Sudie - Let's face it - some men have a problem dealing with female sexuality. That's their problem. It goes to the "She dressed provocatively, so therefore she asked for it" mentality. Having said that, I don't think my daughter will be dressing like Christina Aguilerra anytime soon. Now THAT would be inappropiate for school. Or anywhere, really.

FLA Chickie - "Catholic school uniforms are a lot sexier, IMO"
I like the way you think. DO you watch That 70's Show? The guys' reaction to Donna's Catholic High School Girl outfit was hysterical.

Tremor Christ
That was not the picture I was hoping to see in this thread.

At least we don't live in a society anymore where we have the illusion that women are shaped like:
.

Yosarian, Sudie, you two had a kinda "Gor" thing going there for a few posts ;-)

I like how they had formerly banned walkmans and cell phones from even being *carried* in school or on the bus. Because the only way to know if the students had them was random searches... which wouldn't be out of place in the Gulag atmosphere of the typical North American public school. At least this lot repealed those rules, there may be hope for them yet. I have to admit I don't think this dress code rule seems particularly outrageous to me - some teenage girls seem to think it's cool to dress like crack whores and I don't think it's unreasonable to ask them to save it for _after school_ when as far as I'm concerned they can dress however the hell they like (I just wish they wouldn't spit on the sidewalk). It's not like they're being sent home for wearing a Pepsi shirt on Coke day.

My high school had a problem with girls not wearing enough clothing, but instead of a dress code, they just turned the air conditioning down to 65 so that all the girls would wear sweaters. It worked too!

This isn't asinine, especially when the dresscode already bans bare midriffs. The cheerleaders shouldn't be exempt from this.

I speak from having been a cheerleader in high school (parochial). My first year, we had these obnoxious skirts (fly aways) that were merely 3 or 4 inch panels that were sewn together at the top. You sit down and cross your legs (like a lady with a short skirt should), and your thigh is bared to the whole room. Of course, the captain of the squad was a ho and saw nothing wrong with these skirts.

This was ridiculous, because skirts couldn't be more than six inches from the ground while kneeling. Either the rule applies to everyone, or it applies to no one. THAT is why it's a good idea; if they're just doing it cos someone has a problem with the female form, then that's wrong

A skirt six inches above the knee?!?!?

*drool*

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Now, what were we talking about?

The bare midriff is one of the great things of school. If you take that away, Kids will stop going to school.

As an aspiring teacher, I hope I never teach where there's uniforms. It's like being in a room full of robots.

I graduated from High School in 1993. As far back as I can remember, all the way back to Jr. High, this was always an issue. Bare middriffs, halter tops, muscle shirts on guys, skirts more than 1 inch over the knee, open-toed shoes, shorts that did not reach the knees, or anything that advertised alcohol or cigarettes were always banned, cheerleader or not. In my high school, teachers and staff were allowed to wear skirts, but only if they fell well below the knee. For students the skirts could rise up to one inch above the knee, but that was it. The school toyed with the idea of uniforms the entire 4 years I was there. Still are from what I understand.

The school was so tight-assed...I had a T-shirt that had a picture of a race car on it, with the words "Winston Racing Team" running in a circle around the car, and I went round and round with teachers over this shirt because to them, it was advertising cigarettes (Winston Cigs, Winston Racing Team) No where on the shirt did the words Cigarettes or tobacco or RJ Reynolds appear, yet I was still told not to wear the shirt because the racing team was affiliated with the tobacco company. So one day I took a plain T-shirt, and wrote "Winston Churchill" on it in black marker, and wore it to school. My history teacher was the only teacher that said this was acceptible. The rest said "It still says Winston, ergo cigarettes, you can't wear that shirt here"
Now that is asenine...

Good one WebNuT!, although you could have tried a Churchill quote and put his name at the end...if they had a problem with that, then I would have sued...or just worn another shirt. I think most people oppose NASCAR (or whatever the hell it is) because it is stupid, not because of the cigarette commercials.

I'm about as far from prudish as one can get, but isn't anyone as disturbed as me when you go to a mall or public place and see 11-13 year old girls wearing half shirts and hiphugger jeans pulled down so low that you can see their thongs sticking out the back? I mean, I really don't think dressing like Christina Aguilera when you're 12 is appropriate, let alone at school.

/please lord let fashion get more conservative by the time I have adolescent kids

It's easy to see who can, and who can't, remember what it was like being a kid.

Craphola, i know what you mean. my mother would have killed me if i even thought about wearing something that revealing when i was younger. so now at 21 i can wear what i like, but it stays decent (well, when the bf isn't around)

Craphola I'm about as far from prudish as one can get, but isn't anyone as disturbed as me when you go to a mall or public place and see 11-13 year old girls wearing half shirts and hiphugger jeans pulled down so low that you can see their thongs sticking out the back? I mean, I really don't think dressing like Christina Aguilera when you're 12 is appropriate, let alone at school.

I totally agree with you. My previous comments were assuming the female was around my age (25). I haven't seen it so much in really young girls like you said, usually because they are with their parents if they go out at that age (at least transported by parents), but I have seen it much more among high-school aged girls. I wish girls had dressed like that when I was in high school.

Sos~

Of course, you would have wished girls dressed like that when you were in high school. I would have loved it too at that hormonally charged age. But when you actually mature you realize how shockingly wrong it is. I've seen girls that couldn't pass for 10 dressing like this. Who are these kids' parents? Everytime I have to go shopping at the mall I see 12-14 year old white girls dressed like whores hanging all over African-American guys, dressed like gang members, who look like they could be in their early 20's. Thank you MTV!

"I am concerned about them not being properly covered," Patience Nave said. "I would like to see this applied to teachers and staff as well."

PE is going to be tough.

It is interesting that their cheerleaders (who, I presume, are to set an example for the students and get them to cheer and show spirit etc) were exempt from the dress code.

And it seems they are making a pretty long list of things that are allowed "as long as they are hidden and not used during the day". When I was in high school this included cigarettes, pot, all sorts of drugs (acid, speed, etc.) video games, and weapons.

Yes, I went to school back when it was rare to see a police officer on campus. That meant somebody had been busted.

/my belly's hanging out again

Load of crap, My skool wont even let me wear a two row studded bracelet...Its a weapon, I cant wear bondage straps, I could trip and break my neck. Well Ya know what? My fist is more or a weapon then a tiny stud, are they gonna cut that off? I hate skools.

They should just throw acid at those damn temptresses.

I'm curious if the ban on midriff-baring uniforms will extend to the football team. On my highschool team there were always a bunch of fat linemen with their guts hanging out. Who the hell wants to see that?

Craphola I've seen girls that couldn't pass for 10 dressing like this. Who are these kids' parents?

There are a few types:

a) Those that dress the same way and/or see no problem with it. Typically, these are parents that had their kids at a very young age.
b) Those that "want to let their kids express themselves" or "don't want to set too many rules."
c) Those that simply don't care. There were plenty of these parents when I was in school.
d) Those that are oblivious, and don't realize their kids leave dressed like that, or leave and change clothes later.
e) Those that are so involved with work or other activities that they are never home to see how their kids dress.

It really is sad. When I was younger, my mom was almost always home when I got home or very soon after. My parents did things with me on a regular basis, and while they kept an eye on me and wanted to know where I was going and who I was with, they were not overbearing, and didn't keep me from doing things I wanted, within reason. I've always been close to my parents, and I talk to them and visit them all the time (no, I don't still live with them). I understand some people have jobs that they can't always be home with their kids, but think about it seriously, and maybe make a few lifestyle changes (don't get that $50k SUV, but instead get a $25k minivan, instead of the $750k mansion, get a more modest $300k house), and get a job that allows you to spend more time with your kids. You chose to have them, and you need to be around to take care of them and steer them in the right direction.

Numberz, when I was in high school, there was a designated smoking area. Of course, this was Richmond, home of Philip Morris.

One good thing about being a teenager in the seventies.....

Bras were out of style. Nothing better than a nice pair swinging under a thin tank top.... *sigh*

Lots of kittens died because of this.

Sudie I remember when I was in 4th grade, they had us in a portion of the high school (because of lack of space at the elementry school - we were in a hallway that wasn't supposed to be used by the high school students). When we went to gym or music, we would walk by the courtyard, and I always remember seeing the students out there smoking. I remember thinking how "cool" they were. Luckily, I smartened up, realized they weren't really "cool," and never started that.

Sos~

Hear, hear!

Rabid_Koala But those that continued to go braless now have a nice pair swinging under a thin tank top down to their kneecaps.

*shudders*

Is this anywhere close to Crystal Lake? dummm dumm dummmmmm

Sos - This crosses all socio-economic lines. John Benet Ramsey was dressed up like she was ready for a nightclub a lot of the time and she was from a rich family. Some people live vicariously through their kids.
And a lot of couples both work out of necessity. A lifestyle change may mean not having a house at all. Using your logic, people should go on public assistance so that they can spend all of their time with their kids. You don't have to be around them 24/7 to guide them. It depends on the kid. Some kids need more direction than do others.
And how, exactly, do you stop a determined teenage girl from changing clothes when she is out of the house? Have you ever raised a headstrong teenage girl? Good luck!
The stricter the rules the wilder the child. It's a fine line. You have to set limits or else they won't think that you care about them. But if you make things too strict, they will rebel and get into all sorts of things. You have to pick your battles.
Schools send out a list of inappropriate attire and items at the beginning of every school year. You sign it and send it back agreeing to it or else your kid doesn't go to school there. It's an extremely long list as it is already. This sounds like the school ammended the list after the semester began because somebody complained. Does anybody really think that the cheerleaders showing their belly buttons is going to start riots?

OK, I haven't read all the comments, but let me add my thoughts.

Isn't it obvious how flawed this logic is?

How can cheerleaders/athletes be held to the same dresscode regulations the school has for students in classes?

For example, say you go to a Catholic school and all the girls are supposed to wear pleated skirts that come down to their knees. Well, are the track and volleyball teams supposed to now wear long skirts instead of their athletic uniforms? That'd make the hurdles and the high jump pretty interesting! What about those poor Catholic boys, trying to play football wearing a shirt and tie instead of a jersey and pads?

Almost every sports uniform violates the school dresscode. It is asinine that cheerleaders should be singled out because some grumpy and/or deviant parents think they just look too good in those uniforms. At this point, I can't help but think of the scene in American Beauty where Lester ogles the cheerleading squad.

Are guys allowed to wear wrestling uniforms to class? Most of those show more skin than any girl's uniform I've ever seen. Is there a single school in the world where the wrestler's singlet would be acceptable by the school dresscode standard? If they want to make somebody cover up, I suggest they start with those sweaty guys grappling on the floor!

So, no matter what the school dresscode says about bare midriffs, it is in no way relevant to cheerleaders.

The past four years when I was in high school, I went to a school where the entire faculty was the Dress Code Gestappo. Every year (and sometimes in the middle of the year) we would have new stupid, over the top rules. By my senior year, guys could not have their hair spiked and you could not have slits at the bottom of your pants leg (girls ran around school stapling and taping their pants slits shut all the time. It was hilariously sad...). Bare midriffs? Hell no. You had to have your shirt tucked in at all times. And that had to be a polo or oxford style dress shirt. Yep, mandatory collars. Of course, no jeans. Just khakis or navy blue or black slacks were allowed (which wasn't necessarily bad when the girls wore very tight black pants and didn't get in trouble...). Fridays, we could wear "blue" jeans and our school's t-shirts (tucked in of course).

Man, high school sucked. It was a major event if a girl had anything even resembling cleavage showing. Isn't that depressing when you think about it?

So yeah, college kicks ass. I can wear whatever I want (as can the good lookin' women). Oh, I cannot wait for the weather to warm up even more than it is at the moment. Hello bare skin! Bwahahaha!

Yosarian That's why I said maybe make changes, and I did say also that I understand some people have to work. It was a thought to go on for people that are able to make changes. I definitely don't think people that can't afford it should quit their jobs, because that might be even worse for the kids.

You are right about some people living through their kids.

Also, you are right about being unable to stop a girl from changing, but my parents made it clear to us, not by threatening but by teaching and setting an example, of what is appropriate and what is not. My sister and I knew what was appropriate to wear to school, and we followed it. Both of us were pretty good in school, and we knew we were there to learn, even if we didn't always like it.

I don't see anything wrong with what the school is doing. When you are at school, you follow the rules, and when you leave, you can do what you want. I still don't think it's appropriate for little girls to dress like Britney or Christina, but I can't do anything about that. The parents can, and should show them that it is not appropriate. Unfortunately, many parents now think that the school is their to raise their kids for them. I can assure you that I will not be like that when I have kids. They will be taught at home as well, and I can learn from my parents, since I think they did a great job with me.

Oh shoot, 20 years ago they had the no-bare-midriff rule for both sexes. This was in Michigan, and I was in elementary school 20 years ago. Fourth grade going into fifth. :P

Sos - I agree with a lot of what you say (obviously your parents did a very good job) but as far as the school goes - well, there are rules and then there are RULES. The more rules you make, the more there are to break.
And I'd bet that this boils down to one girl who was pissed about the midriff rule, saw the cheerleaders and had a bright idea. So the school caved. It's all so silly.
Public schools are getting more restrictive every year. Very prison-like. They send home the students' manual and it has one half page of student rights in it and about 8 pages of school rights. It's a CYA document. I understand their rationale but it sort of makes you feel powerless in the chance that your kid makes a mistake. You've signed your name. You have no recourse.

And some of the things they prohibit in the name of "Zero Tolerance" make absolutely no sense. I sit there and read it and try to imagine a scenario in which this or that item on the list got banned. It's getting out of hand. Schools are actually safer now than they were back in the 50's and zero tolerance came after the fact.

I'm glad I grew up in the "Free Love" 70's. Mini-skirts, tube tops, halter tops, hot pants, oh my God! I still remember some of those girls names even though we were just going to the same school because they were so damn pretty. I had one Biology class that had about 4 guys and the rest girls. I never missed that class. God bless the girls!

Shouldn't the tag line have read:
Two, four, six, eight. What do school board members hate?
Midriffs, Midriffs, BAAAAAAAAAAARE MIDRIFFS!!!!!

I agree with the guy who said that he wished girls in his high school dressed like that. I was in high school during the 90210 years and the sluttiest pop star was a 40 year old Madonna. Girls my age then didn't have sluts like Briteny and Agulara to look up to. I feel so cheated.

What? No tummy pr0n links? SHAME ON YOU ALL.

My school district always had a rule against bare midriffs. But what I find to be really dumb and hypocritical is that there is not a single world anywhere in the code of conduct about cleavage. This is paralleled in the enforcement of the dress code as well. Apparently it's alright to have your boobies sticking out and very visible, but you can't have any skin of your stomach showing. I don't agree with any of it, I enjoy looking at the female form, and I don't think it was ever a distraction in school. If I was spending all my time staring at girls in the class, I wasn't likely to be paying attention no matter what. The boobies just gave me something specific to do instead of just not paying attention in general.

i draw the line here...

...and the elders still question why the hell we cant express ourselves...

Some of these crybaby school board members need to concentrate on more important matters.

Like teaching kids NOT to stab/shoot each other.

They're probably fat and ugly too...jealousy can be an ugly thing.

I lived in Florida. It gets frikkin hot in the summer. I don't see a problem with them wearing bare midriff things as long as it's not out of hand. When I went to school. the girls wore bare midriff tops and tiny shorts, but that didn't seem to cause any issues. I don't see why it is now.