As dress code violations mount, administration may be under pressure to make changes to school policy. Despite standards outlined in the student handbook, some students continue to wear clothing inappropriate for a school environment.

“I would much rather have the students wear what they want,” Ginger Niemeyer, vice principal, said, “provided they stay inside the guidelines. Compared to some of the public school regulations, we don’t have nearly as strict rules, but we have to maintain certain standards.”

The major concern of the administration is that many girls wear clothes that are too revealing. A growing number of female students are not complying to the dress code, forcing the administration to possibly play its last card.

“Uniforms may be the answer,” Principal Gary Schultz said. “The students are the ones who will choose uniforms by failing to obey the current dress code. Students will tell us by their dress if uniforms are necessary.”

However, some students feel that the teachers are out to get them and are always looking for certain students.

“Along with teachers always looking for backless shoes,” Dani Fries, ’02, said, “they also look extremely hard for bare midriffs. It is frustrating because it is hard to have fashion and be in dress code.”

Aside from the dress code being too revealing around the lower back or midriff section, problems have arisen with backless shoes, which were allowed last year but have been restricted this year because the privilege was abused. Some female students wore flip-flops, which are backless, but were constrained by the faculty.

“I think the shoes rule is unreasonable,” Lindsay Martens, ’05, said. “The safety issue isn’t that important because we can still trip in our regular shoes and in the spring our other shoes make our feet hot.”

Despite the many complaints from the female side, some female students support the dress code.

“The dress code is good because we are able to show our personalities through what we wear,” Sara Wiens, ’04, said. “Plus, we do not have to wear uniforms like some public schools.”

The rule on the shoes is not the only point of discussions between the administration and students. The bare midriff rule is also causing quite a stir, as shirts that expose the lower back are very popular among today’s female teens. Even with the recent fashion trend, the faculty has refused to give in, holding up the Christian standards preserved at FC.
“I am strongly in favor of uniforms,” Christopher Schultz, student activities advisor, said. “I think they are important and that way we won’t have anymore problems with kids wearing inappropriate material.”

The Feather sent out a poll with 12 questions for students regarding uniforms, dress code enforcement and suggestions for possible reforms. Out of 153 responses, there were only seven students that were in favor of going to uniforms.

Most answers were generalized around girls being able to wear backless shoes and tank tops and boys being allowed to wear board shorts and unbuttoned shirts. This is an old issue for guys, with both rules being enforced in junior high and elementary as well.

“I pay to come to this school,” Greg Tharpe, ’04, said, “and I think that I should be able to wear unbuttoned shirts. I always thought that the rule is to protect from us looking like gangsters, but you can wear an unbuttoned shirt without looking like a gangster.”

Despite the multiple problems this year, Schultz and the administration have decided that uniforms will not be considered until the 2003-2004 school year so they can have another year to test the current dress code. However, uniforms are still a distinct possibility and students are advised to take this new threat seriously.