TX School District Bans Cleavage

A school district in Texas is banning clothing that displays cleavage. The Arlington Texas School Board added this to the school dress code:

"The display of cleavage is unacceptable. Low cut blouses, tops, sweaters, etc. with plunging necklines are not allowed."

Apparently both teachers and parents have noticed that letting students show off their cleavage in school is not conducive to learning. Bravo to the school board for taking this action.  I hope bare midriffs and muffin tops are outlawed next!  The school board president Sherri Wade notes:

“It's gotten bad enough that, unfortunately, our young males are looking at more than their English book, their speech book, their science book. And it's kind of nice to have something left to the imagination.”

Good to see school administrators realize that the way students dress has a big impact on how much learning takes place in school.  And school is a great place to learn that there's a time and a place  for different clothing styles, and that school (like work) is more conservative than other settings.  I bet most parents support the dress code change. 

Comments

[MInTheGap]

You have to wonder why it takes places so long to realize the effect provocative clothing has upon boys/men especially. Studies have shown that sexes learn better separated, and I'm sure the rate for boys goes down as the hem goes up and the neckline down.

Thanks for drawing attention to this!

[kindli]

The high school I went to later enacted a "no cleavage" policy. When I went back and visited I talked with one of my former (male) teachers about the new dress code. The problem is how do male teachers enforce it with out being called for "sexual harassment." (Similar issue for short skirts.) He recalled an incident where a student snapped "Well why are you looking there anyway?" He's an easy going guy, and he's not type to pick on every little dress code violation, so the girl must've surpassed the limits to get him to speak up. The issue was resolved when he went next door and the matronly female teacher informed the girl she was in dress code violation, and she was appropriately reprimanded.

The (male) teacher agrees that the girls need to cover more skin, but has a hard time speaking up to enforce the policies because he's afraid of being accused of sexual harassment. Apparently he's not the only one.

The teachers are there to teach, the students are there to learn. Both have other things to do than bicker over cleavage. I really think the parents need to step up and do more and help enforce the dress code at the schools (or better yet, instill some modesty in the girls early on so things like this aren't making national news)!!!

[Nene]

Exactly- parents should step up more. Teachers can only do so much to enforce the dress code if parents aren't willing to enforce it themselves.

[John]

Simple answer. School Uniforms. Honestly, school uniforms are great. They signify school students, add a touch of pride, make it easy for parents (know what to buy, generally hard wearing clothes too). Removes class basis, and basically a gazillion other advantages.

I think all Australian schools at least to my knowledge, require a school uniform.

[Paul Clutterbuck]

My mother's sister was in the dressmaking business for 50 years until her retirement last year. For about 10 years she had an exclusive contract with the largest school uniform supplier in Christchurch, New Zealand (population 300,000). Her business was in making 'kilts'--i.e., the plaid skirts that girls wear as uniform in high schools. Given that nearly all high schools throughout Christchurch enforce the wearing of uniforms, Auntie Barbara had a lot of influence on what teenage girls wore at school.

Early on, she made a choice for modesty. Seeing that high school girls were quickly outgrowing their knee-length skirts (which could end up mid-thigh length by the end of one season), she decided that the kilts would henceforth be ankle-length.

I think this says two things: (1) that we need to make provision for teenagers' growth, rather than judging them for immodesty when the real problem is their parents' school uniform budgets; and (2) that it is possible for real and positive change in a society to come about by the intervention of one small player with the appropriate connections.

Nowadays my cousin holds the contract that was her mother's, and the design of the kilts remains at ankle length. I don't know how many high school girls there are in Christchurch, but my guess would be between 20-30,000, of whom 65-75% have their kilts made to Auntie Barbara's modest specifications.

[Marta]

Two ladies invented an adorable solution accessory that covers up cleavage in a "blink"...called Winkee..Check it out..@ www.theWinkee.com...I just bought 2 Winkees..& now I wear fashioable dresses & tops that I otherwise NEVER would have deemed appropriate for church, & school. Best invention I have come across in a while!