Eileen Tully

After a harsh winter, spring has finally sprung! However, this means warmer weather, more flowers, more fun and unfortunately, more skin showing.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for shedding the sweats when summertime comes around, but not at school. Outside of school, feel free to dress however you want. Be yourself and wear what you want to wear, but not in a learning environment.

In the Parkway manual, the dress code clearly states that “appropriate clothing” must be worn at all times. This includes no tank tops, bare midriffs, low-neck lines or sagging. However, this has always been loosely enforced.

Ever since the weather started warming up, there have been body parts flaunted around the school that I could’ve gone my whole life without seeing. You always know who looks risqué at school by the numerous amounts of turning heads and side comments exchanged in the hallways.

I, for one, do not appreciate the excessive amounts of skin that have popped up lately, especially from the female population. From dangerous parts of the legs to even more scandalous parts of the torso, there is no denying that there has been an extremely obvious change in clothing choice since the spring season began.

School is not a fashion show, and with average temperatures that make you feel like you are on the North Pole, there is definitely no point of dressing provocatively for your classmates.

I believe the dress code needs to be enforced more strictly. It’s not just the opposite sexes that are being distracted by one another. Whenever anyone comes to school with limited clothing on, EVERYONE gawks and comments on how they look, regardless of sex.

With all of these various distractions, it becomes very easy for students to become sidetracked while trying to work because of the amount of attention that the risky clothes bring upon those who wear them.

I’m not saying ban shorts and tank tops, just don’t allow tank tops that reveal too much or shorts that cover too little. Schools are made to be as distraction-free as possible, and I believe that dress codes play a huge part in this. Without stricter imposition on the dress code, students will continue to struggle with concentrating on what is important: our education.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Parkway School District.