BIASES ON SCHOOL

DRESS CODES
IN THE U.S.A.
by Migue and Leela

Who is most
targeted? Some dress
- Girls codes rules
- Black students
- LGBTQIA+ students
may include:
Skirts should be
In school districts, about kneelength.
90% of dress codes are Undergarments
directed toward girls should be hidden.
while 69% of dress codes All parts of the
affect boys stomach, back,
and shoulders
44% ban head wraps,
should be
which disproportionally
affects religious

covered.
No cleavage or bra
students straps.
No jewelery.

“Students are being

denied educational
opportunities
because of what’s
on their head… not
in it.” - Michaele
Government Turnage Young
Accountability Office
(GAO) thinks that 60%
of dress codes involve
measuring students'
bodies and clothing.
This involves teachers
touching students,
which can easily
makes students feel
less safe).
 "Transgender students have been
sent home for wearing clothing
different than what’s expected of
their legal sex, while others have
been excluded from yearbooks. Male
students, using traditionally female
accessories that fell within the
bounds of standard dress code rules,
and vice versa, have been
nonetheless disciplined for their
fashion choices. These cases are
prompting their own backlash."
- Li Zhou

These rules invite too much policing

of students bodies from adults.

Sources:

Pendharkar, E. (2023, January 5). School Dress Codes Aren’t Fair to

Everyone, Federal Study Finds. Education Week.
https://www.edweek.org/leadership/school-dress-codes-arent-fair-to-
everyone-federal-study-finds/2022/10

Davidson, J. (2022, December 4). Perspective | school dress codes can

discriminate against many students, report finds. The Washington Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/02/school-dress-
codes-discrimination-gao-report/

Frazier, K. (2022, July 21). Typical school dress codes. LoveToKnow.

https://teens.lovetoknow.com/School_Dress_Codes

Georgia State University. (2009). Dress codes. Dress Codes. Retrieved

March 17, 2023, from https://www.mtsu.edu/first-
amendment/article/1208/dress-
codes#:~:text=the%20Associated%20Press

Kaminski, K. (2021, September 15). Is your school dress code biased

against girls? Probably. City Pulse.
https://www.lansingcitypulse.com/stories/is-your-school-dress-code-
biased-against-girls-probably,18187

Zhou, L. (2015, October 21). Why School Dress Codes are sexist. The
Atlantic.
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/10/school-dress-
codes-are-problematic/410962/