In the grade-level meetings at the beginning of this year, the administrators explained the expectations for the dress code. Students understand why we have a dress code, but they do raise an eyebrow at some of its strict and overbearing rules.

The dress code is nothing new and has been a topic of discussion for years now. But when is it time to change it when we recognize that some of it is ridiculous and outdated?

In the meeting, a school counselor emphasized the dress code and particular prohibitions. One of the Tank tops and spandex shorts are two specific violations.

Three students expressed their thoughts on the dress code: junior Isabella Kemner, senior Brianna Maerki and junior Kenhuan Robles-Gines.

“I think it’s fine, but I don’t like two things. It’s strict about what chicks can wear but not as many as what dudes can wear,” Kemner said.

“It’s a little restrictive. They’re doing a little bit too much,” Maerki said.

“I personally feel that is strict and don’t feel like we should have a dress code, but I understand why we have it,” Robles-Gines said.

Each of their personal feelings towards it has a thing in common: strictness.

Tennessee is no stranger to high temperatures and scorching heat. With the heat, it’s only natural that students come to school dressed for the weather.

“I like to change after team practice, and I have to change so I’m comfortable practicing,” Maerki said. “So I normally wear spandex shorts to practice, and I can’t do that anymore because that’s out of dress code. Also about the tanktops, I’ve seen boys running around in tanktops all the time and don’t get talked to, but when a girl had any shoulder showing she gets sent home. That makes no sense.”

The point of the dress code is to help in learning and keep away “distractions,” yet students disagree.

“It doesn’t improve learning, actually,” Robles-Gines said.

“It has nothing to do with learning,” Maerki said.

Although the dress code is meant to help learning, it seems to do the opposite sometimes.

“It does get more distracting than the student being out of dress code,” Maerki said. “If you don’t have a ride back from being sent home, that does disrupt the learning. That’s not fair.”

Robles-Gines added, “I don’t think it hurts the education at all. I don’t agree with people getting in-school suspension. Getting ISS or sent home from being out of the dress code can hold students back from their education.”

Tanktops and shorts are common clothing students wear. So why ban tank tops? There were no specific types of tank tops discussed but generalized to all. No biker shorts were also specified. Why? They are like the leggings worn by the female student body and come in different lengths. I understand if it is too short but banning them altogether needs to be questioned or reconsidered.

Female students are the ones who fall victim to the strict dress code. Different bodies can be dressed within the appropriate attire, and those with a more developed body may get dress-coded more than their counterpart.

“It really doesn’t affect me, but I’ve seen girls come up to my friends,” Maerki said. “They say they got dress-coded for half an inch of a midriff, but like the girl next to is wearing like a bra. They focus on the wrong thing. The hole above the thighs doesn’t make a lot of sense. It’s not a big deal.”

Maerki feels a double standard exists.

“Honestly, I don’t think anyone benefits from it besides the guys they’re trying to protect,” she said. “If you’re so worried about what a woman is wearing that you limit what she can and can not wear, there is not enough punishment for boys. Ninety percent of the guys in the school do not care.

“There is definitely a double standard because women’s bodies are oversexualized. I can’t go anywhere without feeling stared at. And I think the problem stems from dress codes. They push that sexualization even more.”

Whether small or big, the female student body is being restricted heavily by the dress code.

They say that they have the dress code to stop any distraction from learning, yet the dress code contradicts that.

“Bring back spandex shorts!”