Why do school dress codes often go overboard in what young women can't wear?

[Anonymous]

A lot of dress codes in the US and around the world go to great lengths to require girls to be covered up---no thin straps, no skirts anywhere above the knee, the front of shirts must reach the clavicle....and behind this, there is always someone going, "because it's all too distracting from the learning process," but clearly it is not the girls who are allegedly distracted while painting a picture that boys are just sex crazed maniacs who can't keep it in their pants if they see an ankle.

If the latter is the case, then shouldn't we focus our attention on teaching young men to keep it in their pants rather than just force young women to wear floor length skirts as this does not actually address the issue at hand *because they apparently cannot be controlled by their will alone*. Oh and if students are there to learn, not walk the catwalk, then teachers and admins should really be focusing on teaching their subjects not on what students are wearing.

[InternetGuy]

Do schools even enforce dress codes? I remember when I was at my freshmen orientation and they went over all things. We couldn't wear. After about a week people just started wearing whatever the hell they wanted. Then again, my school is horrible at enforcing rules.

[Asker]

Lucky you. I went to a school that was super strict about the dress code. They would send you home if you weren't in complete dress code or have your parents bring the proper items to you. After 3 strikes you got detention. I remember one of my friends telling me he'd gone to detention at another local school because our school had off campus weekend detention, and another student asked him what he was there for, and he was like, not wearing a belt, and the other guy told him that he'd cursed out one of his teachers and punched a door. I mean---really---not wearing a belt on par with that?!?

[Andrew1968]

Why do they go overboard in what young men can wear. No skirts (regardless of length).

[Flower7]

It's to keep the guys from getting distracted while they're supposed to be learning. That's the main reason. Most boys do tend to be sex-crazed. You're right that it would be a good idea to try to teach the boys to have more self-control.

[Dchrls78104]

Would you like to imagine your 10 year old daughter going to school in a see through crop top and a thong?

[Asker]

Why would a ten year old even be wearing that seeing as how at that age, you as the parents are buying their clothing---I mean this statement is just ridiculous. To be clear what I'm referring to something like wearing a skirt that is like the picture, like above the knee or if they wear leggings to class, or some schools don't even allow girls to wear spaghetti strap tank tops. The focus at school should be a child's education and not policing their fashion or implying that girls have to have a much stricter dress code than the boys because 'the boys are complete horn dogs.'

[esotericstory]

Schools are not establishments where young people go to hook up, conservative school uniforms are not a luxury but a necessity.

[Asker]

First, just because someone wears a certain clothing item, does not mean their intention is to hook up---this is high school and below we're talking about---and they are in school in class. Second, a conservative uniform is not a necessity as there are clearly schools that do not have dress codes and guess what, those kids also graduate, go on to college, get real jobs, and are successful. A necessity...is a good education!

[esotericstory]

I disagree. School uniforms are needed to make children have friendships that cross socioeconomic status. Personal clothing prevents this from happening. I do however believe that the school itself must provide these clothes to students for affordable prices.

[Asker]

This is your personal opinion but it is not based in fact. Just because one wears a uniform does not mean they will make friends across socioeconomic lines in the same way there is not guarantee if one doesn't. You can still be poor/rich and be a jerk that no one wants to be friends with. And outside of that, making friends is not the goal of getting an education, getting an education is which brings me back to the point at hand which is wether a female student wears a short dress or not does not and will not determine whether she eventually graduates and goes on to college if that is her desire in the same way requiring a male student to keep his hair short instead of grow it long will not determine his future at all. There is no correlation.

[esotericstory]

Yes it is, its a proven fact, thats why we have youth movements in my country where uniforms are mandatory, to encourage the youth to make friends across the whole socioeconomic spectrum. children who have rich friends are more likely to stay out of poverty.

[esotericstory]

you are too focused on women, I sense you are very biased

[KrakenAttackin]

Because left to their own, modern girls/women would happily show up toppless and a thong.

The way girls dress when not policed is extremely distracting to other students.

[InternetGuy]

Going to have to disagree with you here. My school never enforces their rules on the dress code and we've never had a chick show up topless. The still have parents, dawg. Also these are mostly teens we're talking about. They'll get distracted by pretty much anything.

[Liam_Hayden]

Different people have different standards. People whose standards are stricter than yours are in charge of the rules.

[Tstrbrainer]

Yeah, I don't think too much restrictions will do good.
People who want to learn will learn.

[bigdmatt]

They don't want girls to free to slutt

[Iron_Man]

Just wear Jeans

[Asker]

LOL, at my school those were not even allowed!