We have a new dress code here at Jesuit High School. While many have been saying that the changes are relatively drastic, realistically they’re not. We have gone from having to wear a collared shirt to a Jesuit collared shirt, and the pants policy is unchanged.

That being said, the changes feel drastic. The new dress code seems like a restriction on how students can express themselves. I think we as a campus are at risk of becoming monotonous and boring. I want to be able to wear a blue shirt or a plaid shirt and be able to look out at a student body that has some variation. I enjoy seeing a rainbow of colors and plaid shirts when I walk past students in the halls.

I understand that the intent of the new dress code is to help school officials to recognize people that do not belong on our campus which would improve school safety; however, there is nothing preventing someone from wearing a black, red, or grey shirt and blending right in. So can the argument really be made that the dress code improves student safety?

If there are going to be “casual Fridays,” can we please have a wider variety of clothing that we can wear, at least for seniors?

Being able to wear jeans on a casual Friday is something a 40-year-old man with an office job would look forward to; I am not 40, and I don’t look forward to that. I couldn’t tell you the last time I wore jeans.

Maybe as a part of senior privileges, seniors can wear sports shorts and a reasonable T-shirt. Can we go back to being able to wear college or plain sweatshirts? I don’t want to have to buy a Jesuit sweatshirt and wear it for only one year.

At this point I would be fine with “casual Fridays” being eliminated because the allowances that are made are miniscule and barely different than the actual dress code.

Ultimately this change in policy does not seem like it is addressing any pressing issues; it seems like change for the sake of change.  

Does it really seem like we have been told the entire story?

I would have no problem with this new dress code if I understood the need for it; however, no one provided a compelling argument, and it feels like we are being left in the dark.