I recall my high school having some similar solution for dress code violations, though one that was far more neutral and less blatantly shaming. A gray t-shirt and sweatpants, IIRC. I’m not sure that there’s a better way to handle the situation, as every other solution I can think of has its own issues.
It’s interesting that half of the outrage here seems to be over the dress code in general. That’s fair, but I can’t imagine that the dress code isn’t published. If this girl’s parents were doing their job, they’d either be ensuring that their daughter is dressed to conform to the code, or lobbying the school to change it if they disagree with it (or both).
Well, you can’t find it directly from the front of the website because it’s not actively linked from the front, but I did find the Oakleaf High School dress code through a named search. As written, it isn’t horribly unfair (unless you’re a teen trying to shop). Both male and female students are expected to wear short garments that don’t ride above the knee. So at least this wasn’t written specifically against female students.
Here’s what isn’t OK.
"Students found to be in violation of the dress code will receive a discipline referral"
That ultra-vague statement led me to hunt down the student handbook.
There are four options listed in the student handbook for punishment:
• Teacher-controlled detention requires 24-hour notice
• In School Suspension (ISS)/Student Work Detail (SWD) This is basically “work detail during the day, catch up on all your school work that night” • Out of School Suspension (OSS) “However, suspension is a last resort on the part of OHS.” • Corporal Punishment “A written notice must be submitted to the Office of the Principal if you object to corporal punishment for your student. Normally, parent permission is obtained before administering corporal punishment.”
Then they list the dress code. At the end of the dress code, they list this SEPARATE PUNISHMENT:
“Students found to be in violation of the dress policy will be given a school shirt or pants to wear until the end of the school day. At that time, the student must bring these articles of clothing back to the clinic. Failure to return these items will result in a fine. The charge is $5.00 for tops and $10.00 for pants. Repetitive dress code infractions will result in a referral.”
Note that it says “shirt or pants”. There was nothing wrong with Miranda’s shirt. It shows no cleavage, and is in good repair - so why was she given the shirt to wear? From the school’s own rules, it sounds quite a bit like she wasn’t supposed to get that “punishment” shirt at all.
oh, far out. yeah, I don’t know if you saw, but I edited my post to include a memory of seeing the “opposite day” protests on the news. I was at Bass Middle for 7th and 8th, this was starting in '87. Bass flowed into Pearl Cohn, but I was steered into Hume Fogg (the academic magnet, for non-Nashvillians.) So, I lived in Sylvan Park, right by the 440 exit for West End and Murphy Rd. Kinda tucked in-between there and Charlotte Av., if you’re familiar with that part of town. I knew Overton by name, I know some of our HF students were zoned for there, but I still don’t know what part of town it was in (I didn’t really start driving until I’d gone on to Knoxville for uni.) What years were you at Overton?
They made the teen put on clothing with no control over whether or not it had been washed, and she ended up breaking out in hives. I think the family should sue for medical costs and make the point in court (on the school’s permanent record, hehehe) that the school put the child in a medically-compromised situation without contacting the parents.
Ostensibly, dress codes are to prevent the children from wearing something that would disrupt the class thereby cheating other students out of their right to learn.
Somehow, I think this dress code violation getup is more distracting that a just above the knee skirt.
read the article again. She had stress hives. There is no indication that the outfit was not clean.
Unable to dress correctly? I live in Boulder CO so I should probably run out and let the rest of the town know we’re doing it wrong. While I’m at it, should I ask all the gents to trade in the backpacks and messenger bags for briefcases as well?
Back on topic though, I am curios to see if the “Dress Code Violation” as a fashion trend picks up.
I went to high school in Florida in the 80s. I believe the rule of thumb was was 3 inches above the knee – with an exception for cheerleader uniforms because school spirit was somehow deemed stronger than the forces of “distraction”.
Also, “The Simpsons” t-shirts were on the shit list.
People: Do not move from civilized parts of the USA to the former confederacy. ESPECIALLY if you have children. Best case scenario is that you and your offspring get a real jarring education about how shitty humanity can be. Society at large in the south is still theocratic, racist, pro-ignorance, and it has terrible, third-world infrastructure to boot. I feel bad for this girl, because the bullshit has only just begun for her. If at all possible, run.
i think it’s an unintended consequence of a poorly thought-out policy. it’s not necessarily a misogynistic one, since presumably males would have to wear the same stupid outfit. isn’t that enough?
No, that’s not enough, because whether or not you can see it, it’s slut-shaming too.
Edit: And just to add, since you can’t seem to see it – the rules that apply to girls are fundamentally different, in terms of reasoning and implication, from the ones that apply to boys.
okay, so you’d say the same if the person were male? (i’m not even getting into the question of why, in the hundreds of times this has happened, this particular case is getting media coverage.)
I’m starting to wonder if you’re just being purposely obtuse, but just to play along – Of course not. Since when have boys been repeatedly and abusively shamed for being “sluts”?
[quote=“retchdog, post:9, topic:40693”]
males sort of had it worse, in that we had to wear long slacks or jeans[/quote]
Never wore school uniform for a single day. My Infant and Primary school had school colours/appropriate clothes that they encouraged people to wear - red sweater, charcoal trousers, I think, which was utterly ignored by everyone.
no, i’m just not playing into your silly story. if the slut-shaming is an invented narrative as applied to this particular case, then it doesn’t matter at all whether or not boys are repeatedly shamed for being sluts.
i’m not being purposely obtuse; there are cases where i take the so-called “feminist” side, and there are (much fewer, btw) cases where i take the so-called “mra” side. this particular one seems to be neither, and i hate it when people pigeon-hole their dumb ideologies with whatever sensationalist story falls into their laps.
added: just because someone can draw a line between two points, doesn’t mean that it is there. i can see your point; it’s not quite as subtle as you might think. i’m just not falling for what you might call “ideological pareidolia”.
When I first heard this story I figured she was wearing a miniskirt. The skirt in question doesn’t seem that short to me. Do the school’s cheerleaders dress up in Amish garb?
