School Bells – To dress or not to dress
It is that time of year again. For those school that are not on a 12 month schedule in the United States school has started or is about to start for most students who are not being home schooled.
One of the issues which many school have been grabbling with since they first began to think of the fall schedule has been uniforms versus non-uniforms. If not uniforms, what should the dress code be? In the county in which I am now living, Pinellas County of Florida, the school board has published the following requirements with the additional caveat to students that “individual schools may have additional requirements if supported by a majority of School Advisory Council (SAC) members and if they are placed in the school handbook or planner.” (PCSB.org):
Requirements for student dress in all schools are listed below:
1. All shirts and blouses must cover midriff, back, sides, and all undergarments including bra straps at all times. All shirts, tops, and dresses shall have sleeves and cover the shoulders.
2. Shorts, skirts, divided skirts, dresses and culottes are allowed. They must be hemmed and be mid-thigh length or longer.
3. All trousers, pants or shorts must totally cover undergarments, including boxer shorts.
4. All clothing, jewelry or tattoos shall be free of the following: profanity; violent images, wording or suggestion; sexually suggestive phrases or images; gang related symbols; alcohol, tobacco, drugs or advertisements for such products.
5. Safe and appropriate footwear must be worn. Inappropriate footwear includes, but is not limited to, roller skates, skate shoes and bedroom slippers.
Further clarification/other requirements:
a. Form fitting leotard/spandex type clothing (including sport bras) is not allowed unless proper outer garments cover it.
b. See through or mesh fabric clothing may only be worn over clothing meeting requirements.
c. Clothing must be appropriate size, with the waist of the garment worn at the student’s waist.
d. Clothing not properly buttoned, zipped, fastened, or with inappropriate holes or tears shall not be worn.
e. Clothing and footwear traditionally designed as undergarments or sleepwear shall not be worn as outer garments.
f. Sunglasses may not be worn inside unless a parent provides a doctor’s note to the school.
g. Bandanas or sweatbands are not allowed to be visible on school grounds during the regular school hours.
h. Hats or other head coverings may be worn during outside P.E. activities and may not be worn during any portion of the regular school day without the expressed permission of the principal.
Many schools in the united states have arrived at or reverted to a simpler solution –
That of a prescribed uniform. Even then, of course, creative students will find a way to alter the prescribed uniform. I recall that even in a prestigious ivy league graduate school at a time when graduate students were required to wear an academic gown and cap these very same brilliant, young adults found a way to obey the letter of the law while subverting the spiritual by defacing the gowns in various ways.
Still, for the most part, uniforms are a much simpler solution for the school staff, the parents and the students. Of course there are those who will argue that uniforms prevent the young people from learning to express their individuality. Still others may argue that the initial cost of uniforms strains or breaks the family budget. For a few individuals fabric sensitivity or other issues such as fasteners, style not suited to shape and size of student. At some school, females are required to wear a skirt, which may be a personal, cultural or religious concern. There are of course, other cultural issues, which must be addressed by any school system.
I found it ironic that a group of activist women around the world, including a group in New Hampshire, chose this time of year to demonstrate their right to go topless anywhere men are allowed to do so. Their states goal generally seems to be related to their sincere desire to de-sexualize the mammary glands of females. Audie Cornish of NPR reported:
On Sunday, female activists in nearly 50 locations around the world went topless. Their goal - encourage women to go topless anywhere men do. New Hampshire Public Radio's Emily Corwin was at Hampton Beach on the New Hampshire coast for what turned out to be a pretty strange day at that beach.
Not all cultures in all times have sexualized the female breasts. In many so called primitive cultures it was and may still be common, weather permitting, for women and men to be bare breasted. In these cultures it is also common for women to breast feed in public. In still other cultures it is still common to require women to cover their entire body, including much of their face and/or head, as well as arms and legs to insure that there they do not present themselves as sexual objects.
Some would, of course argue that from an evolutionary standpoint there was a time in history when it was very important for the woman to be able to non-verbally signal her preparedness for sexual contact in order to procreate. Often when a woman becomes sexually arouses her nipples become erect which may be seen as a signal that she is receptive to an invitation to sexual contact. There may have been a time prior to the advent of human language when it was important to signal in this way. The advent of human language allowed for more communication options. It is also true that, as society as evolved the primary purpose of sexual contact does not need to be procreation. Obviously there was a time when the rate of infant mortality, death during pregnancy or at birth made it imperative that procreation takes place as often as possible. Despite the official pretense of some religions and cultures to the contrary, over population are more of issues then not having enough children to help “till the fields” and do other labor-intensive jobs?
Certainly in the culture of the United States we do not want school children to be signaling sexual readiness before, during or after school hours. We know, of course, that many of our children are going to be sexually active with the opposite and/or same sex at that age but we may not want those “children” to spend school hours focused on sexual stimulating body parts or costumes designed to titillate potential sexual partners. We do know, of course, that no matter what the costume or dress young people will find a way to community there interest in each other.
It is true that in nudist colonies individuals rely of signals other than costumes or body parts to indicate interest. I am NOT suggesting that we offer the option of nudist public school!! Let’s do be very clear about that.
I do think that schools are going to have to continue to attempt to have some sort of dress codes. I do, however, suggest the following:
1. As much as possible let the students via student councils make decisions about dress codes, uniforms choice, etc.
2. Keep a sense of humor.
3. If the decision is to have uniforms make sure that purchase and care of uniforms are financially possible for all the students.
4. Keep a sense of humor.
5. Incorporate issues about cultural and religious thinking regarding dress into classroom instruction.
6. Keep a sense of humor.
7. Remember that it is the job of the young people to object to limits while often secretly being glad to have adults set them.
8. Keep a sense of humor.
9. Educate young people about how costumes are used in various cultures and situations. Just as we teach them which eating utensil to use, they need to know what the customs and rules are.
10.Keep a sense of humor
Written August 25, 2015
It is that time of year again. For those school that are not on a 12 month schedule in the United States school has started or is about to start for most students who are not being home schooled.
One of the issues which many school have been grabbling with since they first began to think of the fall schedule has been uniforms versus non-uniforms. If not uniforms, what should the dress code be? In the county in which I am now living, Pinellas County of Florida, the school board has published the following requirements with the additional caveat to students that “individual schools may have additional requirements if supported by a majority of School Advisory Council (SAC) members and if they are placed in the school handbook or planner.” (PCSB.org):
Requirements for student dress in all schools are listed below:
1. All shirts and blouses must cover midriff, back, sides, and all undergarments including bra straps at all times. All shirts, tops, and dresses shall have sleeves and cover the shoulders.
2. Shorts, skirts, divided skirts, dresses and culottes are allowed. They must be hemmed and be mid-thigh length or longer.
3. All trousers, pants or shorts must totally cover undergarments, including boxer shorts.
4. All clothing, jewelry or tattoos shall be free of the following: profanity; violent images, wording or suggestion; sexually suggestive phrases or images; gang related symbols; alcohol, tobacco, drugs or advertisements for such products.
5. Safe and appropriate footwear must be worn. Inappropriate footwear includes, but is not limited to, roller skates, skate shoes and bedroom slippers.
Further clarification/other requirements:
a. Form fitting leotard/spandex type clothing (including sport bras) is not allowed unless proper outer garments cover it.
b. See through or mesh fabric clothing may only be worn over clothing meeting requirements.
c. Clothing must be appropriate size, with the waist of the garment worn at the student’s waist.
d. Clothing not properly buttoned, zipped, fastened, or with inappropriate holes or tears shall not be worn.
e. Clothing and footwear traditionally designed as undergarments or sleepwear shall not be worn as outer garments.
f. Sunglasses may not be worn inside unless a parent provides a doctor’s note to the school.
g. Bandanas or sweatbands are not allowed to be visible on school grounds during the regular school hours.
h. Hats or other head coverings may be worn during outside P.E. activities and may not be worn during any portion of the regular school day without the expressed permission of the principal.
Many schools in the united states have arrived at or reverted to a simpler solution –
That of a prescribed uniform. Even then, of course, creative students will find a way to alter the prescribed uniform. I recall that even in a prestigious ivy league graduate school at a time when graduate students were required to wear an academic gown and cap these very same brilliant, young adults found a way to obey the letter of the law while subverting the spiritual by defacing the gowns in various ways.
Still, for the most part, uniforms are a much simpler solution for the school staff, the parents and the students. Of course there are those who will argue that uniforms prevent the young people from learning to express their individuality. Still others may argue that the initial cost of uniforms strains or breaks the family budget. For a few individuals fabric sensitivity or other issues such as fasteners, style not suited to shape and size of student. At some school, females are required to wear a skirt, which may be a personal, cultural or religious concern. There are of course, other cultural issues, which must be addressed by any school system.
I found it ironic that a group of activist women around the world, including a group in New Hampshire, chose this time of year to demonstrate their right to go topless anywhere men are allowed to do so. Their states goal generally seems to be related to their sincere desire to de-sexualize the mammary glands of females. Audie Cornish of NPR reported:
On Sunday, female activists in nearly 50 locations around the world went topless. Their goal - encourage women to go topless anywhere men do. New Hampshire Public Radio's Emily Corwin was at Hampton Beach on the New Hampshire coast for what turned out to be a pretty strange day at that beach.
Not all cultures in all times have sexualized the female breasts. In many so called primitive cultures it was and may still be common, weather permitting, for women and men to be bare breasted. In these cultures it is also common for women to breast feed in public. In still other cultures it is still common to require women to cover their entire body, including much of their face and/or head, as well as arms and legs to insure that there they do not present themselves as sexual objects.
Some would, of course argue that from an evolutionary standpoint there was a time in history when it was very important for the woman to be able to non-verbally signal her preparedness for sexual contact in order to procreate. Often when a woman becomes sexually arouses her nipples become erect which may be seen as a signal that she is receptive to an invitation to sexual contact. There may have been a time prior to the advent of human language when it was important to signal in this way. The advent of human language allowed for more communication options. It is also true that, as society as evolved the primary purpose of sexual contact does not need to be procreation. Obviously there was a time when the rate of infant mortality, death during pregnancy or at birth made it imperative that procreation takes place as often as possible. Despite the official pretense of some religions and cultures to the contrary, over population are more of issues then not having enough children to help “till the fields” and do other labor-intensive jobs?
Certainly in the culture of the United States we do not want school children to be signaling sexual readiness before, during or after school hours. We know, of course, that many of our children are going to be sexually active with the opposite and/or same sex at that age but we may not want those “children” to spend school hours focused on sexual stimulating body parts or costumes designed to titillate potential sexual partners. We do know, of course, that no matter what the costume or dress young people will find a way to community there interest in each other.
It is true that in nudist colonies individuals rely of signals other than costumes or body parts to indicate interest. I am NOT suggesting that we offer the option of nudist public school!! Let’s do be very clear about that.
I do think that schools are going to have to continue to attempt to have some sort of dress codes. I do, however, suggest the following:
1. As much as possible let the students via student councils make decisions about dress codes, uniforms choice, etc.
2. Keep a sense of humor.
3. If the decision is to have uniforms make sure that purchase and care of uniforms are financially possible for all the students.
4. Keep a sense of humor.
5. Incorporate issues about cultural and religious thinking regarding dress into classroom instruction.
6. Keep a sense of humor.
7. Remember that it is the job of the young people to object to limits while often secretly being glad to have adults set them.
8. Keep a sense of humor.
9. Educate young people about how costumes are used in various cultures and situations. Just as we teach them which eating utensil to use, they need to know what the customs and rules are.
10.Keep a sense of humor
Written August 25, 2015
RSS Feed