Imagine walking into school, confident and ready for the day, only to be stopped at the door and told your favorite hoodie makes you unable to enter the building. Many students have been surprised by the sudden enforcement of the uniform policy, and have faced consequences as a result.
Our school’s dress code policy requires students to wear an ID around their neck at all times and dress in approved school colors: black, gray, white, or purple. Clothing must be plain, with no designs or logos other than the school’s. Shorts and skirts are not allowed, and jeans or pants must be free of holes or rips. Footwear such as Crocs, slides, and flip-flops is strictly prohibited.
The administration enforces the dress code by stationing security and staff at the entrances. Students must wait there until they have the proper uniform or an ID, which costs $5. Violations can result in being sent to CSI, written up, or even suspended.
“It’s important for the safety of our students to identify them,” SCSI Instructor Kebony King said. “IDs and uniforms are the best ways to do that. It is a school rule to wear uniforms, and students need to follow that.”
Students believe the administration should focus on more pressing issues. However, the administration defends the uniform policy, stating that it serves a greater purpose beyond appearances.
“We catch children who are trying to sneak into the school who belong to other schools. They stand out when they’re not wearing our uniform,” Assistant Principal Monica Alba-Nuñez said. “The minute we stop kids for uniforms, we often discover other issues. The policy helps keep the focus on learning and minimizes distractions from things like broken pants.”
While administrators emphasize safety and school order, many students feel that the strict dress code enforcement undermines their individuality. They argue that the policy should be revised to allow more flexibility.
“We should have a dress code to a certain extent,” freshman Sophia Ofir said. “I understand banning crop tops, shorts, or tank tops, but not being able to wear certain colors is too much.”
Wearing the wrong color shirt or jacket can lead to missed lessons and time spent in CSI.
“I missed my classes just for wearing pants that weren’t distracting and that I’ve worn before without a problem,” junior Yariel Genao said. “But this time, I ended up missing Spanish and history and spent all day doing nothing.”
Before this school year, the uniform policy was not as heavily enforced. Students often walked around in non-uniform attire without consequences, but now our administrators aren’t letting that pass by them.
“There have always been rules in place that weren’t strictly enforced,” Alba-Nuñez said.
“Repeat offenders are sent to CSI,” Alba-Nuñez said. “If they continue to break the rules, we contact parents, hold meetings, and, if necessary, issue suspensions. Other consequences include referrals and Saturday school.”