Dress Code Blues
by John Pearson
When I started teaching at my school five years ago, there was no dress code in place. Kids wore jeans, sweat pants, T-shirts, and tank tops -- not all at the same time, of course.
Three years ago, the bigwigs at the top of the district decided to implement a dress code. All elementary students now wear a white, collared shirt and navy or tan slacks, shorts, or skirts.
Has this change made a major impact? Um, not really. At least, not that I've noticed.
It is certainly possible that having to wear identical outfits has narrowed the gap between the haves and the have-nots, but probably not, since there really aren't many haves at my school. I don't remember anyone flaunting their Versace or even their LeTigre several years ago.
My students this year are very catty and mean to each other, but I don't know that things would have been worse if there was no dress code. "Ha ha! Your T-shirt is an unflattering shade of green!"
Having a dress code does create a brand new set of rules to enforce, though. Occasionally, kids have been sent home for being out of uniform, but that usually only happens if the principal spots it. Every once in a while, one of my kids will show up in a white T-shirt or non-regulation pants, but I've never sent anyone home for it. I've heard Catholic priests say that they're not going to dismiss anyone from Mass for their clothing, because they are better off being at church, regardless of wardrobe. I feel the same way about the kids and school. With a few notable exceptions, I'd rather have them in class than make them miss a day just because of their outfit.
The biggest change from my point of view is the rule that all students must have their shirts tucked in. Most kids apparently think that a tucked in shirt makes them look dorky, while I happen to feel that a kid wearing a shirt that goes down to his knees looks like he's wearing a kitchen apron. Quite often, when I ask a child to tuck his shirt in, he only tucks it in in the front, leaving the back and sides hanging out. THAT doesn't look dorky?
The Battle of the Tuck is always an uphill struggle because somehow these shirts always manage to untuck themselves about five minutes after being tucked in. This year, I made up a couple of names to go with the shirt status. Kids with their shirt tails out are "Slobby McSlopslop," while those with their shirt tails in are "Spiffy McNeato." I can go down the line in my class and say, "Hi, Spiffy!" or, "Hey, Slobby!" and they know exactly what I'm talking about.
My overall opinion (be it ever so humble) is that having a dress code has not made much of a difference at my school. Perhaps the impact is much greater at the middle school or high school level.
Here, though, it's just given us one more rule to enforce and created a battle between the teachers and the Slobby McSlopslops.
John Pearson is a third-grade math and science teacher in Dallas, Texas. He has degrees in mechanical engineering from Duke University and Texas A&M, so most consider his math abilities adequate enough to teach nine-year olds. He is also the author of Learn Me Good (Lulu, 2006), a funny, fictionalized account of his first year in education. Read more at www.learnmegood.com
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Other readers' comments on this article:
Because it's a school of choice, having a dress code (same colors as yours, in fact) weeded out a lot of students who weren't serious about going to school. If they weren't willing to wear a white polo and navy slacks in order to finally graduate from high school, then they were just serious enough to attend our school, aye? As far as I know, it wasn't originally intended to deter those students who were there to cause trouble, but I guess it did.
Students carry themselves differently. I don't see as much posturing. They sit up a little straighter. They take themselves a little more seriously--they take their studies a little more seriously.
Posted by HappyChyck on May 20, 2008 10:06 pm
I go to the all-girls' school (in your district, humble sir) and we might as well be wearing normal clothes. Nobody acts any better. We might actually act worse. Especially when they make us go out in the hot with those blazers and sweaters and wool/cotton blend skirts on.
Posted by Deven on Jul 2, 2008 5:53 pm
Posted by Jessica on Jul 17, 2008 11:48 am
Posted by ever on Jan 1, 2009 4:51 am
Posted by Diana on Mar 9, 2009 6:18 pm