Lauren Wiggins, Moncton teen, takes stand against 'unjust' school dress code

[To Be Quite Honest]

Boys and girls are filled with incredible chemicals called hormones. This is not a secret to anyone and it reeks havoc on what we do as teenagers. I'm sure her dress did get a lot of attention from the boys, but when I was a teenager a sweater and jeans got me excited.

It's just the news culture today that makes this national news. This is not national news.

Bill C-51 is national news. Now get this bill reversed! Pass it on to your friends! How is this not being passed around on social media?

http://www.leadnow.ca/c51-senate/

[FlamesAddiction]

It is funny how much of a non-issue this really is. The teachers come off as petty and prudish. The girl comes across as vain and dramatic.

Meanwhile, the end result will probably just be that the school enforces the dress code more strictly for everyone, and everyone loses.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by wittynickname

While there is some vague reason for high school students to follow a stricter dress code, presumably in preparation for entering the work force, here's where it dawns on me that it's not about "professionalism" or "appropriateness.""

I've never thought about it as a matter of "professionalism" or preparing you for adult life; I've always thought it was about creating difference between kids - school uniforms prevent the creation of an obvious high school class structure where the kid with rich parents has fancy new high fashion threads while the poor kids are in beat up hand-me-downs and stuff pulled out of a value store. Just another way of making kids different from other kids, and there's enough of that Lord of the Flies stuff in high school as it is.

But I'm not particularly fussed about the issue on the whole.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I've never thought about it as a matter of "professionalism" or preparing you for adult life; I've always thought it was about creating difference between kids - school uniforms prevent the creation of an obvious high school class structure where the kid with rich parents has fancy new high fashion threads while the poor kids are in beat up hand-me-downs and stuff pulled out of a value store. Just another way of making kids different from other kids, and there's enough of that Lord of the Flies stuff in high school as it is.

But I'm not particularly fussed about the issue on the whole.

I have a 13 year old niece that is quite a free spirit and pretty artsy. When her school brought in uniforms, I thought she was going to hate it, but apparently she loves it. I really do think they remove something that is a pretty stressful thing for teenagers.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Yeah. The counterpoint is that at that age is when kids really start to explore their identities and the type of people they want to be, and one of the ways they do that is in how they dress and look. I can see that uniforms take away from that and may hamper personal development. It's a question for developmental psychologists or whatever type of smart person happens to specialize in this area, really.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

It is funny how much of a non-issue this really is. The teachers come off as petty and prudish. The girl comes across as vain and dramatic.

Meanwhile, the end result will probably just be that the school enforces the dress code more strictly for everyone, and everyone loses.

A one day suspension is a little over the top if this was the first time she did not follow the dress code as there should be some common sense here. I actually don't have an issue with the actual dress code though as my wife is a teacher and the less distractions they have to put up with the better.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I've never thought about it as a matter of "professionalism" or preparing you for adult life; I've always thought it was about creating difference between kids - school uniforms prevent the creation of an obvious high school class structure where the kid with rich parents has fancy new high fashion threads while the poor kids are in beat up hand-me-downs and stuff pulled out of a value store. Just another way of making kids different from other kids, and there's enough of that Lord of the Flies stuff in high school as it is.

I'm all for uniforms for this reason.

I remember in junior high, people used to judge others by what jeans they had. You not only had to have Levis... but there was also a color-tab hierarchy, and people would go around making fun of the kids with the wrong color. It was the most ridiculous thing ever, yet I remember it to be a pretty stressful since our family was't the most well off at the time and I of course had bottom-of the barrel jeans.

Kids can cruel about the dumbest things.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

A one day suspension is a little over the top if this was the first time she did not follow the dress code as there should be some common sense here. I actually don't have an issue with the actual dress code though as my wife is a teacher and the less distractions they have to put up with the better.

She actually only received a detention for the dress code violation. The one day suspension was received after she "complained" to the principle about it. That was her side anyway. I am sure if you asked the principle, you would probably get a different side to how the "complaining" actually went down.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Matata

I love that I'm getting branded with the old-doddering man crowd. I've been to enough Hippy festivals that I've grown almost entirely numb to the sight of a naked human body. Dress appropriate to the occasion, you're in a classroom not a garden party.

I wasn't branding you specifically with it. A re-read of this thread should make it patently obvious who is being grouped in there, and it wasn't you.

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Rhetorical question because I'm sure you already know the answer: if a male student violated the dress code in exactly the same manner by wearing a tank top to class, would the principal have said his attire was a "sexual distraction" to the female students?

That's the issue here. A young woman is being told by adults in positions of authority that her perfectly acceptable dress is inappropriate because her horndog male classmates can't control their sexual urges. It's absolutely an unfair double standard, and good on Ms. Wiggins for taking a stand against it.

I'm willing to bet money that a basketball jersey exposing shoulders would not have been an issue. I think this is the same sort of thinking ('sexual distraction') that results in the argument of "Hey, she was asking for it".

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Yeah, society sure failed because some girl got in trouble for her spaghetti straps showing
How Rosa Parks has even been equated to this trivial story is the real failure.

I am specifically referring to some of the posters in this thread. It's not hard to find them. I thought dumb-as-rocks was a pretty big hint as to the prime offender.

And yeah no, you missed the point of Rubecube mentioning Rosa Parks. It wasn't to equate her with this story, but to point out the idiocy of suggesting that you shouldn't break the rules while trying to change them.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

She actually only received a detention for the dress code violation. The one day suspension was received after she "complained" to the principle about it. That was her side anyway. I am sure if you asked the principle, you would probably get a different side to how the "complaining" actually went down.

My understanding from the article (I can't believe we're parsing this now) is that she was suspended when she sent the letter to the principal that was ultimately posted on her FB page. You should really never be suspended (or even subjected to any sort of discipline) for objecting to a policy in good faith - I guess if you're just objecting for the sake of being a nuisance, maybe.

[SeeGeeWhy]

Young, insecure girl seeks attention, gets it. News at 11.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I agree, as I stated earlier. Uniforms make a lot of sense. It stops situations like these from occurring and it also can work to reduce or eliminate a lot of alienation and bullying that occurs based on appearance.



The school has a published guideline for their dress code which I'm sure all students are informed of.

I'm sorry, but most school uniforms force girls to wear skirts, which is about as sexist as it gets. This isn't 1950.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Here's the full dress code. Some pretty odd things:



If you're going to have a code this restrictive, you need a school uniform.

Also, I notice it doesn't mention nudity once. Loophole??

They should have added CROCS to last list to make it complete.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I'm all for uniforms for this reason.

I remember in junior high, people used to judge others by what jeans they had. You not only had to have Levis... but there was also a color-tab hierarchy, and people would go around making fun of the kids with the wrong color. It was the most ridiculous thing ever, yet I remember it to be a pretty stressful since our family was't the most well off at the time and I of course had bottom-of the barrel jeans.

Kids can cruel about the dumbest things.

Yup, this described my junior high experience to a tee. Looking back it's pretty stupid, but I remember stressing out about it as well. Some kids are relentless in bullying and teasing, and this just gave them another reason to out other kids for no reason.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Yeah. The counterpoint is that at that age is when kids really start to explore their identities and the type of people they want to be, and one of the ways they do that is in how they dress and look. I can see that uniforms take away from that and may hamper personal development. It's a question for developmental psychologists or whatever type of smart person happens to specialize in this area, really.

The counterpoint to that is that how someone dresses or looks should really be one of the last things that determines a person's identity.

Uniforms could help to encourage students to come up with less superficial ways to express their individuality.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by RogerWilco

I'm sorry, but most school uniforms force girls to wear skirts, which is about as sexist as it gets. This isn't 1950.

I don't know about all the schools in Calgary but a few of the schools that I have checked out in the past and where friend's kids attend they have options for either skirts or pants especially at younger ages.

[Coys1882]

My daughter (6) can wear a skirt or trousers with her uniform. If she chooses a skirt then modesty shorts have to be worn underneath.

[Nage Waza]

Originally Posted by dubc80

Nothing wrong with her outfit. Not too revealing at all.

But the school rules are the school rules. Gotta follow 'em.
Don't like them? Find a different school.

We pay for the schools, and as such are the bosses of the schools. We shouldn't 'put up' with bad rules.

With that said, I don't know if I support dress codes or not.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Coys1882

My daughter (6) can wear a skirt or trousers with her uniform. If she chooses a skirt then modesty shorts have to be worn underneath.

Yeah, my niece's is all pants. Some of the parents are trying to get them to allow skirts for the girls though.

[T@T]

Funny how times change, when I was a kid that outfit was for nerd hippys and considered meh because you couldn't tell how great the body was. now it's considered too sexy?

Tight cameltoe jeans and tight shirts were the bomb in the late 70's.