When it comes to expressing oneself, the Warren district administration has had an extremely open mind about what is allowed in the school buildings. That extends to the dress code as well. We believe that, while some students may feel more targeted by the dress code than others, the expectations are overall lenient and allow for self-expression among students.
At Warren Central High School, the dress code is quite comprehensive. As stated in the Student Success Handbook, “Students shall not wear apparel that is deemed disruptive or potentially disruptive to the classroom, to the educational process, to the environment or to the maintenance of a safe and orderly school, that presents health or safety concerns, or that contains lettering or symbols that are obscene, lewd, or profane or depicts illegal drug or alcohol use.” In simpler words, students are expected to not wear clothing or accessories that create an inappropriate or unsafe environment in the school.
While this seems very reasonable, the interpretation of it varies among students and staff, which is why it can cause problems. Certain groups of students feel that the dress code is enforced on them differently than on other students. For example, a female student may not be allowed to wear a shirt that is cut off above the waist or that does not have sleeves to cover the top of their arms, due to the skin being shown, but a male student can wear a sleeveless shirt without being confronted.
According to a survey conducted by our staff, males felt overwhelmingly more positively toward the dress code than females did. The majority of females believed that there was no positive effect of the dress code policy overall.
At Warren, we are particularly lucky to have the leniency that we have. For example, in Hamilton Southeastern schools, the dress code has become more strict this year, specifically targeting hats and hoods, as well as shirts cut off above the waist.
Students are able to wear what they would like, given there is nothing offensive or inappropriate about it, and it allows them to express themselves and their style. If students feel more comfortable in what they are wearing, it can be one less thing to worry about, which has the chance to translate to better performance in the classroom.