"Say no to the code"

Authors Note: This letter is to the Pewaukee School board addressing how students should be allowed to wear shorter shorts and shorter width tank tops.


To the Pewaukee School Board,

Wisconsin is known for their cold weather, but when it’s summer, it’s time to pull out the shorts and tank tops! Throughout the school year, there’s mostly cold weather starting in late fall through late spring of the next year. Girls are having difficulties finding the right dress wear for the warmer times of the school year that fits the school’s policies or as some people would call it “the dress code.” Students should be able to wear what they want and what they are comfortable in, as long as there is no inappropriate language on the shirts, or any undergarments such as underwear showing beneath the clothes. My opinion towards changing the dress code is that I believe it should change to let girls wear shorter shorts and at least two finger width tank tops.

As the years go by, trends change just as well as changing your sense of style occurs when you grow older. Starting in the 6th grade, most girls would rather wear shorter shorts rather than longer shorts. Just before becoming a woman, you have to go through the stage of being a young woman or a teenager. Going from a kid to a teenager is a big step even though it doesn’t seem so. Everyone becomes much more matured and doesn’t want to be treated like a child anymore. Altering the way you dress can state that you aren’t a kid anymore; that you have grown up and that you have gone from a kid to a teenager. While girls are changing their sense of style, they will begin to shop at different stores too.

It can be hard to find shorts and tank tops that are school appropriate at teenage stores such as American Eagle Outfitters and Hollister because a majority of their shorts are too short and their tank tops are either spaghetti straps or not at least three fingers for width. You want to be able to express yourself by the way you dress and being told what you can and cannot wear holds that back. Finding shorts that are long enough are most hard for people who are tall and have long legs. Since their quads are so long, the shorts that look longer on shorter people look ten times shorter on taller people.

Even though some prefer short sleeve shirts, tank tops can benefit you in the warm seasons. Some of the reason why students look up to summer during the cold seasons of school is not just because they’re out of school, but they get to go outside and not want to come right back in because it’s too cold. Going outside, having to run and do strength activities for gym on a luminous day would be the worst part because of the sweat dripping down your face and piling up under your arms. Once you come inside and change into your short sleeve t-shirt, having a big sweat mark under your arms can be one of the most embarrassing things anyone could see. With tank tops, there would be no sweat marks because there is nothing covering your armpits.

Although I agree with my points of how students should express themselves and that the stores don’t sell long enough shorts for the school dress code, there are shorts that are too short and tank tops that are cut down too far either showing too much of the back or front. With any luck I hope you consider changing the policy because I believe it could bring more positivity and less complaining to the school.