This summer, the administration modified the school dress code allowing students to wear leggings, yoga pants, muscle tank tops, spaghetti strap tank tops and shorts above finger-tip-length. These changes have made it seem there is no longer a dress code. The Kirkwood Call staff  voted 55:11 that KHS needs a clearer dress code.

We have all experienced the all-too-common uncomfortable walk through the halls behind a student wearing too-high-waisted-shorts showing the bottom of her buttcheeks, or the awkward encounter with another student flaunting her entire mid-section like the English hall is some sort of runway. This is a school. An institute of learning. It is no place for that.

According to Mike Wade, associate principal, parts of the old dress code (like shorts above finger-tip-length and leggings) were next to impossible to enforce. The changes were made so that, according to Dr. Michael Havener, principal, the dress code could adjust to society.

This solution, however, made the dress code more laid-back so that no dress code is being enforced. This gives students the okay to test the limits and see what does and does not get them sent to the office to change.
More enforcement and clearer guidelines of the current dress code could result in a few extremist teachers

taking the rules too far, but it may be worth the annoying nagging as long as we no longer have to pretend like we do not notice our fellow classmates’ underwear, butt or stomach.

The new policy indicates if a teacher finds a student’s attire offensive or distracting they are authorized to send the student to their grade level office. Consequences will be determined by their grade level principal.

The revised dress code places the responsibility on a teacher’s judgement rather than specifically outlining what is or is not acceptable. Due to the discomfort of a teacher or administrator confronting a student showing too much skin, it seems no one is imposing any dress code whatsoever.

To test this theory, The Kirkwood Call conducted a social experiment. Wearing t-shirts advertising alcohol is against the dress code, but two staff members wore t-shirts on which alcohol was advertised to school and were not confronted by a teacher or administrator. However, several students commented on their clothing, asking if wearing the shirts were against the dress code.

For the sake of those who come to school dressed appropriately and with no desire to see what should not be seen in the hallways, someone please enforce a dress code.