Today News recently reported that a high school in Illinois is now allowing students to wear leggings, hoodies, hats, Spaghetti Straps and tank tops as the school year opens. This dress code was banned around the campus before.
Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Illinois seeks to promote "body positivity and inclusion" as it implements this new dress code, the report added. Aside from this, the new policy aims to remove "stereotypes, marginalization, and oppression" of various groups based on certain identities.
According to Today News, these identities include "body type, body size, cultural background, household income bracket, religion, and race." The school also seeks to remove boundaries it has previously placed on the students’ "sex, gender orientation, gender expression, gender preference, and ethnicity."
Eric Witherspoon, the district superintendent of the high school, told Today News that they are striving hard to improve campus-wide learning environment, by honoring their students for who they choose they are.
He added that the school wants them to realize their uniqueness as individuals and that they are "welcome to be whoever they are" in school.
No body shaming allowed
Students in various universities, colleges and high schools in the United States have been victims of stereotyping and body shaming. These issues are what the Illinois school is trying to address.
Witherspoon added that the new dress policy is "pro-student" as it teaches them to express their "individuality," through an independent choice on what they will wear in school. At the same time, the new policy will also provide them with the avenue to maintain the "positive environment" around the campus.
As the academic year opens, the report mentioned that staff members are now receiving training on using language that will not promote shaming.
The former provisions of measuring skirt lengths or accusing pupils of wearing “distracting clothing” are now prohibited, Today News further noted.
Former student speaks up
A former student also spoke with Today News, to share her insights about the recent dress code. Marjie Erickson may not have experienced this first-hand, as she is now a freshman at Tulane University in New Orleans, but she reportedly fought for this cause back when she was still studying at Evanston Township.
Erickson fought for a change in the dress code last year as she worked with the school administration to consider her grievances. Now that her fight has come to fruition, she believes that the policy is very “progressive and inclusive," Today News reported.