Students at Tahoma High School complain about being dress coded unfairly and how females feel like the main target. With schools dress coding females for showing shoulders, they might as well dress code boys for doing the same as well.

Dress code has always been a touchy subject. People have many different opinions on what they think is appropriate and what is considered to be inappropriate. According to the Tahoma High Schools planner, it states the dress code doesn’t allow baring your torso by stating “Attire which exposes the torso(halter tops, tank tops, see- through clothing and clothing that does not cover undergarments) is not appropriate school wear. No spaghetti straps or muscle shirts.”  Chloe Koepping , a junior at Tahoma High school, said the school dress code was “okay” but did witness people breaking rules. She later added, “I noticed people breaking rules, guys wearing explicit shirts with Marijuana leaves on it, I feel like the dress code’s acceptable and people should be able to wear whatever they want as long as it’s in reason”.

Zack Acord a freshmen attending Tahoma High School had an interesting view on dress code. “I dont think school dress codes are fair because people can’t show shoulders and are only allowed to wear shorts at finger tip length when peoples arm lengths are different.”

Females feel overruled due to the fact that when a female shows her shoulder she will get dress coded, but when a guy shows his shoulder a majority of teachers will let it slide despite the rules applying to all students regardless of gender.

Senior Kiilee Gerona believes that the dress code unfairly targets female students., “I think it’s a little pathetic in a way, they think showing shoulders would distract guys, I also think that about midriffs as well, because a shoulder isn’t any more skin than biceps or neck, I don’t understand how it’s so inappropriate,”said Gerona.

But, it isn’t just students that are expected to adhere to dress code standards, and the times have changed to some degree. Mr. Barber, an associate principal at Tahoma High School said staff was expected to dress professional, meaning:  skirt or pants suit with heels,while men may wear a blazer or suit jacket, button down shirt, suit pants, a tie and dress shoes. Barber had revealed that hats had been banned for a while but up until last year the Tahoma School district allowed hats once again. “Kids now are more mature, back then in the past kids would always steal other kids hats,” he explained. “It’s unlikely you’ll see someone getting their hat stolen now.”

Some form of dress code is definitely reasonable and needed at schools, but what is considered a compromise for students, teachers, and parents. All groups that may have wildly different opinions on what’s acceptable to wear.? Many students argue that dress code is stupid and shouldn’t exist, staff argue that kids should dress more appropriate and professional since the whole point of school is to getting a better education and learning as well as preparing for the future, they might as well start being professional now in what they wear and how they act.

Females should be able to bare shoulders if teachers are letting boys wear tank tops that expose their shoulders. As a school and a community we need to find a place thats in between the appropriate and the inapproriate line that way everyone can remain civil with each other.