. In the end, it didn’t matter what the girls were trying to do, all that matters was how it made the boys’ feel. And I don’t mean all men, please understand.
you are completely right I have seen plenty of guys nipples show through their shirts as well. not once have they been told to put on an under/over shirt. And I was told my track shorts were to short. this is my uniform for a school activity. if they are too short then change the uniform.
This is kind of ridiculous. This poor girl was humiliated for no reason except that people are rude. She didn't make it obvious and wasn't drawing attention to herself. There was no reason for her to be dress coded. No one should have to wear anything that makes them uncomfortable. She was taking care of herself, why should she be persecuted because of it?
you are right this is ridiculous, and they shouldn't have done that to her. they should've just done nothing about it and left it alone.
@Dakota C. I agree with you she was doing what was best for her health and they took it out of proportion
As this article states how strict Lizzy Martinez's school dress code is. Her school highly over reacted to the situation if she had a see through shirt that is one thing but not having a bra is not against the rule. Having a school dress code is not taking away from kids rights or creativity. I think school dress codes are a good thing. Most adults in america go to work and when you go to work you are expected to wear a uniform or specific things. School should be no different. I agree to a dress code in school i do not agree in uniforms because uniforms take away from students creativity with some exceptions. As long as kids aren't showing there private areas I see no problem.
i like how they at least let her go home so she could put something better one
They should've handled it differently by at least sent her home to put some straps on or buy her a strapless bra so it wont hurt her during school.
1
i feel that they this too far and she should be able to wear whatever she wants she has that right. Nowhere in the dress code does it say she has to wear one and nor should they ever make that a rule that is just plain disrespectful. If it was truly as big of an issue as they made it seem which i'm sure it was not they could of simply asked her to put on a hoodie and she could go back to class. Because them pulling her out over something that pathetic is causing her to miss out on her education cause she isn't aloud to be comfortable in school.
This is not right. she should be able to wear what she wants and if it is uncomfortable then do not make her do something she does not want to do. The teacher should have made her walk around so that she could look at her body. teachers should not be watching there students to make sure their body looks nice.
I agree with you but it should be taken into moderation.
I think teachers need to leave kids alone
This dress code stuff is getting out of hand
This is very unfair. Since it is her body I think she has a right on what she should wear especially if it makes her comfortable.
You're not wrong about that.
i agree with you 100%
Yes that is exactly what i think we control what we do and we make our own decision.
I feel like that Lizzy should have worn a really baggy shirt. The school did take the situation to another level, considering the women wanted her to use band-aids and "move around." Also, the school should not have put her in an uncomfortable position. They didn't really have to point out that boys were laughing and talking; the staff could've just said people noticed. This would upset and embarrass me; if I was her. It was a rude action. They took it a little to serious than what it already was. The staff should have understood and been more nice considering she was in pain from the sun burn. Lizzy's story is an example of discrimination based on sex because she was told to change based on her body. Lizzy should have just worn a really baggy shirt that didn't touch her upper area.
My school is not as strict on dress code anymore due to people wearing their own things. As long as the students clothes didn't reveal and distract others; then it is okay. Considering my school is kind of new, they were really strict (at first) because they wanted to have a good outlook to let others want to come and be apart of the school. Now, that years have gone by; they go by what part of their body is revealed and if or how it distracts others.
I can say from experience that nipples rubbing against coarse material is not fun.
I think her school went too far with calling it a dress code violation. It was just her trying to keep herself comfortable throughout the day at school and not have to be miserable with her bra straps rubbing her sunburn. We all know that is a terrible feeling. She also tried to hide it as much as she could with the dark, long sleeve oversize shirt. It's not like she was trying to show off her chest. Wearing a bra to school should also not be part of a dress code. Women should not be required to wear bras just because some boys at school can't contain themselves and are too immature to do so. Some girls like for the "girls" to be free sometimes and should not be obligated to do otherwise.
I agree with you based on the fact that the student handbook does not state anything about this.
I think that Lizzy's school should have definitely handled the situation better. In the article it says that no where in the student conduct does it say that bras must be worn by a female. If it doesn't say that she had to wear a bra then she really isn't violating anything. So why would they call her put on it if its not a violation. At least Lizzy tried to wear something that would take attention off her chest so possibly no one would notice. I think if it wasn't a female student and instead a male the school probably wouldn't had said anything to them. I also feel that the Dean made it a little to personal and made a feel uncomfortable for Lizzy, like she really didn't need to ask her to move around, I feel like that made her feel really embarrassed about the whole thing.
I honestly think that they were just bored because they had no real reason to embarrass her like that. No one was bothered, she wasn't in pain and no code was violated. If women had to wear bras it would be a law....its not a law or a dress code. they're just there. it doesnt mean we have to use them.
I agree it doesn't say nothing about wearing a bra or anything like that
The nipple problem Been there - had that.. Less so now with the thickly lined bras (not so great for endowed women in the days when less was more) but an embarrassment to me at the time. (and I doubt that the T-shirt did much).
The bes thing about a school dress code it seems to me is that one would not have to worry about what to wear. But in a way this was a medical emergency. I guess she might have added a vest over her shirt -- and perhaps the office might have offered that - like restaurants that provide jackets and ties to their male patrons without either.
OTOH - it's just nature!!
I think that the school handled the situation a little to much. I feel that she should have just had to put a hoodie on.
I think that the way that the Dean handled it was a bit personal and uncomfortable for her. I also believe that dress codes should not be so enforced and taken so seriously.
Yes I do believe it is discrimination, because she is a girl and has boobs and guys wont get called down from sagging their pants or anything like that.
Our schools dress code is appropriate and fair. I believe so.
I have not because I never thought to, because there is no rules that i disagree with.
If it was not in the book, then it should not be considered a violation. The way that the superintendent handled it was unjust and cruel.
Yes, Lizzy's story shows us how girls are discriminated against in schools, and in the dress code.
My schools dress code is appropriate, not pushing any boundaries or limits.
I think its strict and unfair.i think its unfair because things that are apparently so bad and to sexual are not for boys. Like girls we cant wear off the shoulder or show our shoulder yet when guys do they dont say anything. I bet of guys dress code where as bad as ours they would be mad about the dress code to.
I think they handled the situation in an inappropriate way. Dress code has always been an issue in school, and in my opinion it’s stricter than it should be. Many things dress code covers isn’t even an issue. I see why nipples would be an issue, but everyone has nipples and it shouldn’t be something new or something inappropriate. They should’ve handled it in a completely different way. Maybe adults should teach young ones how to be respectful and not body shame someone just because they try to be comfortable in their own skin and prevent pain.
1
i agree dress code is pretty strict and i know this is off topic but dress codes now a days are like you cannot show your shoulders like if boys cant handle themselves then they shouldn't be in school and half of these teachers that are women use to wear the same thing when they was younger.
I think our schools dress code is way too strict. Dress codes limit us from expressing ourselves by putting limits on what we can wear. They also allow boys to over sexualize females bodies. For example, a simple shoulder or nipple shouldn’t distract boys from doing their school work. School dress codes allow boys to get away with sexual thoughts at school.
I think it is unfair that girls have to wear a bra under their shirt while guys, some wear under shirt and some don’t. For example, during basketball, track practice or any other sports, some guys even take their shirt off during practice. Therefore, I think it is unfair that girls have to hide their nipples, instead of putting bandages on they could’ve told her to put a jacket on or something , and guys don’t
If the dress codes weren’t as strict people can feel freedom at school
I feel that these dress codes are important but should be allowed to wear anything that they want as long they feel its ok.
I think our school code is strict but it is very unfair that girls can't wear shorts that are above their knees and guys can wear joggers or pants that sag. I mean I understand that you are what you wear I get that,but maybe guys should start wearing more fitting pants that aren't too big.Also they should let us wear shirts that show shoulders, what’s wrong with shoulders?
1
Yeah it seems they're more strict to the Females compared to the Men
I believe our school dress code is fine besides the fact that girls can't wear leggings. Girls in elementary school in most schools aren't allowed to wear leggings which baffles me. Why do they sexualize the legs of young girls? Women wear leggings as a form of comfort, but yet are told not to do so because of the weakness of boys. Will my legs in leggings distract them from their work, or the unnecessary disruption of calling me out?
I agree some schools take the dress code to serious they should be good with a little bit nut if they are wearing something that is revealing they shouldn't be allowed to wear it.
i agree, because i feel a women in any grade whether it is elementary school or high school should be aloud to wear anything they feel is comfortable without worrying about violating dress codes because if you even have your shoulders showing then men are to distracted.
they are teaching boys at a young age that it's okay to think legs are sexual and shoulders too. Its also teaching young girls to be self couscous about their bodies.
I think our school code isn't that strict but it is very unfair that girls can't wear shorts that are above their knees and guys can wear joggers or pants that sag. I mean I understand that you are what you wear I get that,but maybe guys should start wearing more fitting pants that aren't too big.Also they wouldn't let us wear shirts that showed our shoulders.Then they wouldn't let guys wear tank tops but i mean i can see why.But I don't think our school is too strict
The school dress code for here is not that strict but we can't wear whatever we want. But we have a code that if your fingertips don't reach you can't wear it.
My thoughts were her school went a little to far on this case. If they boys are that distracted by it then they should be handled, the girl shouldn't feel like she has to cover her body because of them. If a girl doesn't want to wear a bra to school because of her sunburn then she shouldn't have too, but she should wear a baggy shirt to cover it.
i feel like it was overboard but i dont think women should have to wear a bra if they dont want it
I agree the boys should be handled because they shouldn't be looking anyways but if they do it needs to be dealt with and like you said a girl shouldn't have to wear something especially if its going to hurt her
I agree, why is it that the girl had to be "handled" and nothing was done about the boys laughing at her? Unfortunately we live in a unfair world so she did wear a baggy shirt yet she still got in trouble. She got her education taken away from her, she felt uncomfortable. I also think that she didn't have to change if she didn't want to because no where in their rules does it say that they have to wear bras.
Dress codes are there for protection, so people don't start acting inappropriate. Dress codes save us from having kids start acting up badly and having to see stuff we don't want to see in public. If people don't follow dress codes for a 1st time, then they should be sentenced to a warning, and have to get new clothes from home to wear. But if they continue to break the dress codes, they should be suspended from school and sent home ASAP.
I agree that dress codes are there for a reason, but I think that schools go too far. Students shouldn’t be able to wear things that are extremely revealing, but something a simple as a bra strap, shorts, or yoga pants shouldn’t be incorporated in restrictions. Despite your argument that it will “save us from having kids acting badly,” I doubt something as simple as the item listed before will cause any student to act poorly. Extreme dress codes are a burden on the students who are just trying to get an education, and do nothing to prevent students acting out.
I think that our school code is not that strict on boys, but on girls. The reason I say this is because with girls they won't let us wear shirts that shows our shoulders, or very short shorts which I understand. I say that they are not strict on boys because they can basically wear anything that they want, and not get in trouble. The school I go to doesn't let the boys wear old whiskey adds on their shirts, but other than that they are not as strict on boys as they are on girls. I really don't understand why the school will not let girls wear shirts that show their shoulders because it's like other people can see anything bad. The only thing that my school is strict on about boys is their pants sagging. SO this is why I said that my school's dress code is not as strict on boys as they are on girls.
My school isn't as strict as yours but we still have rules on what we wear but it's still uncalled for, for them to be strict on girls just because of something so small that shouldn't matter
i honestly understand coming from a family of mostly girls and i feel like boys should be able to handle themselves
i feel that this whole situation its totally absurd. not only is it humiliating it is discouraging girls to dress comfortably. i think it is totally out of line for a teacher to make a comment like that to a student especially over something they cant really help. not to mention what is the difference between girls showing and boys? they are the same
As a female I think that dress code is strict in the fact that it is based of a boy not being able to handle them self. This makes it unfair for women to be able to dress comfortably without being discriminated for it. Although I do believe some people in my school happen to dress quite inappropriately sometimes there does come a point where people should be able to handle themselves and know when something is inappropriate.
Lizzy was obviously not trying to show off her body. She was wearing an over sized black t-shirt and the fact that one of her teachers had to point out she was not wearing a bra is unacceptable. Women should not be taught that there body's are not acceptable to be worn. Not to mention that nobody cared that she wasn’t wearing a bra until the adult in the room drew attention to the subject.
I would have been mortified if one of my teachers asked me to put band-aids over my nipples and asked me to jump around to see if it was still noticeable. Myself and all women should not be labeled by men on how much skin we show. I am understanding of restrictions on dress codes but there are some schools that take the policy extremely out of hand.
My school is very lenient on the schools dress code and basically anyone wears what he or she chooses to wear. My clothing makes me feel empowered and it shows the person that I am and it is NOT WRONG to want to show a little more skin every once in a while. Just because my school isn't strict on the dress code doesn't mean that the Children dress to try and be “ sexy” or “push the limits”, we wear what we feel comfortable in because once again it is just school.
This is a good question. As a student that doesn’t have any fashion sense or get sun burn easily, no the dress code at my school isn’t strict.
However, what the school did to Lizzy was a little bit of harassment. Being called out for something as little as not wearing a bra is a bit inappropriate, Lizzy wasn’t hurting anyone nor was she telling people she had no bra on according to the article.
To tell a young girl to literally X out her nipples is a little funny to say out loud. However, its highly inappropriate for a principal and dean to tell a child to do so. If that was the case, then why don’t males X out their nipples too. Half of the males in my school have nipples that show and its ‘okay’ because their males.
But at the end of the day, people should follow the rules. Even the dress code.
I agree with this too. I think that males and females should be treated the same.
I think that if the school knows that there is a promlem then why don't they try to find a way to to compromise with the students
I totally agree with you.
I think that this could be a good thing but it could alsobe a bad thing
Lizzy's school did not handle this situation in a correct or respectable way. If what she was wearing posed no distraction or hindrance to the learning process, why should she be punished? I find this completely sexist. Why should girls have to change what they wear because it is seen as a distraction? Shouldn't males be taught not to be distracted instead? Besides, I have spoken to many of my male classmates asking them if they got distracted by a girl's shoulder or stomach. They all said that that was crazy, and agreed that the dress code for females is too strict. I can't count the number of times a teacher has stopped their class just to tell someone to pull down their shirt or put on a jacket. In fact, just yesterday a teacher of mine stopped class to tell me to pull down my shirt because the sweater I was wearing revealed a bit of my stomach. I'm happy to see that both men and women have began fighting against the dress code, but there is still more work to be done.
The school went way to far with Lizzy’s dress code “violation”. She should not have gotten in trouble in the first place, as she was technically not breaking any rules according to the official dress code. Even if she had been in the wrong, the school should not have punished her in the way they did. She dressed appropriately given the situation, and had a good excuse for not wearing a bra. They should have given her an undershirt and left it at that if they really felt the need to punish her. Yes, I do believe the dress code is somewhat sexist. Women are the only ones who are ever ridiculed by administrators for what they are wearing, and “distracting their male classmates” is often cited as a reason that they need to change. The stories in the article are all good examples of this. My school doesn’t really have an official dress code, but female students are often called out for what they are wearing, particularly in the summer. At my old school, however, shoulders had to be covered, bra straps could not be showing, and shorts/skirts could be no shorter than the point where our fingertips naturally touch our thighs. Only a few teachers actually enforced it, but those who did took it very seriously. This was way too strict, as clothes that fit all of those criteria are very hard to find, and many of them are not flattering at all. The dress code also only ever seemed to apply to female students as well, which made it even more unfair.
I don't Lizzy's school handled the situation correctly and she should be able to do what she likes based on the dress code. Since it is something to do with cloths underneath her other cloths, she should be able to do whatever she feels comfortable with. I do believe schools are more strict with females about the dress code and it can be unfair.
I think that Lizzy's school handled her "violation" carelessly. They did not take her opinion and reasoning into consideration. It should not have been considered a violation because the Code of Student Conduct does not say anything about female students wearing bras. I think that this story could be an example of discrimination based on sex because males, just like females, have breasts but they are never forced to wear bras or "undershirts". In my opinion I think that my school's dress code is appropriate because the teachers usually do not call people out for things like bra straps or shoulders. I have never stood up to policies at my school that were discriminatory, but my classmates have and i'm proud that they have the courage to do so. I agree that we are in the midst of a watershed moment in our culture because for the first time, a majority of teenagers are getting a voice in our country, and this time adults don't have enough power to shut them down.
I think our school has a good dress code because they are no that strict about what we wear. The limit is two finger length which means if your shoulder sleeve is shorter than two fingers then you cant wear it but other than that we can wear anything that is school appropriate. In this situation though I would say they acted accordingly but I think in the end they went a little to far.
I don't think Lizzy's school handled the situation correctly at all since the dress code only address to the clothing that can bee seen and not what is worn underneath her clothes which is a personal choice and shouldn't have to be discussed with anyone. This story just adds to the list of discrimination based on your sex cases where girls always get dress coded over simple things such as have their shoulders out or showing skin above the knee through their ripped jeans while boys just get a warning and told to pull their pants up girls have to go through a whole procedure. At my school i would say our dress code has simmered down a bit since we can now wear shorts without having to worry about the finger tips rule. Overall i would say that their has been very minimal change/progress with school dress code but their is a gradual change occurring.
I am entirely shocked by this. Dress code has always been an extreme all over America, as far as I know, and no one can deny it is aimed at girls. Even though it is always brought up that OTHER people, namely men and boys, are distracted. That's so messed up. We shouldn't be punishing girls for something that is out of their control. If a man can't control himself he is no better than an animal, and they should be punished themselves. I completely get there needs to be some set of rules. You can't come to school wearing basically just underwear, but girls should not be forced to wear bras if they don't want to! Girls should be able to wear tank tops and shorts when it's 70+ degrees Fahrenheit outside! The restrictions are wrong and downright humiliating.
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I agree with this statement
With such a controversial issue like dress code, there are always many opinions. For this specific scenario, I feel like the issue definitely went to the extreme. Many people struggle with dress code problems, but to this extent is ridiculous. People shouldn't feel targeted or anything because of their gender, we cannot help the body parts we were given. Any female when buying clothing has to think "can I potentially wear this to school?," and if the answer is no, then you may as well just put it back. It isn't fair for anyone to be discriminated against for any reason.
For my school particularly, I think our dress code is fairly lenient and more on the fair side of things. Of course there are still restrictions, they just aren't as harsh or strict. I personally have only been called out once for dress code, in middle school for wearing leggings. I thought it wad ridiculous considering I had worn leggings the day before and nothing was said, and the fact that my friend was also wearing leggings. But dress code is an inevitable part of life. When you get to the real world with a job, you can't just wear whatever you want. There are rules and restrictions for everything. It is just part of life.
Dress code has always been a confusing topic. Some places are more strict than others and some places are different due to weather conditions. Although, girls are mostly affected by dress code due to boys' maturity and sensitivity according to administration. A girl should be able to wear whatever she in comfortable in and not be concerned about how the boys will react at her school. Boys need to learn to respect girls. When it comes to Lizzy's situation, sunburns are indeed painful and doing what she did was not uncalled for. She also purposefully wore a over sized, dark, long sleeve t shirt to draw the least amount of attention possible. The administrations desire to check her and ask her to walk around after the issue was addressed was also unnecessary and borderline inappropriate. Overall I think the Lizzy situation was handled poorly and the steps taken in that process were not right nor fair and or respectful to Lizzy and other girls.
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i feel like dresscode is kind of out of hand she shouldn't have did they did cause if it was someone else i feel like they wouldnt do that
I think the way Lizzy's school handled her dress code was absurd. Wearing a bra is a females option in the first place. They are worn for a confidence issue and some girls feel as if they are not necessary. If she had on a shirt that was see through, then I would see the issue. But that wasn't the case. Girls usually have it harder when it comes to dress code because there is a lot more to show. This can make staying in dress code and feeling comfortable in your own body very difficult sometimes.
Girls at my school have stood up for dress codes and there actually was something done about it. Girls at my school were upset that we couldn't wear running shorts when it was very hot outside. It was very discriminatory as guys could wear anything basically. We are in a watershed moment in our culture because were starting to see what its like to not be held equal and students are starting to take a stand against this.
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This is a harsh topic for many people. this is kind of hard for me to talk about that's because I'm a male and you may be wondering how do I feel about this topic is it okay is it right should we take these extra precautions to stop dress code violation happening in a high school on a regular basis. The way that the school went about with that situation that happened with Lizzie is not the right way they should have done it but should there be restrictions on it yes indeed
Dress code has always been a topic of debate. It can be a very sensitive subject with everyone’s opinions toward dress code. More than half of the public schools in the U.S have a dress code. Almost every time I buy something I have to think “Can I potentially wear this to school?”. I shouldn't Always have to think that when entering a store but it is something I have been trained to do since I was young. We shouldn’t be taught from a young age that our bodies are objects and we are distractions. We should be able to wear the clothing that we want without being labeled for exposing our skin.
The way that the school handle this so called dress code violation was completely inappropriate. They shamed the girl for the extra skin on her chest, something she has no control over. As a woman and putting myself in her shoes, I would feel extremely embarrassed. Pulling her out of class to ask her “Why aren’t you wearing a bra?”. That is not only a distraction to her learning but also embarrassing. I would feel ashamed.
As women our bodies are very incredible. We have the ability to maintain human life within our bodies, not only that but can also give a child the proper nutrition just with our bodies. We shouldn’t be shamed for something that was never meant as a distraction in the first place.
I agree we shouldn't have to ask ourselves "is this okay to wear?" just because of a stupid dress code and the fact that they pulled her out of class for that is just plain rude and its just embarrassing to be pulled out of class because she wasn't wearing a bra, there is nothing wrong with her not having a bra on especially if it keeps her from being hurt
I feel that this dress code issue for the girl is a bit extreme. I mean I get the whole sunburn issue an stuff but there was no need for the dean of students have her stand up and "walk around" and then the school says that they cant even speak on it. I just see something not going right or foreseen differently.
I agree that it is a bit extreme. there is no explanation for a school to have this kind of say over girls or any student at that.
I agree that the dress code is a bit extreme.
I feel that Lizzy's stories and all of the other stories I hear about people about getting dress coded is discriminated on sex because how many stories do we hear about guys get dress coded? Not many, not any for me to make that a fact, all we hear the guys in schools to do is to fix it and all they have to do is pull up their saggy pants which shows their entire rear end, meanwhile, girls get sent to the office because the guys are distracted by a shoulder, while guys rear end is showing. Don't you think that would be distracting to anyone and everyone?
I think that Lizzy’s school didn’t handle the situation the right way. The principal had a conversation with her and she explained what happened and they completely ignored her sunburn. According to what Lizzy saw, no boys were talking about her which makes us believe that the school was making up lies. They also made Lizzy call her mom at work. The school could have approached this a different way. I didn’t see the shirt so I don’t really know if it was very revealing or should have been dress coded, but I do think that there should be some sort of limits. If someone doesn’t like wearing bras or has something that is preventing them, I don’t think that they should need to, but they should wear something that is not to revealing. I don’t think that the administrators should have addressed this because no one else thought that it was problem.
My school’s dress code is less strict in high school as it was in middle school. I think that is too strict because girls are being dress coded for showing shoulders and like no one looks at other people’s shoulders.
No, I have never stood up for anything about the dress code because I don't think about the dress code, but in middle school a bunch of girls signed a petition because the principal wanted to band leggings and they got over 500 signatures. It worked so they could continue wearing them.
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I agree with you 100% especially on girls being sent to change for her shoulders showing.
i honestly agree with you.
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The way the school handled the so-called dress code violation was not so good. Fist of all, there’s no rule in the dress code book prohibiting what she wore. The administrators shouldn't have addressed it like they did. They made things very personal and uncomfortable when they didn’t have to be. Lizzy’s story was discrimination based on sex because this obviously couldn’t happen to a guy. Also, the boys were the ones looking and laughing, so they definitely added to it. This circumstance is a little different because it was for what she wasn’t wearing, rather than she was wearing. But also, the dress code said nothing relating to this situation, so the dress code is fine.I have definitely warn things that are against the dress code before. And it’s not that these things are inappropriate so I don’t see the issue. If it’s hot out, I’m going to wear an off the shoulder shirt and shorts that aren’t as long as my finger tips. It’s not my fault if boys are distracted by shoulders, girls should be able to be comfortable. Some teachers make comments about it, I know others who have been reacted to way worse.It has always been girls, I’ve never seen a boy “break” the dress code, so yes it is sex discrimination. If something is wrong, especially something discrimination on sex, then we are going to stand up. If things don’t change then we will make it a watershed moment, because some of the things going on now are unbelievable.
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I agree 100% with what was said, this text describes everything I need to say and helps with my opinion.
Is Your School’s Dress Code Too Strict?
I think girls should not be forced to wear certain clothing thats boys do not have to wear. It is sexist and unfair.
Yes because girls dress codes are a lot more strict and there is a lot more of them to
I think how strict the dress code is depends on the teacher. Some teachers take it way to far while others are more reasonable
Yes i have signed a petition in my middle school when the principal tried to ban leggings and it worked
Yes because we are seeing change but we have not yet reached your goal
I truly do agree on with your saying and I feel like these certain things that are happening will help our schools in the future please don't like it now but they know that our future will be bright only certain things that need to be changed in our life today.
Besides the regular same-old-same argument about how inappropriate women’s clothing can be, the school went to extreme measures to cover up Lizzy’s nipples, even though they were not visible. The unfortunate irony is that dean, who herself is a woman, harshly judged Lizzy for her attire and went as far as telling Lizzy to put bandages over her nipples. That is insane. The school dean was only preserving the existence of sexist edifices, that have brainwashed society for hundreds of years. These structures violate the moral principles of not only being kind to others, but also showing some respect for others. The school has no written rules against the visibility of nipples, so in other words, the school dean and principal were acting on their own prejudices of women’s bodies and were in no accordance to the school rules. Their behavior is unjustified and only perpetuates a culture, where women must cover-up their bodies to not seduce men. This culture allows for the discrimination of sex based on things that sex, specifically women, cannot permanently change. I do not fully know my school’s dress code, but I do know that short shirts and shorts are not allowed! I believe that people enforce dress codes, in their own”interpretation” of them, as a means to control women and continue this sexist social structures. It is wrong and it is time to stop it!
school just take things way to far sometimes
The school definitely did not handle the situation with Lizzy in a kind or respectful manor. A lot of actions taken could have been much polite to Lizzy. I do not think this should have even been considered a dress code violation. She did not intend to show her body off in a sexual way; she was merely doing what was most comfortable for her, and I personally do not see why she should be punished for that. I do think this could be an example of discrimination based on sex. Girls often get dress coded because their outfits could be distracting to boys, however, we don’t try to combat this issue by telling boys to stop sexualizing girls. We only tell the girls to cover up. My school luckily has a very fair dress code, but lately some teachers have been getting girls in trouble for showing their shoulders, which I think ia absurd. Shoulders are not sexual in any way and in no way should be distracting to the boys. Yes, I do agree, girls and women everywhere are standing up and challenging long held social norms.
I completely agree with you, I don't see how a girls shoulder can be distracting either, I think that more girls and young ladies should stand up for better dress codes, me personally, I just don't see how that would change a principal's mind to change the dress code and school handbook.
I do not think her lack of a bra should have been a violation, and it was not handled correctly. They should have been understanding of her situation, it was not a common occurrence for her. Perhaps she could receive a warning and a bit more respect from the authorities. I do think this could be an example of discrimination based on sex. Boys have nipples too and are not forced to wear bras. The boys in her class were also the ones supposedly being inappropriate and laughing at her, and they did not receive a punishment. My school’s dress code is appropriate; we are not too strict, and most teachers do take the temperature and other circumstances into account. Lately, people have been getting dress coded for showing their shoulders though. Shoulders are not sexual and the shirts have not been revealing of any other possibly inappropriate body parts. Some classmates have objected to the dress code before in our middle school. It went reasonably well, but the idea of them being able to make a change was very motivational and encouraged others to also help support the dress code change. Our middle school’s dress code was a lot stricter and hopefully has been relaxed more since they brought it to the attention of people in authoritative positions. I do believe we are in a turning point in our history. Times are changing and so is normal dress. These changes allow us to continue the growth of culture and are also necessary for the overall comfort and happiness of students.
I agree with you, I don't think she shouldn't have any discipline what so ever, nor a warning because it does not state in the handbook that females have to wear a bra. They should have considered the fact that she was sunburnt and when she tried putting the bra on, it hurt way too much, I mean when I was reading about this all I could do is wince at the feeling of that.
Q1. I think, personally, that this was an overreaction to what was happening, and did not need to be mentioned in the first place. This outfit she chose to wear does not break any of the rules, and is just a picky remark from the staff. If anything, they should have helped her, got her a sweatshirt or something, and solve the “problem”.
Q2. I would say so, because it would not have mattered if it happened to a boy.
Q3. I think that this code is too strict. First off, it is a public school, not a private school, implying that you get to choose what YOU want to wear, and have a choice. These rules are preventing their freedom of choice. Secondly, it is only considered a problem because “the boys get distracted”. This should be the boys fault then, not the girls.
Q4. I have not, because I am on the other side of this situation. I am the boy. Therefore, I have had no problems with this system for myself, but I feel that it is very sexist against women, which makes me disagree with the code.
Although the way Lizzy’s school handled the so-called dress-code violation was normal, I think situations like this should be handled differently, or better yet, not handled at all. Dress-codes at Lizzy’s school and many others sexualize young girls. When I was in 6th grade, 11 years old, I was pulled out of class because my shorts didn’t reach the tips of my fingers. As if my legs were a distraction to boys, and as if it wasn’t their responsibility to pay attention in class. That’s one thing that always bothered me. It was my responsibility to not distract boys, and not theirs to focus.
I think that students at Lizzy’s school handled the situation gracefully, with a silent protest. Bandaids on bookbags doesn’t disrupt learning as pulling a student out of class does. The dress code is often too strict at schools. From not wearing spaghetti straps, to only wearing shorts that reach the knees, to no yoga pants, school dress codes have taken away most of what girls wear. Often enough, dress codes do nothing but hurt students learning experience, and should be rethought in a progressive way.
i think the dress code isn't an issue but people take things way too far.
The dress code is not a problem its really the people and the the teachers and stuff.
the dress code isn't that bad its just that the principles and that are the problem and she said nobody cared until they talked to her
I think the way Lizzy was treated Unfairly and that her schools dress code is unfair.
The dress code isn't that much of a problem but the people are the problem. They are making a big deal over it for nothing when she wasn't told anything by anyone so she would have been fine if she wasn't called down to the deen's office.
i think this was a good article about the double standard of this issue
I think that it was a good article about dress code.
i agree with you demetrius
I believe that dress code isn't a problem, but certain people take it way out of hand, this article helps show that. 1. No where in the handbook does it stat that women, students or teachers must absolutely, under no circumstances wear a bra. and 2. At the end of the article where the dean makes her jump around and move to look over her body for "Flaws/Faults" in the under shirt the school supplied?? Makes you question right? That wasn't very professional on the schools part.
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i think that this could've been handled way diffident they were to harsh for something so small
i feel it was disrespectful
me as well
I agree it was extremely disrespectful
i believe the way the school handled the situation was wrong and that they only drew attention to something that obviously wasn't meant to be sexual. The school should of just allowed her to continue as she was until a problem arose then deal with it in a way that would actually fix the problem. Most importantly they actually disrupted the class more than what she was by doing what they did making her presence there at the school harder than what it already was. cause who knows what her social status at that school was before hand now it could cause some actual problems with her not feeling secure and confident cause something that was such a little deal was blown out of proportion. this situation could scar her or make her an outcast
I think Lizzy was not in the wrong she was in pain because of the sunburn and she should go to school feeling comfortable and in her school's dress code there was no statement saying that females should wear a bra and when her school's officials pulled her out of her class to ask her they were discrimating her by sex just because females have more body parts then males doesnt mean they should be discrimating if it makes them feel comftorable then they should be able to waer what they want and they embarresed her by making her put the under shirt on and put band aids on to cover up that was wrong on her school's officals part.
As a male I do not feel the dress code is strict in my High school. I wear what ever I wake up and throw on but I do see girls in my school getting in trouble all the time for "inappropriate" clothing. My school does not allow spaghetti straps, holes in pants.
I say things could have went better and didn't have to go as far as it went but she had a sun burn and couldn't wear a bra so i say she could have sat in iss or even could give her a hoodie just to make her feel better but making her do what she had to do is disrespectful honestly.
I feel that the school did make a big deal out of such a small issue. Starting with the administration, the didn't have to take it to the extreme that they did. i'm sure they could've just let it slide based on her situation. even when she put on another shirt there was still an issue. i feel that the school should've just let her be.
I think this was handled in a bad way. This is something that could have been avoided if the school would have listened to her reason for not wearing a bra. I don't think the school should be so sensitive about this because unless you really stare at her you cant tell.
I think this article was good. It was too the point and explained there concerns very well, she shouldn't of been made to put an undershirt on because it wasent against the dress code so how can they make her wear it.
dress code honestly isn't a problem some people do go to far with what they wear but ive never really seen anything that was too bad for school. these are very small issues that can be solved very easy.
personally i think this could been handled in a more appropriate manner she was treated like a little kid. this looks really bad for schools because of the fact that if you have sun burn you can't take your own action to not be in pain because the school will blow it out of proportion and make it into something that it was never meant to be
I personally think dress code is too strict. I hear all these restrictions for girls in my school such as “no shoulders”, “your shorts must be to your knees” and stuff like that, and I get it. If a girl shows up in really short shorts then that is an appropriate time to give her dress code., But when a girl shows up to school in shorts that go halfway down her thigh, or her shirt comes off her shoulder, or she wears a loose shirt and no bra, and she is called to the office you are disturbing what she is there to do,LEARN! When you pull her out of class or tell her she must go home to change because she is distracting boys or they are “laughing” you are interrupting her education and telling her that her education isn't as important as the education of boys. As a girl myself I stress about what I can wear, it could be 80 degrees outside and sunny but I will have to wear jeans because shorts are too distracting. If a rip is above the knee I can't wear the jeans because boys won't be able to concentrate. I can't wear a tank top because i will distract the boys with my shoulders. It is unfair to give women a list of things they cant wear and then only get on the guys about their underwear showing when they sag.
thats crazy that your school goes that far and yeah i agree your school needs change
I agree my school does that and in my opinion if boys get distracted maybe they should learn self-control so they don't have to discriminate girls for wearing what makes them comfortable .
i believe you make some excellent points and that dress codes are far to strict in some schools
Lizzy's school handled this the wrong way and she should not have even been considered for what she did. In no way is what she did sexual or should it be considered that way but the way that guys minds are wired it makes them turn everything into some kind of sexual act. The stories that were presented in this article are based on sex because administrators at schools take whatever precaution is necessary to make sure girls have no freedom to dress how they please when in most cases it is not sexual at all. With my school it happens to be the same story. I always overhear girls complaining that administrators always pick on them because they have their shoulders showing and I find that completely ridiculous because shoulders should not be sexualized.
I agree with you because she did nothing wrong yet they handled this in a dramatic fashion when they could have handled it in a better manner
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yeah there was no reason for acting the way they did
I 100% agree with you , she shouldn't of had o do anything with her outfit because it was not against the dress code.
Being a male, I don't really have to worry about Lizzy's situation at my school. Our dress code is actually fairly laid back, allowing us to wear basically whatever we want not including flipflops, high shorts, or hats in class ... which I can understand. Although, Braden River School sounded like they handled the situation improperly and should have found an alternative way of dealing with Lizzy. I believe that they should have made it less of a deal and kept it quieter because some students didn't even realize until the school made it obvious that they were calling her to the office for dress code violation. So I feel that the reason for Lizzy becoming upset over this matter was because the school reacted so intensely to it.
i agree because schools make things so much more laid back for men yet women have to worry about so much more
i know what your saying ours is to
I agree because they make things so much more chill for guys and girls have to worry about alot
Just last week my school created a new dress code policy. The whole grade was called down for a meeting, which addressed dress codes for the upcoming eighth grade dance and school appropriateness. Later that day, my guidance counselor asked my class if girls were the targets of that assembly. Everybody in the room raised their hand, even the boys.
While all of the other girls were at war with the new policy, I whole heartedly agree with it. The principal called for school appropriate attire, meaning everything that should be covered needs to be. I believe that our policy of no strapless or cropped shirts or really short shorts is perfect. It still allows for self expression, while creating a fine line that must not be crossed.
While this dress code sets restrictions, they only apply to the girls not the boys. While females were not directly targeted, it was obvious that the speech was directed towards us. But, the differences in dress that persist between genders are caused by society. Boys don't wear short shorts, theirs are long. Boys do not show bra straps, because they do not wear them. I am upset and annoyed by these confinements, but for the time being I will accept my school dress code, and hope that some day in the future the way that people dress will change.
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i feel that they did handle this a weird way but maybe they just wanted to get some points across so that you guys knew what you could or couldnt wear
I believe that the school targeted females way to much at you school and need to be a bit more lenient.
also a great point
Braden River High School did not handle the situation correctly and "societal customs" is the excuse used to cover up the actual violations done by the school (and students at the school) to Lizzy. If wearing a bra is not required in the dress code rule, then Lizzy should not have gotten in trouble for her choice. Also, she chose a shirt that did not blatantly bring attention to her chest; therefore, she should not be at fault for other students' immaturity and disrespect pointing out what only American's consider "inappropriate" and not a societal norm. Lizzy likely would have worn a bra were it not for her sunburn, but this should not trigger such reactions from peers, even less from school administration/adults.
Although this is an entirely different situation, I believe this is similar to Dimitrios Spanos from Lincoln, N.H commentary and opinion on “What Should Lawmakers Do About Guns and Gun Violence?.” Dimitrios Spanos's opinion over guns has been shaped by "having a family and a community that has taught me respect for firearms," I have a similar experience as I have grown up in a more open minded household and do not see a problem with Lizzy's choice.
All of this could of been avoed by just javeing a parent coem to the school or just haveing her sent home or something not embarrass her in front of the school and her friends like come on lets get real.
That dress code at Lizzy's school needs to be redone because she read the dress code and no where in there did it say a bra needs to be worn by females.
In my opinion, if the administration was genuinely concerned about girl's not wearing bras, they should have made it a rule in the handbook. Since it was not a legitimate rule, they had no right to humiliate Lizzy the way they did. Additionally, asking her to stand up and move around was completely uncalled for and disgusting. Lizzy chose to wear a dark colored, long sleeve, loose t-shirt and was in no way trying to draw attention to herself. The administration shouldn't have said anything and the way they addressed this situation is appalling.
Personally, I believe the way Lizzy's school handled her so-called dress code violation was inappropriate. The school didn't have a rule that girls must wear bras at all times, so it shouldn't of been considered a violation in the first place. If the administration had a problem with how she was dressed because she didn't wear a bra due to her sunburn then they should have given her a warning. How the administration handled the so called "problem" was inappropriate. For an older man or woman to tell a young lady her nipples were showing after asking her to move around is unfair and to tell Lizzy to her face that she is a "heavier girl" is possibly the rudest thing I have heard in awhile. Additionally, if a guy is dressed in a tight fitting shirt or shorter shorts known as chubbies, would he be asked to change his shorts or to put on a undershirt or bandages to cover his chest because his nipples or legs were showing causing students around him to be distracted? Probably not.
I feel the same way but I think if they want to discriminate females for not wearing a bra then they should be put through the same thing and see how they feel.
I believe the same
As a 17 year old myself, I know personally that if I was placed in this same situation I would not only feel completely mortified, but I would feel utterly discriminated against. It is 2018, women should not still be seen as sexual objects. If the males can not find it in themselves to be mature and respectful for her choice to not wear a bra then that is not her fault. The fact of the matter is, her intention was never to be provocative. She wore a black, long-sleeved shirt because she was in physical pain. Not to mention she never actually violated dress code. I think people today are so caught up in what they think is socially acceptable they can not for one second put themselves in the shoes of others.
I'm 17 too and I feel that if that if it makes up feel comfortable and they say it distract males well in my opinion that self-control and if they are so distracted they should learn self-control.
True
It is so sad that girls have to go through this because boys get "distracted" and my only reply to distracted people is if you don't like it don't look.
I thought that the school's dress code policy was too strict in this situation because they were sacrificing the well-being of their students for the sake of a rule. I think that the school should have a more loose interpretation of these dress code rules and should be able to change them only in special case scenarios such as the instance where a student is in pain for following the enforced rules.
the schools dress code policy is way to strict because she can't go to school without wearing a bra because she had sunburn and felt like she was getting restricted because the bra was putting pressure on the sunburn
Her well-being of the student should be more important then the distraction she would have caused.
The administrators clearly did not handle Lizzie's situation properly. The fact that she was pulled out of class suddenly by the school officials merely to discuss why she should wear a bra, was completely embarrassing and unnecessary. The real question is, why was is such a serious problem that she had to be pulled from class and asked to use bandages to try to fix it? The way they approached the problem was inappropriate. While I agree it is important to uphold and maintain a dress code; however, Lizzie was not specifically breaking any rules according to the school's dress code. Since Lizzie's situation was not noticed by anyone else, there was no reason for her to change.
Thats crazy
The administrators should have called Lizzy out if she was violating the school code, but she was completely obeying the rules. Instead, the school should have already addressed this in the code before calling her out. Although she tried her best not to make it noticeable, administrators called her out of the classroom because they noticed she wasn't wearing anything under. It may have hurt to wear a bra with a sunburn, and I get that it can, but it was more important to be modest. This says nothing on discrimination against women, as there were no guys out of dress code that were overlooked. The administrators did not call her out because of her gender, but because they noticed she was (supposedly) out of code. It may seem harder for us girls to find school-appropriate clothing sometimes, but this doesn't mean we're discriminated against. It is important to be modest in school, regardless of gender, but it is also important the school makes those boundaries clear before calling out someone who is perfectly following the rules.
I agree that the way Lizzy came dressed to school was not the ideal way to come; however, no rules were broken and she shouldn't have had to go through such an uncomfortable, embarrassing situation. Nowhere in the school's dress code did it say that girls had to wear a bra, so what was the problem? The way administration handled it was uncalled for as it brought more attention to her and made her very uncomfortable. The only way this "punishment" would have been acceptable is if she was bringing attention to herself or getting made fun of; however, Lizzy said, "no one said a thing to me until I got to the dean's office" (Proulx 1). The ideal way administration should have handled the situation was to stay out of it as there were no rules broken. In conclusion, there was no logical reason for Lizzy to be called into the office and embarrassed for the way she dressed that day.
I believe the school handled this situation extremely poorly. If there was no rule she that she was explicitly in violation of to begin with, she should not have been called to the Deans office. At most she should have been given a warning. However, the extent of humiliation and embarrassment she was put through makes this situation unacceptable. She was clearly discriminated against because of her gender.
The school did mishandle the situation; however, I disagree with your statement that she should not have been called into the Deans office. While she says she does not recall distracting anyone, it is not likely that she was paying attention in that regard. If a teacher or student had noticed it and notified the Dean, it is likely that other students had noticed and were distracted as well. Therefore, she was creating a distraction for her fellow students, so the school had to action.
The school handled Lizzy's situation in a completely unprofessional way. They told her boys were laughing at her when no one had made comments on it previous to being sent to the dean's office and forced her to put on an undershirt against her will. The dean inappropriately commented on her nipples which made Lizzy uncomfortable. To top it off, Lizzy's lack of bra was not even against the school dress code so the administration should not have subjected her to a punishment.
I think this whole situation could have been avoided if they would have given Lizzy a warning about public decency. Lizzy had a painful sunburn and she didn't wear the bra because of it. She wore a baggy sweatshirt to cover it and as evidenced by the article, the average individual can not even notice that she is not wearing a bra. Lizzy made an attempt to conceal the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra (which is not a rule in the dress code). How is one punished for something that is not even against the rules?
i agree
If someone wants to wear a bra then let them, if they don't want to, then why should they have to? it's not a problem of distraction or embarrassment, it's a problem of making it a problem when it doesn't have to be one. My school's dress code is lenient, but every now and then heavier girls wearing the same thing as thinner girls get called out, or shamed in front of classmates. It's not the "sexual" or "revealing" manner in which these girls dress that is the problem, its the sexualizing itself. If you don't want to dress a certain way, then don't dress that way. But how does it really affect you if someone else chooses to dress that way? Let people make their own decisions, and stop trying to make THEIR choices for them based on an outdated social construct.
i totally agree, i hear about heavier girls getting called out and seeing thinner girls in the same things later that days and not getting called out. But i truly believe that if a women want to wear a bra she can if she doesn't then she doesn't have to nobody should be able to say anything about it. and if it was that big of a problem they could of had her put on a hoodie.
I consent that the girl should have not gone to school without a bra, but I disagree that she broke any rules. Wearing a bra was not in the dress code, so technically is was allowed. The dean said that kids were looking and laughing, but the commotion he caused only made the situation a lot worse. The school should have let it slide, then refined their dress code. It's their own fault that this situation could occur with such uproar.
I think the school and administration handled the situation poorly. The school's handbook had no policy saying that girls are required to wear bras to school. It was Lizzy's choice to go to to school with no bra on, so if she was getting any unwanted attention or uncomfortable she could change into a bra if she wanted to. The administration should not have done anything.
yes I agree the administration should not have done a thing because it was her choice and she should not have to be disciplined for the choice she made
I agree, with you. I think its simple that she school shouldn't have got involved and they should have just let her be.
I believe the school handled her so-called dress code violation very poorly. Lizzy should not have been dealt with so harshly, especially considering she wasn't even in violation of the dress code. If the school had clearly stated in their code of student conduct that females were required to wear a bra, the situation would be different. This "violation" should not have even been considered to be a violation, but since the administration chose to address it, they should've handled the situation in a better way. Asking Lizzy to "stand up and move around" was an unnecessary request by the dean. They could have simply told Lizzy to wear a bra to school from now on instead of embarrassing her for a "violation" that did not previously exist.
A simpler solution is definitely the way to go with this one; Lizzy did not even directly violate the dress code. All the administration needed to do was ask Lizzy to wear a bra moving forward.
If the school wanted bras to be required, it should be in the handbook. She was not technically violating any rules. The school handled the situation poorly by making Lizzy go through humiliating tasks to "fix" her actions. Her reasoning for not wearing a bra was valid and she shouldn't have to undergo pain in order to appease some immature boys who were supposedly laughing.
Girls should not have to fix her outfit because of some laughing boys especially when the handbook doesn't say anything about not being able to not wear a bra.
The problem I have with this situation is the fact that the dress code does not actually have anything saying female students are required to wear a bra, but she was still forced to bear a cruel and unusual punishment which only drew more attention to her. From what I have seen this school's dress code is not too strict, but this case was handled very poorly.
The way the school handled the so-called dress code violation was completely inappropriate. Lizzy was not violating the dress code; requiring girls to wear bras is not even in the handbook. It was not within the administrations rights to call her out and maker change. Not only was it not in their rights but it also clearly made Lizzy uncomfortable and violated. Making her walk around the room while they scrutinized her was inappropriate. Lizzy hadn't even heard anything about her not wearing a bra until she got called into the dean's office. It obviously was not a problem because she would have seen people staring and laughing at her. There was really no reason for her to be called into the office for something so silly.
I agree with your comment in that she was not violating any rules, so she should not have been punished. I also thought it was strange how no one had commented about her not wearing a bra until the Dean and Principal pulled her out of class and made her change because boys were looking and laughing at her.
Let's, for a second, put all opinions aside and focus on the facts: nowhere in the school dress code does it say female students have to wear a bra. How then could Lizzy break a rule she didn't even know existed? Even if we pretend that Lizzy had directly violated a written dress code, the school still handled this situation very poorly. For a grown man to ask a young woman, who was clearly in distress, to spin and jump around is not only humiliating for the girl, but also a direct violation of privacy. As far as sexual discrimination goes, do you believe the principal would ask a male to put bandaids over his nipples if they were showing through his shirt? Seems unlikely.
I agree it was inappropriate of Lizzy to go to school without a bra, but the way administration handled the situation was inappropriate and unfair. If the school's dress code did not specifically state females were required to wear bras, no one had the right to order Lizzy to put a bra on. Lizzy did not break any rule and should have not been reprimanded for something, which was completely justified for her to do. If it had been an boy with "man boobs" would they require him to wear a bra too? I think not. I do not believe the school was intentionally being sexist, but they need to think before they act next time!
When faced with a question such as this, one must first consider what the point of dress codes are. In some areas, such as military institutions, dress codes bring conformity. If you look at successful CEO’s such as Steve Jobs, they wear the same thing over and over. While this may make them appear boring, it enables them to not waste valuable energy and brainpower deciding what to wear. When students do not need to decide what to wear each day, they are able to put more focus and energy into schoolwork. Especially at my school, dress codes aren’t just to be annoying. In addition to allowing students to conserve brainpower, they also remove unnecessary distractions caused by students wearing revealing or distracting clothing.
Honestly, I am very disappointed in the way that the school handled the situation. Lizzy clearly was minding her own business, wanted to stay pain-free, and did not want to cause any trouble shown by her previous actions in wearing clothing that would have some flow to it. The administrators, made fun of her and her body, and went to strange and extreme lengths despite that no one around her in class mentioned or was disturbed by her not wearing a bra. They should have maybe found a sweatshirt for Lizzy, not recommend putting band-aids on, plus this situation just feels so dramatized when the handbook did not make a direct statement in the first place.
Lizzy's so called dress code violation was handled with very poorly. Firstly, the school was very ignorant for not knowing their own Code of Conduct and for forcing Lizzy to do more than what she agreed to in this Code. Secondly, even after Lizzy complied and put on the undershirt, the administration then made her do more because they could still see her nipples at an specific angle. Lizzy was made uncomfortable both physically and emotionally by the school's administration. It shouldn't have been considered a violation in the first place because there is nothing clearly stated in the Code of Conduct that makes her have to cover up with a bra. The administrators should have left this entire situation alone because it was never a violation, but then it also called attention to Lizzy not wearing a bra when not that many students or teachers cared or noticed in the first place. To wear a bra is ultimately a decision for the student to do and the school can't and shouldn't do anything about.
The purpose of the school dress code is not to restrict students, but to protect students and to allow students to succeed in school. While the issue may not have been a Code of Conduct infraction, the administrators had the best interest of her in mind. The administrators, seeing a potentially embarrassing or distracting situation, stepped in to calm the situation and avoid an event that could hurt her reputation. The conflict is not about administrators forcing her to wear a bra, rather, an administrator stepping in to protect a student.
Wrong, if there were an initial issue as far as destractions or sexual content then that's when they could've been involved. she even mentioned that no one said or did anything to her or about her bra until administration called attention to it.
Lizzie's only mistake was not putting on enough sunscreen. How can she be expected to wear something so constricting while having a burn on her shoulders? Also, according to their handbook she wasn't in any violation. It's not in the administrations place to call her out for it, and the entire situation is incredibly disrespectful to her privacy. Lizzie would have noticed if people we "laughing" at her for not wearing a bra, and if no one was, it's ovbiously not a massive conflict like the principal made it out to be. I'd say dress codes are definitely more discriminatory to girls than guys. We can't wear leggings or a shirt showing a little bit of shoulder without it being "innappropiate and distracting" to the male population. If it was such a problem, no one should of been looking at Lizzie that way as a sign of maturity and respect.
The school clearly made a mistake for this entire situation. The school clearly handled the entirety of it very poorly. Lizzy should not have been dealt with so harshly, especially considering she wasn't even in violation of the dress code. Had there been clear outlines of what to wear and what not to wear, that would be different. There was no explicit rule even placing her out of dress code, and had there been, they still would've handled the situation poorly. Administrators should have calmly approached her and requested her to fix the necessary infraction. But considering there wasn't one, the entire situation becomes infinitely more complicated. It seems she was discriminated against on the basis of her gender, not dealt with according to her dress.
Though I conceded that the dress code was not violated and the school handled the situation very poorly, I don't believe Lizzy was discriminated against for her gender. Dress code is enforced in schools to keep students dressed reasonably and conservatively. Not wearing a bra for women is as much of a distraction as wearing obnoxiously small and tight shorts for men. She was not considered a distraction because she is a woman: the administration considered her in violation of the dress code for lack of modesty. If the administration could tell she had no bra on, who is to say that no one else really noticed? Instead of placing the blame on discrimination because of gender, Lizzy should understand that her choice of dress was not modest and was instructed to cover up because of it.
This issue is in fact discrimination in my opinion. Small tight pants may be distracting as Lizzy's chest may have been, but if a male decides to wear them he should be allowed to do so (if they are not violating dress code). People should have more respect and maturity not laugh and bring attention to a woman's chest if she is in physical pain by wearing a bra. I think the principle and dean were both completely out of line. From the offensive comment about being a "heavier girl" to the ordering of her to stand up and move around while they check her out. Not only is this embarrassing but entirely inappropriate. Of course being conservative is great, but keep in mind what Lizzy was wearing, a long black oversized shirt. What more could you ask for? Leave the poor girl in pain alone. There was no violation and no harm done.
I agree. good response
I think the school handled the situation rather poorly considering the circumstances. According to Lizzy's recount, which I am more likely to believe, the only people bothered by the way she was dressed were the teachers and administrators. There is definitely discrimination because of sex displayed here. Only girls are required to cover their nipples, despite the fact that they are the same on both men and women, other than the nursing aspect. Also, Lizzy wasn't in violation of the school dress code, so her outfit should have been totally acceptable. Since she wasn't breaking any rules, the administrators should have just left her alone. I'd say the school's dress code is perfectly acceptable. I know at my school we have essentially the same policies, and there haven't been any problems or otherwise so far. I'd say that we most definitely are in the midst of a watershed movement. TIME Magazine's Person of the Year were people who had started this whole movement. I think that this movement is most definitely happening, and it will most definitely change us for the better.
I agree that the school handled the situation poorly and I think asking Lizzy to walk around was incredibly uncomfortable and inappropriate. However, I disagree that Lizzy wasn't breaking the dress code. The code states that the decency of students is determined by the principle and the dress code. So, she was breaking the dress code because the dress code is subjective. I also disagree that the dress code is acceptable, as a female student, I find that skirt lengths that don't break the dress code are very difficult to find. If I do find a skirt long enough, it's meant for someone much larger than me. I do agree that a movement is working its way towards us and I hope it changes dress codes for the betterment of equality.
I agree. good response
I agree. good response
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