For some students, wearing uniforms can be really frustrating – even for those who have spent years studying in schools that require them. Others simply feel more comfortable wearing a casual outfit to school. But that’s another debate. The truth is, sometimes we don’t really have much choice but to follow an institution’s dress code. Of course, there should be exemptions, especially if the reason is valid enough.
A girl named Demetra Alarcon encountered a situation that became controversial after her father – who took to social media to share his daughter’s experience – found out she wasn’t the only one who had been experiencing the same thing at Fisher Middle School in Los Gatos, California.
Demetra, who was 13 years old at that time, was told by her teacher that the outfit she wore to school was inappropriate.
Of course, her father quickly came to her defense. “I asked Demetra to bend over and touch her toes, right in front of the administrator,” Tony told TODAY. “And I said, ‘nothing is hanging out. There’s nothing inappropriate. I don’t understand this dress code rule,'” he said.
To his dismay, the teacher reasoned out that it was inappropriate because they could get distracting to boys.
“But the administrator just said the clothes were not appropriate,” he said. “She said the clothes were distracting to boys.”
In her father’s defense, she had to wear shorts and a sleeveless top because of the rising temperatures.
“I mean, today it’s 90 degrees outside and she’s wearing leggings because she doesn’t want to be dress coded for wearing shorts,” Tony said in an interview with CBS Bay Area.
So, her father went back to the car to get leggings she could wear. “I had to go back into the car, where I luckily had a pair of leggings as a backup,” Demetra’s father, Tony, told FOX2 KTVU.
Tony said his daughter felt both upset and embarrassed because she had to be pulled out of class.
“You get pulled out of class in front of everyone… She’s just a kid. She’s just 13. She’s not a sex symbol. She just wants to be comfortable and attend class and we’re not affording her that opportunity,” he said.
Tony said he also felt worried about other girls who get called out for their choice of outfits because it could have “long-term emotional effects.”
To their surprise, several parents came forward to tell their stories about women being targeted because most of those under the dress code violations only pertain to women’s clothing.
The rules, among others, include no spaghetti or bra straps, shorts must be at least four inches long, and midriffs must be covered. There were also rules about no hats or hoods.
“Fisher has a dress code policy which is clothing specific. Most of the clothing mentioned are women’s clothing like halter tops spaghetti straps,” Tony told CBS Bay Area.
Tony then spoke about how discriminatory the dress code was, revealing that other parents thought of having a discussion on changing them.
“They think it’s discriminatory, but I have not heard from the district,” he said. “There’s widespread desire to change to a dress code that’s fair and reasonable.”
School district superintendent Diana Abbati released a statement to address the issue following the incident.
“Appropriate dress and grooming contribute to a productive learning environment. Students are expected to wear clothes that are suitable for school activities,” Abbati said.
