Here at Van Nuys High School, there is a dress code that students are expected to abide by. 

Some students do, but a lot of students do not. 

There are good reasons for the dress code. But sometimes it makes it hard to follow the popular fashion trends because they aren’t school appropriate.

Ladies, I know it’s hot and we like to look cute, but save the spaghetti straps, off-the-shoulder shirts and crop tops for the summer. These tops are popular right now, especially if you shop at well-known fashion stores. 

Yes, I agree the shirts are really cute, however they just aren’t appropriate for school. 

It’s important to follow the dress code, especially for safety reasons. School staff doesn’t want us wearing anything too revealing for our own safety. If you’re a female wearing something revealing and you walk home alone after school, you’re making yourself an easy target.

It isn’t that dangerous situations are self-inflicted or that women should be blamed for their fashion choices. Anything too revealing showing the chest or bottom area just simply isn’t appropriate attire for school, especially at our age. But who am I to judge? 

The bottom line remains–we come here to get an education, not to be in a fashion show.

Boys, I know bandanas and colored shoelaces are cool. On a more serious level, though, wearing particular colors attire makes you a target for danger as well. Street gangs take colors very seriously and wearing the wrong color in the wrong area will cause you some trouble. There is also the possibility that members of the community are gang-affiliated and will notice you—an easy cause for unnecessary confrontation when you mean no harm. We do live in the middle of a huge city and there are all kinds of people who are looking for a fight.

We should never see our lady wolves in too short mini skirts or “booty shorts” as I grew up calling them. Those are things we wear on the weekends with our friends or when we go to a party. These are not appropriate for a school setting. 

As a Wolf here at Van Nuys, it’s only fair that everybody follow the simple dress code. For those who have been a student longer than others, set an example for the incoming students. A few students wearing inappropriate clothing makes it so that the majority believes it is acceptable for them to go against the school policy as well. 

So just follow the code and come to school in appropriate attire.