Censorship Of School Dress Codes

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School dress codes can be problematic. There are many controversies over it regarding the first amendment's freedoms. Many courts have ruled for and against school codes in regards to religious and political articles of clothing. They are present in many schools worldwide, restricting the freedom of students' and faculties' abilities to choose what to wear to the campus. This is however, not without reason. Many schools have loose dress codes that many people don't notice, but some include mandatory sets of uniforms, but those also have their downsides. Despite some parents' protests against the restriction of freedom, school dress codes have a purpose and for the most part serve them. They are there to keep the campus a productive learning…show more content…
If a school outlaws a certain outfit simply because it disagrees, this is where a dress code would be inappropriate and violates the freedom of speech and expression; for example, a shirt with a political logo or propaganda on it is an example of expression, the wearer’s opinion and should not be censored by the dress code. As a less extreme example, a boy wearing a “I love ” shirt would not be persecuted, but the idea is the same as the previous example; they’re both expressions and do not interfere with the school educational environment. School dress codes aren’t meant to restrict the freedom of expression within constitutional limits and the vast majority do not. If they do, it is most likely against the law. Many codes do not restrict individuality or…show more content…
Certain schools abuse their power to create dress code, but many do not. It has been proven over and over that when students dress appropriately for school and with the intention to learn, it increases their scores and those around them by eliminating unnecessary distractions from the learning environment. In 2001, in a court ruling, the Bossier Parish School Board was allowed to keep its dress code, and explained that the purpose of the dress code was not intended to suppress the freedom of speech, merely to increase the efficiency of education. This was backed up with evidence that the dress code led to an increase in test scores. Not only with intentions to increase academic scores, dress codes also have the intention of disallowing things that can cause a potential disruption. Three decades ago in 1972, a student Young was suspended for wearing a Confederate flag shirt. At the time, there were racial tensions. The court ruled that it was constitutional for a school to disallow the shirt in order to “prevent potential disruptive behavior that would disturb the learning

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