During lunch duty, a student stopped me while walking around the tables. He asked me if I had gotten a promotion. When I said, “No, why?” He said I had a new shirt that looked like a promotion shirt!
I love the way kids’ minds work. He equated the style of blouse I was wearing with a promotion. This moment perfectly illustrates how clothing choices can carry unintended meanings, making it a great opportunity to talk about student dress codes.
We tell students, “Don’t wear that because it violates dress codes.” Do we ever tell them that it isn’t school-appropriate and why? When I have those conversations, most students say, “Okay, I get it,” and it doesn’t end up in a power struggle. How many times have I heard administrators and teachers just say “don’t” without the why? Too many times a day. Kids need a rationale. If it makes sense, they are good to go. Yes, we will have students who resist following the rules despite explanations. That is a parent conference issue. The majority of students are well-behaved and will follow the rules if they know why.
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