Should Dress Codes Be Acquired For Students?
Dress codes are rules pertaining the type of clothing a person or a group should wear. When discussing dress codes, many will agree that students would want to wear whatever they please. This agreement ends, however, with the question of how much restriction should be placed on clothing choices. While some are convinced that there should be a dress code, others are against the idea of requiring them. Dress codes should be required for students because they still allow students to express themselves (within limits), and they allow for an appropriate learning environment. Some people may argue that dress codes are a violation of the 1st amendment because they limit a form of express that is protected under freedom of speech. For example, Justice
Fortas states in the Tinker C. Des Moines decision, “It was closely akin to ‘pure speech’ which, we had repeatedly held, is entitled to comprehensive protection under the First Amendment” (Excerpt 1). However, many people need to consider that the freedom of speech protected under the first amendment has limits. Many court cases have limited freedom of speech; for example, speech that provokes actions that can harm others, like shouting fire in a crowded theater, is not protected under the first amendment. Therefore, a dress code can still allow for self-expression, but, just as with the first amendment, there are limits to it. Furthermore, dress codes allow for an appropriate learning environment that limits distractions. For example, Justice Fortas states in the Tinker c. Des Moines decision that, “…it would be obvious that the regulation would violate the constitutional rights of students, at least if it could not be justified by a showing that the students' activities would materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school.” (Excerpt 2). Here the court states that dress shouldn’t be limited as long as it does not create disruptions. Therefore, one can reason a dress code that limits distractions, such as obscene images or revealing body parts, is acceptable as it allows for an appropriate learning environment. Overall, a reasonable dress code should be required as it allows for students to still express themselves, while creating a proper learning environment.
Fortas states in the Tinker C. Des Moines decision, “It was closely akin to ‘pure speech’ which, we had repeatedly held, is entitled to comprehensive protection under the First Amendment” (Excerpt 1). However, many people need to consider that the freedom of speech protected under the first amendment has limits. Many court cases have limited freedom of speech; for example, speech that provokes actions that can harm others, like shouting fire in a crowded theater, is not protected under the first amendment. Therefore, a dress code can still allow for self-expression, but, just as with the first amendment, there are limits to it. Furthermore, dress codes allow for an appropriate learning environment that limits distractions. For example, Justice Fortas states in the Tinker c. Des Moines decision that, “…it would be obvious that the regulation would violate the constitutional rights of students, at least if it could not be justified by a showing that the students' activities would materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school.” (Excerpt 2). Here the court states that dress shouldn’t be limited as long as it does not create disruptions. Therefore, one can reason a dress code that limits distractions, such as obscene images or revealing body parts, is acceptable as it allows for an appropriate learning environment. Overall, a reasonable dress code should be required as it allows for students to still express themselves, while creating a proper learning environment.