End the Unbalanced Casual Day Dress Code!

Our school is a school of leaders. We are including, respectful, and above all, a community. Everyone is accepted for whom they are, and that’s why so many people love it here. However, recent events have brought an issue to light, and it needs to be addressed; the casual day dress code. The severe limitations on girls and the leniency with boys are creating an unfair divide. I believe that our school should switch to rules to reflect a more equal attitude, with boys and girls having the same limitations and freedoms. The times are changing, and being the trailblazers we are, FFCA should set an example for other schools to follow a more progressive lead. Many students in the school, both boys and girls of all grades, believe the dress code is unbalanced, and people all over Canada have the same opinion. Gender equality is being discussed more and more, and it’s time for FFCA SMS to make changes that reflect what we say.
I understand that the dress code exists for a reason; we can’t have people showing up in whatever they want, as we are a conservative uniform school. All I am asking for is rules that aren’t labelled “Boys” and “Girls”. If thin straps on tank tops are against the rules for girls, then why are boys allowed them? If shorts that come above the knee are against the rules, then why can boys wear short basketball shorts without repercussions? At 10-14 years old, we shouldn’t be teaching a divide between the genders. We spend our whole time at middle school being told that there’s nothing different about being partners with the other gender, but with rules like the ones we have in place, we are subconsciously creating a split. It is demeaning to both genders, as it implies girls are objects and boys are incapable of control. We are the generation of change, and we have to teach what is right and what is wrong early on, especially in our teenage years. Some people may ask, “What’s the point of all this fighting if you’re leaving the school?” and the answer is simple. I want this change to leave a legacy gift worth something more. A mural showing our school spirit is nice, but feeling like you can be who you are without being judged is a gift worth far more. When asked if they could make the school dress code more balanced, 85% of those surveyed said yes. On top of this, many other schools in Canada have made their views heard. In 2004, a woman named Andrea Mottu voiced her concerns about the inequality in server’s dress codes to the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal and was awarded $6,000. Another case that a hit a bit closer to home is the Education Minister’s “Guidelines for Best Practices”. Number four on the list states that all students and staff have the right to dress in a manner consistent with their gender identity or gender expression (and a more gender neutral dress code could help Trans people feel less pressured or singled out).
The times are changing, and our generation is changing. The dress code we have in place is creating an unfair imbalance between boys and girls, and there is ample evidence to suggest that people are dissatisfied. It is time to live up to our name as a character school, and lead the way into a more progressive and inclusive future.