The first week or so of the school year can be pretty damn hot. I know that during the first week my fellow students at Loras College and I had a hard time focusing in class because of the heat. It did not help that we had classes in buildings with no air conditioning. Personally I only had to endure about three hours of each day in the sauna-like classrooms, but I know that other students had it much worse. Especially high school kids. These kids have to stay in the same building for seven or more hours with no air conditioning. I cannot imagine that a 90° room is a very good learning environment. With all of the hype about leaving pets in hot cars during the summer, you would think that we would make some changes about kids being is hot classrooms all day. However, instead of allowing kids to be a little more comfortable in say a strapless dress, a tank or short shorts, we tell them to cover up and put on a sweatshirt or go home. I think that this needs to change. Since lately I have been reading about girls being sent home for dress code violations I am going to focus on the dress code violations for girls and why I believe high school dress codes should be changed for everyone.
We all have heard endlessly that if a girl shows her shoulders it will distract the boys from learning. Or if she wears short shorts he can not be expected to focus on the teacher. I say that this is total B.S.. What we need to do is teach boys self control. Maybe then they would be able to stay focused at school AND girls could be more comfortable in the heat. Also what about the girls who are attracted girls? Do you see them having issues learning because a girl did not cover her shoulders? No. Now I am not saying that kids should be able to walk around school topless, but I am saying that when it is hot, schools have to start giving kids a chance to be comfortable.
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Another point I want to bring up is how ridiculous it is that schools send girls home for dress code violations during the heat. I get that rules are rules, but honestly I think it is time for dress code policies to change. I believe that almost all girls are wearing less to be comfortable, not to attract attention. I think that if they are putting in the effort to be comfortable at school then we should not take away their right to learn. Sending them home does not change the fact that when it is hot girls are going to wear less and it interrupts their education. So what I am trying to get at is that this is a pointless punishment.
I know from experience that when I am too hot, I cannot fully function mentally. There are studies to back this up. One Berkeley Lab study showed that when a classroom is over 80 degrees students work slowest. Another study from a Healthy Schools article states that students have shorter attention spans when the classroom is too warm. This all shows that if you have a bunch of overheated kids they are not going to be able to learn(which is what school is for). I know that schools will refuse to install air conditioners, so the only way to solve these issues is to fix the dress code problems. I can think of two possible ways to help combat the heat and gender inequality happening in high schools. The first idea is to allow the shoulders and upper thighs to be shown. In my opinion if they are not showing any of their lady bits then what is the issue? If this first one is too much for parents, then I think the only other way is to issue uniforms. And I am not talking about skirts for girls and pants/shorts for guys. That uniform option brings up girls being objectified again, which is an issue that does not need more encouragement. I'm talking the same clothing for boys and girls, with different seasonal variations. That way no one can complain that they are being treated unfairly, everyone can focus, and during the hot months there is a cooler option.
