Pair of Distractions
A School Bans Cleavage
By Daniel Muniz
 

The display of cleavage is unacceptable. Low cut blouses, tops, sweaters, etc. with plunging necklines are not allowed. Arlington Independent School District

The Arlington school board in Texas amended their student dress code to explicitly ban the clothes worn by girls that allow for the display of cleavage. Although nearly all school districts in the country prohibit the wearing of inappropriate clothing, it is a bit unusual for a district to specifically target the inordinate exposure of breasts by female students as was done by this Texas school district.

How to exactly define teenage cleavage remains to be a bit tricky but for the schools who seek to prohibit its exposure, the definition will probably have to fall along the lines of “you’ll know it when you see it.”

But for decades, the districts that did not require their student body to wear uniforms have always had to deal with the bane of risqué clothing that some teenage girls liked to wear. And it will probably be a problem for future generations as long as this type of clothing is in vogue.

As for dress codes, some schools have always been permissive in that girls were allowed to look like they were going out to a nightclub. Other school districts were quite strict and even draconian on what could be worn on school premises. However, quite a number of districts across the country had policies that simply fell somewhere in the middle and were only enforced when outrageous attire was worn.
 

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Incidentally, showing cleavage is not a problem that pertains solely to older teenagers anymore. The physiology of the female anatomy has slowly been altered over the course of time. Modifications in diets as well as other changes have resulted in a more developed appearance and bigger endowments that now happen at an earlier age.

And to the dismay of many of today’s parents, much younger girls are beginning to have the ability to flaunt cleavage. As a result, plunging necklines are now becoming more commonplace in certain middle schools.

Unfortunately, there is also an enormous pressure for girls, even at an early age, to become part of the wiles of popular culture which requires them to dress and look a certain way. Teenagers, and even pre-teens, also represent an enormous class of consumers that spend money. And that is a fact that retailers and the commercial enterprises of pop culture do not want to ignore because there is a lot of money to be made off of kids.

Consequently, Hollywood, television, rock stars, and the rest of popular culture aim many of their products and services at teenagers. Needless to say, kids are heavily influenced by such an environment thus the dress code for students has always provided the grounds for a clash between popular culture, parents, peer pressure, and the education system. And perhaps it always will.

Although more school districts are now opting to require their students to wear uniforms, such acceptance is nowhere near commonplace and perhaps may never be. For the millions who grew up without being required to wear a uniform, such a requirement seems either too trivial or even absurd. And for most people, the notion of school uniforms almost smacks of snobby elitism regardless of the fact that many young kids spend a fortune on fashionable clothes. But there is almost no dispute that uniforms would solve nearly all the problems stemming from dress code violations.

I have to admit that when I was teenager during the eighties, I didn’t mind at all when the girls in my high school wore short skirts, revealing tops and tight clothing. And most of them didn’t mind at all because of all the attention they got from the skimpy clothes that they wore to school.

But now as an adult, a parent, and a professional in the workplace, I have a totally different viewpoint on the subject.

Every workplace I have been at has rules that I have to follow if I still want to be employed and collect a paycheck. And that is a harsh but vivid reality of adulthood. Some people do very well in adapting to the rules of a work environment while I have seen quite a number of people who struggle with following directions. And I have to admit that it was always a shame to see talented co-workers either get fired or be forced to quit their job simply because they were unable to follow the rules of the workplace.

In addition to following the rules, the same thing also applies to getting the job done at work. Many professionals know that it is far easier to get your work finished when there are fewer distractions at the workplace. And since many employers believe that certain distractions prevent the job from either getting done right the first time or done on time, it is natural for them to want to prohibit distractions in the first place.

Our education system is really no different. There are rules to follow and the job has to get done, especially if the student is to get an education and graduate. And that is why school districts implement certain rules that eliminate distractions.

Banning cleavage is simply a rule that eliminates a distraction. And yes, there are plenty of males in the classroom who are easily distracted by the visible display of breasts bulging out of a girl’s tight revealing top although most guys are not about to complain about it. And girls are also distracted but in different ways especially when it involves the competition for attention.

Education is an important job that has to be accomplished with as few interruptions as possible and that is why a dress code is not only sensible but actually essential. Perhaps more school districts ought to follow the lead of the Arlington school district. Targeting cleavage may sound tawdry but being specific and explicit removes any possible ambiguity to dress code policies.

Requiring students to wear uniforms would easily solve the problem although I really do not see that taking root in the United States even though such a requirement is actually the norm for schools in other countries.

However, having students learn to follow the rules still has an important role to play in today’s society because they vividly reflect life as an adult especially in the workplace. Learning these values early in life will tremendously help a kid transition into adult life as a more responsible mature individual.

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