I am an outraged mother of five and the changes to dress codes!

Dekalb County School District, one of the largest in the Atlanta, Georgia has a dress code found pages 81-82 here: DCSD Dress Code

Or more simply, here it is:

Seems simple and easy enough to follow. 

DCSD’s dress code allows for individual schools to impose further restrictions. So, for now, a school may have the minimum standards, but a school one mile away may deem its students to be inherently more distracting and those parents do not have the same freedom in decisions for their child. Yet both families are in the same district and paying the same taxes.

For the 2022-2023, it seems some school clusters in Dekalb have decided to add to the DCSD dress code by naming specific items that are prohibited to be worn at school. They even included photos to eliminate any confusion.

 

Let's be honest, most items specified are focused on current female fashion. Specifically identifying running shorts, tennis skirts and bike shorts as violations of Dunwoody High School and Peachtree Middle School Dress Codes is ridiculous. I am not advocating for No Dress Code, I am fighting to follow the DCSD dress code where fingertip rule should be enough. 

A little background, my daughter has been dress coded twice. First for wearing butterfly shorts and then for wearing a skort. Yes, clothing does make a comeback. For those not familiar with a skort, it is a particle of clothing where shorts are attached to a skirt. It is indeed different than a tennis skirt as a tennis skirt is much shorter. I know the difference, unfortunately teachers do not.

The odd part is she makes it through half the school day until the same teacher decides to drop the dress code violation. That's four class periods with no violation.

The last time she was in violation the same teacher called her and three other females to the front of the class and were told to go to In-School Suspension to get clothing to cover them up. The 7th-grade females were made to stand in front of a bunch of strangers while the ISS adult dug through a bin to find them lender clothing. Thank God my daughter is really slender and tall and the woman couldn't find anything that fit her. She was told to "be careful" in the future. WHAT?????

Welcome to my world and let's just consider how gross that scenario really is, especially with the amount of skin diseases circulating. I told her to call me before putting on a stranger's clothing as I am ready to escalate this to the next level.

Meanwhile, both of my girls are active in sports and activities. I find it ironic that my track and field star can wear less than nothing in a stadium full of adult strangers. 

Meanwhile the boys are fully covered:

In addition, my daughter who's been dress coded twice is a cheer leader. She is also wearing less than nothing in a stadium filled with strangers watching a football game.

I'M TIRED OF THE MADNESS AND INCONSISTENCIES!!!

I receive emails on a regular basis from both schools, which most times don't apply to me. Meanwhile, before these additions were made not once did the schools reach out to parents and students for input. Yet, here I sit getting an email asking my opinion of letting the students use lockers. That's the biggest concern at these schools?

PRIORITIES!!! 

Let's discuss teacher and bus driver shortages. Let's talk about mismanagement of funds and lack of proper leadership. Let's address the drug and violence problems running rampant in our schools. 

Let's NOT put our teachers in uncomfortable situations. They don't get paid enough to teach our children while also pulling fashion police duties. As long as undergarments are covered there should be no issues. Let the teachers teach and the kids learn.

This issue is not specific to DCSD, it is happening all over our nation. Some districts are making the right decisions, while others are shutting down and simply not responding to feedback.

Let your voice be heard and let parents parent their own children. EQUAL RULES FOR ALL!!!!

Finally, if you have a little more time on your hand, please sign this one too.... A petition with the numbers! and maybe get a t-shirt. Also, you can get more information by visiting No More Dress Codes.