Dress code overboard....or spot on?

[G1013]

The revised student dress code for Richmond Community Schools has a lot of people up in arms...from parents to students to administration. Does this dress code impact you and your family? What are your thoughts about the dress code? What do you think about the incident at Richmond High School today...temporary suspensions for dress code violations? Go ahead and vent...get it off your chest...we promise we won't hold it against you.

[Sarah Henemyre]

well I am a parent of three kid's that goes to RCS an I think that if they was goin to have a dress code like what they sent out a week before school started they should of never of double talk them self on the paper that they sent out to all of us parents look at it everyone #1. states what they can't have on there clothes an then on #5 it says plain they should of put #5 where #1 is an not even put that on there......ya there are alot of kids that are wearing the plain shirts but its not what kind of shirt that they want the kids to wear an that's crazy but any ways the teachers should be able to wear stripes an other decorations on there clothes or wear a low v neck like there has been its bad when ur son says hey mom why is her boobs showing an it was a teacher that he was talking about that is some BS
Also there are lot of us parents that has got our hours cut or lost there job's an some ppl just don't understand One of these days my kids will be goin to OHIO schools cause that is where I went an there isn't nothing like this crap that goes on this is BS all of us parent's just need to stick together an get it done for our children an not give up on what believe is right we all have that right of FREEDOM OF SPEECH AN NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US

[Sweet Sara]

For the first few days, instead of suspension, a pink slip (copy of the policy) should have been given along with a white t-shirt to cover up their inappropriate attire. In the case that a t-shirt couldn't remedy the offense, send them home. Implementing something like this, especially in Richmond, would be extremely hard - As we've seen. Administrators and teachers have to be strict, make a point, and stick to it.

As with anything, it only takes a few people to ruin it for everyone. It took several years for Richmond Community Schools to get to this point, but it is needed. I graduated with 50% less students than what I should have. The dropout rate and disrespect in the system is out of hand. The policy is a more lenient alternative to standard uniforms. If the policy wasn't so strict, children AND parents would find a way to push the rules to the max.

The community wouldn't be in such an uproar if the parents would read the rules, accept them, conform and go on. If the parents didn't openly object and fight about it, the kids wouldn't feel they had a choice or an option. The children and parents could worry less about outward appearance and more on a firm foundation and education. Lead by example.

I do, however, think the collar bone issue is out of hand. Most polos I have seen, open to show some chest and/or collar bone. I have not read anything in the policy relating to collar bones. Also, standard stitching on back pockets (not logos or designs) should be permitted.

If the children had real personalities, they should not feel stripped of their personalities or right of expression based on a uniform dress code.

Support the community and the school system in which your children attend. Be proud of the steps they are taking to try to be a better and more consistent system. Your children might just benefit from it.

[Missssssssty <3]

Lol I go there I was part of the protesting this morning. Its taking away our freedom of speech.

[Keygan Wooo!]

:O its overboard! lol, when my teacher was reading the handbook she said "Just be happy you don't go to Richmond,"

[Mary Shaw]

I think that the dress code is silly. If they are going to make the kids dress a certain way, then they should just make them wear uniforms like Seton Catholic high school does. I go to Seton, and everyone is happy with the uniforms there.

[Div Dawson]

I have seen quite a movement the last couple of days to have this current dress code changed back to something more relaxed. You can certainly kiss that goodbye with remarks like what I see here. This lack of common English vocabulary pretty much exemplifies the problem. There is no chance that a well educated, and well spoken person is going to take the side of someone who has a very limited education at a rally, a protest, or a school board meeting. Thanks to the illiterate, misspoken, uneducated hillbillies we have in this town the movement is officially over. Richmond, Indiana is now well on track to becoming the laughing stock of the Midwest.

We managed to turn our high school into a "drop out factory" and then, to remedy that problem, implemented a difficult dress code full of loopholes and hard to discern rules. The immediate reaction to breaking this dress code is to be sent home. That is quite possibly the laziest form of teaching I have ever seen.

It is great to see that the students that were victims of this obviously very flawed educational system are now the ones in charge at the high school. It is like the blind leading the blind.

Too many of the school officials are obviously not smart enough to implement an easy to follow system for which there are easy solutions. All the while, too many parents are not smart enough to follow a dress code. Fat, lazy, half-educated administrators arguing with fat, lazy, half-educated parents. It's beautiful.

I am so proud to live here.

By the way, before you tell me I should leave if I don't like it. That is a fantastic idea. I, unlike most people here, have the money, education, and job skills to actually leave. There are far too many people in this town that think they are just entitled to things because everyone keeps providing them with handouts. If we stop catering to these people they will stop thinking they deserve free housing, free food, free money, and free school supplies. Enough is enough already.

[Natasha Long]

I think a uniform would be best and am passing on a petition for such a thing. Until we get a uniform follow the dress code. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/2supportdresscode/

[Jill Willison]

Amen, Jackie. It's no news to any of us that this community is primarily made up of uneducated people who can't afford another set of clothing for their children. However, if they had kept abreast of the dress code when it was first issued, they would have had plenty of time to find clothing that would comply.

All you have to do is look to Bobbie's post above to see that our education system has a long way to go to catch up with national and international standards. I'm sure the administration has struggled with where to begin and decided issuing a dress code to minimize distractions and disrespect in school would be a good starting point. I sympathize with those who feel the dress code has been taken too far, but have no sympathy at all for parents who are teaching their children that whenever they disagree with a rule the best course of action is to whine, whine, whine.

Perhaps school issued uniforms would be best. Then no one could complain about the lack of consistency or the cost. What we need to realize is that the administration and school board had good intentions when they adopted this new dress code. Now, let's just roll with it, people...

[Jackie]

Anderson has uniforms. Marion does not allow jeans--only dress pants. The problem is that some students refused to dress appropriately for school (or public). Girls came to school with enough cleavage showing you could file large envelopes in there! Boys with their pants almost to their knees. The problem is---those kids will always find a way to be disruptive.

The community has been screaming--"Make it about the education, not how they're dressed." Well, how about teaching the kids how to respect rules, how to respect church, school, and institutions that serve our community. Some kids came to school dressed in a way that screams, "Your rules do not apply to me." We've raised a generation that believes that everyone ELSE should be respectful; yet they have the "right" to express their disrespect for everyone and everything.

If you could have seen how some of the kids have gone to school last year, you might understand. The board just tried to look ahead for all the potential issues so there can be clear decisions. Its the kids that decide that a certain color signifies some particular thing. And they'll continue to---an earring in this ear is one message, in the other its different. A message is conveyed with different color lipstick or nail polish.

A few years ago I heard a wise person say, "For every rule or law we have, there has been someone who abused a policy--so now there's a rule/law." We have to drive 30 mph out by the park because some of us would drive 70 through there. And you all know its true. We have a dress code at school because some cannot be trusted to dress as though they are going to school, and not to broadcast to the world that they have no respect for anyone.

Hey, Richmond! It could be stricter. If ALL of YOU had been sure that ALL your kids went to school dressed appropriately, we wouldn't be in this mess. The community has demanded more from our schools, and they are trying. I don't agree with everything the board decides, but somewhere deep inside---you know that a lot of kids went to school dressed like prostitutes-in-training, pimps, and gansta's.

So where were you when that was going on?

It is a problem for those on a limited income. We all have to understand. That's true. How many of those parents are spending $$ on cigarettes.

Oh, yeah. The dress code was published in May. There used to be a sign in Hill Floral Products: "Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part"

[jenny boggs]

the economy in richmond sucks ,to our seten mom maybe you should have a reality check. truthfully most families live from week to week or month to month. maybe you should donate clothing for the needy!!!!!!!!! grow up your *?@! self