Henrico school’s new district-wide dress code
Dress code
When Henrico County's new districtwise dress code is completed, it will be posted online at www.henrico.k12.va.us/parents/ code-conduct.html . According to the new code, students will not be allowed to wear:hats or head coverings of any kind inside school buildings unless required for religious or medical reasons;
do-rags, bandanas, head scarves, hair picks, wave caps, large combs, brushes or rollers anywhere on school grounds during regular school hours;
dresses, skirts, shorts or athletic shorts higher than 4 inches above the knee;
torn, ripped or slashed clothing that reveals undergarments or parts of the body required to be covered, such as the midriff;
excessively tight or skimpy clothing, including bike shorts and plunging necklines;
tube tops, halter tops, halter-top dresses, strapless dresses, or tops or dresses with straps less than 2 inches wide at the shoulder;
swimwear or sleepwear;
sunglasses unless prescribed by a physician; and
coats inside the school building during the school day, with exceptions based on school design and storage for coats.
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Reader Reactions
Huffieva,
I have agreed with some of your ideas in the past in the realm of “personal freedoms.“
That being said, I do not think we are trampling all over kid’s self expression to expect them to dress “appropriately” for school. Not allowing a girl to wear a tube top and booty shorts isn’t really stifling her self expression is it? I mean, she can still dress that way after school right? You are lucky that you are employed in a field where your attire is irrelevant to your job. Realistically, most people work for companies (or work for themselves) and have to wear clothes that present a certain image of their company/profession. Sure.. a plumber isn’t going to be wearing a tie.. but many wear uniforms and dres code restrictions are present at all levels of the white/blue collar spectrum. Learning what is considered suitable attire for the occasion is something that will be of value to most kids.
Actually, they do have a choice because they can be home schooled.. or attend a private school without a dress code.. It’s not like they are advocating everyone wearing the same thing (ie uniforms).. although.. some of those kids will be working in establishments where that is required some day..
I mean.. what is so stiffling about telling kids they can’t wear their PJ’s to school?
So in theory, by taking away the kids freedom of expression and teaching them to follow the leader and dress and act identical to one another, the supporters of dress codes / uniforms believe that they are preparing kids with the ability to make their own thought out choices?
Dress Codes / uniforms in the workplace are a much different concept, as one has the ability to choose whether or not to continue to work at that particular establishment… Myself I have made a decent living in worn jeans, t-shirts and usually untied boots for the last twenty years (basically the same attire from my High School), been married in the same attire, even went to senior prom in jeans… I feel much better about making it up the ladder with my brains rather than my looks. But its entirely up to you if you want to teach your kids that ones quality of life is dependent upon what they dress like feel free to do so, just stay away from mine… The road to success wont show up on your GPS, so you should have a bit of fun along the way…
having gone to County schools and now having children in County schools, I can tell you that not being able to wear a coat inside the school bldg may be forcing them to freeze. Who is the person that gets to decide if wearing a thin zippered coat (to layer during the school day) is in violation vs a full parka?
I don’t really see a problem with a dress code for students… Most companies have a dress code and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have kids learn how to follow rules that may prepare them for the bigger world. That is what they are there to do.. learn skills that will help them survive life.. learning to adhere to a dress code is definitely one of those skills that will be used in their futures.
Breast implant epidemic? That makes no sense in response to saying that breast implants are a lame fashion trend. But hey, if an adult wants to mutilate there body for thousands of dollars for the purpose of making glands on their body look bigger to give themselves a greater sense of worth, that’s their business.
And yes, the way kids dress at school does have an impact. Kids dress to set social boundaries and status, their attire is an unspoken language that determines, in part, what click you are in or how popular you are, etc. School is for learning, and the sooner we can get the focus off of glorifying prison culture or being a bragart about shopping at Abercrombie and Fitch, the sooner we can get the focus back on reading and studying and teaching kids their is more to life than being “cool” (biggest waste of time, maybe ever) or the pursuit of material items that add no value to their lives. I do agree that it starts at home with the parents, but some parents just don’t care, and kids don’t exist in a bubble at school. A dress code also helps educators because it sets limits on what is acceptable so educators know they have support if somebody is wearing something that is “over the top”.
AppFan,
If you feel so strongly about uniforms, why don’t you send your kids to private school?
CWB717,
I was unaware of the breast implant epidemic.
Henrico County,
No more than 4” above the knee? Are you at all familiar with Imperial Measurement standards?, at 4” above the knee that would be a pair of “Nickers”...
Is this seriously the one thing that the highly educated members of the school board believe will end the violence, or general unruliness??? Give me a break, or better yet give the kids a break. Its a fact that the tighter the restrictions on personal freedom of choice result in more and more kids being pushed over the edge. Please show us one shred of evidence that a “Budweiser” T-shirt has ever killed anyone, a halter top ever choked anyone, or a mini skirt ever beat someone into a coma. You can blame hooded sweatshirts if you wish, but what it boils down to is that the average parent out there today is unfit and expects the “Village” to raise their kids for them. What they actually need to do is take the last twenty or so years of “new rules” and wipe them off the books then rethink each and every one of them sensibly before reenacting them. Rather than shooting from the hip with the simpleton idea of a “Revised” dress code.
Replacing common sense with poorly thought out rules, regulations and management have gotten our schools in the condition they are, this condition was not caused by spaghetti strapped tops or boxer shorts, its from the school board trying to do the job of teaching kids common sense through regulations because many of their parents either are not capable or simply refuse to do it themselves…
Uniforms would be much easier. I’m not looking forward to shopping for shorts that only expose 4 inches of upper thigh or dresses with a 2 inch strap. Looks like the kids will be wearing a lot of jeans and t-shirts.
I did find it interesting that they spent a lot of time discussing the head and hair decorating.
I think a dress code is good. However, I do NOT think that an exception to head coverings for religous reasons should be made. We don’t practice religion in school. Either head coverings are allowed for everyone or no one.
All schools should have uniforms
Good call Henrico schools. School is for learning, not a fashion show. I am just amazed that parents let their children leave the house dressed in the manner that some do. Does this mean that your pant’s will have to be pulled up to your waste too? The pant’s hanging way below your belt line revealing your boxer shorts is one of the lamest fashion trends ever, next to breast implants maybe.
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