Has the Dress Code “Sweep” Gone Too Far?

By Kimaya Cole, Staff writer

As Mr. Lambert always says, “Remember, it’s a great day to be a lion,”…. unless it’s 98 degrees outside and you’re on the verge of having a heat stroke. This comes from the dress code rule that’s gone WAY too far. Has the school administration crossed the line with the new dress code “sweep?” Is it really necessary to dress code students (mainly girls) for exposing too much shoulder or lower thigh? Does faculty really need to take a student from class, and interrupt lecture, to make them change?

On the announcements, Mr. Lambert always says we need to learn how to express our style in a “school” appropriate way, but it’s more than wanting to represent ourselves and our style. We wear certain clothes depending on the weather and wanting to be comfortable in class. When it’s hot outside, the first thing students are going to think about wearing are shorts and a tank top, NOT jeans that will suffocate our body, or long sleeves that will make it hard to focus in class because we’re too worried about the sweat stains we’re acquiring under our pits. They can try to scare students into conforming to the dress code, but the reality is the majority of students will still break the rules. And I’m sure students don’t wake up every morning with the main goal to try and attract the opposite sex by exposing their shoulders and thighs. The administration is trying to over-sexualize the appearance of students by claiming it is distracting. However, what’s distracting is conducting unnecessary “sweeps,” disrupting students and keeping them out of class.

The dress code has become so harsh that the idea of uniforms is starting to sound more appealing. But why should it even have to come to that point? McClatchy High School is a public school, not a private school, and it shouldn’t be treated like one.

Besides the fact that uniforms would be way too expensive for our school’s budget, they are uncomfortable with their cheap fabric. “Inappropriate” clothing is said to be the reason why students aren’t paying attention, but uniforms aren’t going to change that. Not only are uniforms expensive for the school, but some parents may not be able to buy uniforms for their child. Also, uniforms may violate certain students’ religion or beliefs. What will happen then? Will that child be forced to go to a different school? And last but not least, uniforms suppress individual expression and creativity. Uniforms don’t allow students to represent themselves and be unique.

Montana Vince (‘16), exclaimed, “Uniforms are expensive and would be ugly. I don’t want to be conformed to dress like everyone else. I want to be able to show my creativity through my clothes.”

McClatchy’s administration needs to loosen up and realize that there are a wide variety of clothes that are considered “in style,” but uniforms will never be a fan favorite.