Strict School Rule…r?

JENNIFER THAI
Staff Writer

In Utah, there were two cases where complaints were made by students being banned from their own Homecoming dance due to dress-code violations. The situation brings up the question of whether the schools’ decision to ban the students from entering the dance was reasonable. Over half of the dance-goers could not attend
The students of Stansbury High and Grand Blanc High had their night ruined due to the ambiguous interpretations of what is considered appropriate attire. Many protested that the rule was unfair, considering all the effort that was put into preparing for the night in the first place. If I were in the place of the students who were banned, I would be outraged that such a small offense like the length of clothing would make such a difference in determining whether or not I could attend.
Although the intentions of certain guidelines may be in the students’ best interest, those enforcing the rules have the final say. One must consider the fine print, like in Utah’s case, as to what would be considered “suitable”.
Like schools across the nation, Alhambra High has their own set of rules that students must follow. For example, contracts are required to be completed by all students who wished to attend any school dance this year. These contracts are meant to keep the students in check with their fees, grades and attendance. However, they may have affected their decision to attend our Homecoming dance. Additionally the extra work could have caused students to procrastinated on completing the form on time, thus barring them from attending the dance.
School rules are made to be followed, right? These procedures are for the betterment of the student body. However, there needs to be a limit to the extent administrators are allowed to regulate their students’ wardrobes. As students, we must be allowed to exercise our rights of expression, even when the violations are not as severe as administration perceives them to be.