I have put a discussion topic in the Echo discussion section regarding girls wearing the opaque tights under too short shorts and also as pants. Please enter your opinions in the discussion. Thanks!
I support amending our dress code to state that tights and skin tight pants of any kind are not appropriate as outer-wear in school. We should treat tights as if they are not there, hence shorts and skirts would need to comply with dress code regardless of whether tights are present or not. This would eliminate the temptation for students to use their tights as an excuse for wearing hot-pants and mini-skirts.
Before devoting too much energy to this issue, perhaps we need to discuss how we are and should be enforcing the dress code that currently exists. Neither we nor any school in which I've taught have been consistent in this. What is the specific expectation in terms of how we handle observed "violations?" I see lots of them but rarely call them out as a result of not knowing what my options are and having been burned in the past (not here) with office staff not supporting my decisions.
I noticed Peter's comment that this discussion should be in the Echo discussion thread. I'm a bit confused. I thought Michelle created this blog to use instead of the Echo discussion section. Having said that, I have been seeing a lot of dress code violations with the hot weather recently and I, too, have been surprised that I am the first staff person to talk to a student about it on a particular day(even though it may be in the afternoon.) Sounds like we all need clarity on what our dress code IS, how we need to honor and enforce it with students, and what the consequences are for students if they violate our dress code. For example, somewhere along the line, a NTHS guideline was established for the length of skirts and shorts. The guideline: The student, standing, places his/her arms down by his/her sides. The skirt/ pair of shorts should be past the tips of the student's fingers. I still use this guideline, but I honestly don't know if it's still our current guideline and if it is, how many staff and students are aware of this guideline. Also, with everything we have on our minds as staff members, it is difficult to remember the nuances of all of our guidelines and to have the presence of mind to 1) notice a dress code violation and 2)have the time/energy/comfort level to address the violation with a student. Sorry to get so lengthy; this dress code issue has been on my mind all week as it directly relates to the atmosphere of professionalism we're trying to create at NTHS.
I support amending our dress code to state that tights and skin tight pants of any kind are not appropriate as outer-wear in school. We should treat tights as if they are not there, hence shorts and skirts would need to comply with dress code regardless of whether tights are present or not. This would eliminate the temptation for students to use their tights as an excuse for wearing hot-pants and mini-skirts.
ReplyDeleteBefore devoting too much energy to this issue, perhaps we need to discuss how we are and should be enforcing the dress code that currently exists. Neither we nor any school in which I've taught have been consistent in this. What is the specific expectation in terms of how we handle observed "violations?" I see lots of them but rarely call them out as a result of not knowing what my options are and having been burned in the past (not here) with office staff not supporting my decisions.
ReplyDeleteI second Tom's comments - seems like there's a lot of vagueness around dress code in general with regard to protocol and enforcement.
ReplyDeleteSomeone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe we should be posting all of this to the discussion thread in Echo.
ReplyDeletehttps://echo.newtechnetwork.org/?q=ntlp/groups/forum/view/1764977/196172766
I just want to make sure everyone's thoughts are captured in one place. - Peter
I too have noticed and brought their attention that hose and shorts don't meet a professional high schol's dress requirements.
ReplyDeleteAlso, how it it that students are getting to my third block with no one else saying anything about their dress?
I noticed Peter's comment that this discussion should be in the Echo discussion thread. I'm a bit confused. I thought Michelle created this blog to use instead of the Echo discussion section.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I have been seeing a lot of dress code violations with the hot weather recently and I, too, have been surprised that I am the first staff person to talk to a student about it on a particular day(even though it may be in the afternoon.) Sounds like we all need clarity on what our dress code IS, how we need to honor and enforce it with students, and what the consequences are for students if they violate our dress code.
For example, somewhere along the line, a NTHS guideline was established for the length of skirts and shorts. The guideline: The student, standing, places his/her arms down by his/her sides. The skirt/ pair of shorts should be past the tips of the student's fingers. I still use this guideline, but I honestly don't know if it's still our current guideline and if it is, how many staff and students are aware of this guideline. Also, with everything we have on our minds as staff members, it is difficult to remember the nuances of all of our guidelines and to have the presence of mind to 1) notice a dress code violation and 2)have the time/energy/comfort level to address the violation with a student.
Sorry to get so lengthy; this dress code issue has been on my mind all week as it directly relates to the atmosphere of professionalism we're trying to create at NTHS.