I am more than a distraction
IMAGE / Mr. Darrick J. Puffer
Nadia Koontz
Hey kids, what are you going to wear to school today?
A skirt? How short? “Sagging” pants: Is that Gucci? What about a bandanna, Jeggings, sweat pants, ripped jeans, or a beanie?
Maybe you just want to wear something comfortable.
Preferably leggings or stretch pants? Maybe even match it with a tank top?
Think again, and go back into your closet for another 15 minutes to find something “conservative.”
Who cares if you’re late, right? I mean, as long as you cover up.
Who cares if you get sent down to the office? Your shoulders are distracting everyone in the classroom. You are such a disruption.
Who cares if you waste 30 minutes of your class time down at the office? At least you’ll be covered up for your last three hours of school.
In school, we are not allowed to wear spaghetti straps.
The reason for it is because it is “too revealing” and if you show a little too much shoulder, it can be distracting for others. Particularly to boys.
We have been taught to cover ourselves because it is “distracting.”
More importantly, we have been taught that this rule of covering up is reasonable.
For example, our dress code states that girls must wear a strap that is at least two inches wide and there are no exceptions.
But if you take a step back and think for just a split second, who wakes up in the morning, gets a measuring tape, and then measures their clothes to fit the standards of society’s rules?
Even more so, how can a shoulder distract anyone?
“Wow … a shoulder! Since it is so distracting, I am going to fail my exam now,” said no boy ever.
School dress codes tells a girl that her body is inherently sexual. It tells her that she is not entitled to human decency and respect unless she covers up.
I understand that we must abide by the rules, but if girls do not see the justice in it, what are the chances of someone following the rule?
Another question is, where did these rules arise from, what are they based off of?
Kearsley Community Schools has been opened since 1868.
Kearsley High School was built in 1957 and has been expanded multiple times since.
So you could only imagine the time period when the dress code was enforced and who exactly conjured up the ideas for the ideal dress code.
Little bits and pieces have been added and taken away from the list of guidelines.
Trends come and go with every class.
To think about when our school was built and to think that in 1957, girls were restricted to mostly everything is astounding.
But the range of acceptability has changed.
Maybe it is time for our dress code to make a change.
Maybe our dress code needs new guidelines that are not based off of sexist ideas.
We need a change.
I am 17 years old. If you objectify me by what I am wearing, that is not a dress code violation; it is a personal violation by a sexist attitude that objectifies women.
So, as the summer months approach us, remember that girls wear shorts in order to cool themselves off, not to look “trashy.”
We will continue to wear shorts and tank tops not because we are fighting against the rules, but because it is simply hot outside.
Trust me, our first thought is not, “I will wear a tank top to make authorities mad today,” or, “I am going to wear these shorts to get out of English class.”
In the end, I am more than a distraction.
Class: Senior
Extracurricular Activities: Student Council, DECA, robotics
Sports: Tennis
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, writing
Plans after High...
Marcie Press • Jun 8, 2015 at 8:20 pm
As a mother of both a teenage boy and girl I completely agree with this article. I teach my son that women are not objects and it doesn’t matter how much skin they show they are still people: they are not a distraction and they are not up for grabs. If people start more time teaching the men how to properly behave and act around women we wouldn’t have a need for such ridiculous standards for women to hold up to.
Tami Taylor • Jun 8, 2015 at 1:17 pm
The problem is that males are not adequately taught self control early enough. The popular argument is that puberty is so incredibly difficult for boys. I contend that our society needs to work harder at holding all people responsible for their own choices and their own actions. Males need to work harder at accepting females as equals. It is my opinion that in all areas with the exception of physical strength, females are the superior gender more often than not.
Brandon Busha • Jun 6, 2015 at 2:42 pm
This has got to be the most ridiculous response to the way the school dress code is today. I suggest if you don’t want to be “late” or have to “sit in the office for 30 minutes” you not wear what you are not suppose to.
Aubrey Scott • Jun 8, 2015 at 12:03 pm
How about you wake up at 5:30 in the morning and remember the numerous clothing restrictions that you have to follow. And go shopping to any clothing store and try to find clothes that fit the dress code. It’s impossible. Put yourself into our shoes and realize that girls are oversexualized because you can see a shoulder or our thighs. There is nothing distracting about my shoulder, what do you think connects my arm to the rest of my body?
Robert Alarie • Jun 5, 2015 at 10:19 pm
I completely agree. Boys are also held to the same dress code. We cannot wear very short clothing or cut off tops. The rules must be able to apply to everyone to be fair.