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Not so fast, missy.
D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has laid out new dress code guidelines for the 2009-2010 school year, WTOP reports. The new policy is meant to eliminate the “extreme”:
“Extremes in style and fit and extremes in style of grooming, as determined by the principal, will not be permitted,” it says. And “non-prescriptive sunglasses, hats, clothing that exposes armpits, a bare-back or midriff, see-through clothing, and accessories with protruding metal spikes are not to be worn.”
Thank goodness I’m out of high school and can now wear my bare-back, see-through, protruding-metal-spike halter tops without consequence.
The specific no-nos in Rhee’s list are reasonable enough. The “extremes in style . . . as determined by the principal” clause, however, will undoubtedly end in a lot of heated principal’s-office visits.
Pre-Rhee, middle- and high-schools were the last acceptable venues for “extremes in style and grooming” this side of the goth careerism movement. Now, the old dude who thinks wearing his Tobasco-themed tie is letting loose has free reign to decide whether kids today look “normal” enough. Rhee’s also granted principals an extra measure to ensure they’ll win any of the “but Mooooooom” style protests:
The biggest change, however, is that principals can require every student to comply with the dress code. The final clause in the previous policy neutralized its effect by stating that no student could be penalized for noncompliance.
Now, student’s can’t be taken out of school—-sent home or suspended—-for non-compliance, but they can be forced to change into totally lame on-hand uniforms: A public shaming worse than death.
Photo by euthman