As this year slowly returns to normal, administrators at this have reworded, updated and worked to better the stated dress code policy. This year, the dress code has been updated to include clothes “worn in a way such that genitals, buttocks and chests are fully covered with opaque fabric.” 

Regarding the dress code, Assistant Principal Maureen Borto said, “We have a motto of preparing our students, whether it’s academically, socially or anything for their next step, and so when we look at our dress code, we look at it as ‘dress for success’ to be prepared for whatever that is that a student would be wanting to pursue or even if it’s a job outside of school during high school.”

However, some students, such as sophomore Kelly Fulk, said they don’t share the same views as Borto. 

Fulk said, “I don’t feel like there was any problems last year with the dress code. I don’t think there were any complaints about the students feeling distracted in the classroom; if anything, I feel like self expression was at an all time high when I was a freshman. So the fact that we got a new principal and they (the administrators) decided to crack down on (the dress code), just doesn’t feel beneficial to the student body.” 

For his part, junior Ryune Kono said, “Clothing is a big form of self-expression and when women are forced to cover themselves up because boys find it distracting or it’s a distraction to teachers it really degrades their self worth and how they feel about presenting themselves as they are.”

“Girls aren’t the issue to dress codes, or like particular clothing that generally women do happen to wear, such as midriffs. Midriffs shouldn’t really be forced to be covered up because they aren’t an inherently sexual part of the body. If they (girls) are a distraction, those who are being distracted should be the issue,” Kono said. 

Freshman Piper Rigney said she also finds the dress code restrictive because it does not match current trends in style. “People can’t wear tank tops and it annoys students because they want to wear something cute that’s not too showy,” she said via email, “but because of the dress code, we can’t.” 

While Borto said she acknowledged those concerns, she added that the ultimate goal of the dress code is to prepare students for the future. 

“The goal (of the dress code) is to impact (students) to be ready to dress for the environment in which they’re in,” she said. “When you’re in school, you’re here, you’re ready to learn and you’re focused on that. Just like when you go to a job, you may have a uniform for the job or there may be expectations with a job for dress code. In order to meet those expectations and get in that good pattern of behavior for it, that’s what we’re hoping students take from following the dress code.”