After Backlash, SGT Proposes More Lenient New Dress Code

Samantha Soto, Staff Writer

    UC High’s Site Governance Team (SGT) was unable to vote on December 10 to pass a new, more all-encompassing dress code laid out by Oregon NOW [National Organization for Women], a women’s rights organization, due to a procedural issue.

   Principal Jeff Olivero explained one reason why the vote didn’t occur: “Such a change in policy necessitates public input before a final vote is made. The propsed dress code policy will be posted on the school website so that all stakeholders can provide feedback to SGT members before a final vote is taken.”

   Sophomore SGT Member Elaina Martin further explained, “A finalized UC High version of the Oregon NOW dress code needs to be created and posted. We will have it ready by the next meeting, in January.”

   According to the first section of the Oregon NOW dress code, “Clothes must be worn in a way such that genitals, buttocks, and nipples are covered with opaque material. Cleavage should not have coverage requirements” (noworegon.org).

   The proposed new code states, at the absolute minimum, students are required to wear “…shirts, bottoms, and shoes,” bottoms meaning pants, sweatpants, shorts, skirts, dresses, and/or leggings.

   If it passes at the next SGT meeting, UC High students will have a much larger variety of options in terms of clothing. The proposed new dress code allows “…hats (including religious headwear), hoodie sweatshirts, fitted pants, midriff baring shirts, pajamas, ripped jeans, tank tops (including spaghetti straps, halter tops, and “tube tops”), and athletic attire” (noworegon.org).

   The NOW dress code also identifies what students are not allowed to wear. According to the Oregon NOW dress code, “…violent language or images, images or language depicting drugs or alcohol, hate speech, profanity,  pornography,  images or language that creates a hostile or intimidating environment, visible underwear, bathing suits, helmets or headgear that obscures the face (except as religious observance)…” cannot be worn (noworegon.org).

   Also, the NOW dress code highlights the values behind these changes. According to Oregon NOW, “Students will be able to feel comfortable in what they’re wearing with no trepidation of body shaming or unessential strictness; all students should be able to dress comfortably for school…” (noworegon.org).

  “It is written in a way that people’s bodies aren’t really the focus of the ‘problem;’ so as long as they are wearing something to cover their private parts, they’re good to go,” added SGT Member and English Teacher Aaron Pores.

   It also ensures that teachers and students have a proper teaching/learning environment. The new code emphasizes,  “Teachers can focus on teaching without the additional and often burden of dress code enforcement” (noworegon.org).  Pores added, “Teachers don’t have to worry about inspecting or judging students’ bodies.”

  If it passes, students will be less likely to be pulled out of class. “It will make it more reasonable for students, and less stressful for teachers,” explained SGT Member and English Teacher Elizabeth Frohoff.