Shoulders spark controversy

Let me begin by saying that I applaud the administration at NH and elsewhere for wanting to maintain an environment that is free of distractions, safe, and positive for all students. I, along with many other students, understand that you have a job to do and a policy to enforce.  We are simply asking you, and all administrators everywhere, to consider the the dress code policy the same way a police officer judges whether a ticket needs to be given or not-  based on the real and present danger of the severity of the situation at hand and the risk it poses to other people.
The dress code has been instituted for the “benefit” of the students to prevent distraction from our school work.    To start, I would like to apologize for distracting you with my alluring shoulders. I can’t help that I was born with sculpted shoulders that I must cover up or risk causing mayhem. This view is completely and utterly unfair to the women in our school since it is based upon the views on men sexuallizing certain things, such as a shoulder or a bra strap.
All over Harford County and beyond, girls and boys are embarrassed and humiliated by being called out for their “inappropriate” clothing in front of their peers and staff members.
The defense for upholding the dress code is that the school is responsible to make sure our education is not being negatively impacted.  However, how is a peek of a shoulder creating a disruption so monumental that it is deserving of such attention?
Frankly, the bigger disruption happens from missing class, making up schoolwork, feeling uncomfortable in class, after being reprimanded for violating the dress code in the first place.
Additionally, parents are inconvenienced when they are made to bring their students jeans or a cover before they can return to class.
Although I strongly disagree with certain restrictions on clothing, it is reasonable that curse words, symbols of alcohol or drug use, or extremely provocative clothing do not belong on a student’s body during school hours.
However, many of the “dress code violations” are a reflection of students wearing super cute outfits that are trendy and appropriate but on paper violate the established rules.  The problem is that all humans are created differently with different heights, weights, and body shapes. However, the black and white dress code regulations do not take this into consideration. For women who are taller  it is more difficult to find longer shorts. Girls who have longer arms are penalized when it comes to wearing shorts to the length of your longest fingertip.
Additionally, some of the dress code violations are ones prompted by factors outside of  student’s’ control.  For example, students who are athletes often have spirit days that require them to wear sweatpants, pajamas, or other things that might get them into trouble given the current dress code in place.
The biggest issue is that the dress code is simply outdated;  it no longer reflects the expectations of a changing culture of what students wear and when.   It’s time that school systems, including HCPS, revisit the policy in place so that the focus in schools can be education and not fashion.