Around sixty students gathered at STEP on Wednesday, May 4 to discuss their opinions and experiences with Wilson’s dress code policy. 

The meeting took place in room 205 and was mostly attended by girls. To start off the discussion, junior Alexandra Radifera asked everyone to answer an online survey she and other organizers of the meeting put together. The survey asked students to name any experience they might have had with the dress code, how it made them feel, and “any unfair instance [they had] seen relating to [the] dress code.” The survey also asked what actions the students think should be taken to address the dress code. 

After everyone completed the survey, there was a large discussion about the dress code and what students should do about it. For a large portion of the discussion, people shared their personal experiences being reprimanded for breaking the dress code. Students talked about how they were often called out in front of classmates and friends, and felt embarrassed afterward.

Many of the students agreed that the dress code is often enforced more with girls of a specific body type, and that the dress code should be applied not just to curvy girls, not just to girls, but to all students.

“It’s so hard to have a dress code that is [enforced] so wishy-washy,” said sophomore Franny Sewell.

Claire Shaw, also a sophomore, shared a story about a male student who went all day without wearing a shirt, yet when she wore something that showed an inch of her stomach, she was yelled at almost immediately.

The meeting concluded with people talking about how to take action towards fixing the problems they had discussed. A few students made plans to set up a meeting with Principal Kimberly Martin to discuss their grievances with the current dress code policy, and move towards changing it.  

PHOTO BY MAYA EDWARDS