Rules or guidelines

Grace Farrar, Writer

Why do schools really have a dress code? Do students even bother to acknowledge the code? Over time dress code has become a hot topic, anyone would be able to go online and google search what the latest drama is with dress codes across the nation.

Principal Chris Mosca of BFA St. Albans has high intentions of letting the students know that school is a place of business, not a place for exposure. But Mosca argues that what BFA has is not a dress code.

“These are expectations and guidelines,” Mosca said. These “guidelines” were handed down to the school, and were then developed on a certain level. “I wouldn’t call it a dress code per say,” Mosca said, regarding the way people describe the guidelines.

When asked about students respecting the dresscode, Tom Wescott (‘18) said that “Nobody follows the dress code”. But he would also argue that most students don’t know the dress code which includes not wearing anything that exposes a body too much, displaying drugs and alcohol, or wearing shoes that disrupt.

But when asked if the dress code is a set of rules or guidelines, Wescott agreed that they are guidelines. “They are guidelines, rules are enforcive.” Wescott said. Other students would also agree that the code is a set of guidelines and not rules.

Mosca is also confident in the idea of wants students to express themselves. He wants to make sure that students get the chances they need to express themselves through their clothing and be able to be stylish, but also be respectful of BFA dress guidelines at the same time.

But what is most important to Mosca is that students aren’t exposing themselves or promoting drugs and alcohol. This is because he does not want the students to be influenced and school is a place of business. But students argue that even without a dress code, students would have enough common sense in knowing that not to wear.

Bailey Brown (‘17) stated that the dress code is only good when it’s being used for the right reason, which BFA certainly is doing.

Ever wonder why BFA brings up dress code in class meetings? This is Mosca’s way of nudging students back to the code without being too upfront with them. But when asked about this being a helpful way of addressing the code, Brown had her own opinions.

“I think everybody knows and everybody gets it but no one really cares,” Brown said. Wescott would also agree that the meetings aren’t helpful and that when there are meetings, no one is really paying attention.

In the handbook it is stated that if a student is wearing a shirt that sports an inappropriate logo or message, the student will be asked to turn their clothing inside out by an administrator. How that would feel to the student is a completely different topic though.

“I would be embarrassed, it would be awkward, if I were someone who would wear that then I think it would be worse than just wearing it,” Brown said. These are things that administers possibly don’t consider.

It isn’t just about making sure the guidelines are being followed, but making sure that each individual student feels comfortable in the environment that the school is creating around them.

“I would be angry because I want to wear whatever I want to wear,” Wescott said when asked about how he would feel about having to wear a shirt inside out. Brown adds that it doesn’t seem that trendy for people to read what is written on others shirts anymore.

But as the boss said, “Follow page twenty three and let’s move on.” Dress code will always be a topic of conversation, but for now all students can do is respect the code and guidelines and continue on with being stylish and trendy without acknowledging the code.