Editorial: Dress codes remain outdated, pointless

In CCSD, the discussion of dress code is one that both teens and adults have talked about for ages. While the dress code has remained relatively the same for decades with limits on clothing items like tank tops, crop tops, shorts and the language that may be plastered on them, it’s time for some changes. 

We, the Silverado Star, agree the dress code is outdated, irrelevant and unfairly skewed. 

A primary issue involving the dress code is the actual enforcement of it, unfair and unnecessary enforcements in particular.

Many students on the Star staff have noted the lack of enforcement from many teachers. Clothing items and styles like wearing hats or hoods on a sweatshirt have been less likely to cause a problem. Students are rarely sent to the office for these dress code violations.

However, when it is enforced, it tends to be toward female students. Girls with longer legs may be pulled from class as their shorts may be deemed inappropriate, while others may not. Girls with larger chests may be ridiculed for wearing a tank top, while other girls may pass under teachers’ and administrators’  noses. This sends a negative message and places further shame on these girls when they are told their bodies cause a disruption.

In addition to this comes the hypocrisy from CCSD themselves, allowing cheerleaders to wear uniforms involving miniskirts or revealing their midriffs at school-approved events such as sporting events and assemblies that would otherwise be dress-coded. 

We understand that clothes with vulgar language or items that are objectively revealing would be an obvious violation. However, clothing items like tank tops or shorts should not be so closely regulated in a city like Las Vegas at the very least. This is especially true in the hotter months when outside temperatures can reach over 100 degrees and schools’ outdated and straining air conditioning units add on to the issue.

As previously stated, many teachers don’t even enforce the dress code themselves. This means students may or may not have to worry about what they wear simply because of who they were assigned as teachers, making this unfair and unpredictable. Although we disagree with many of the policies named in the handbook, the consistency from teachers would be fairer and emphasize the dress code’s supposed importance.