Prom Dress Code

Prom season leads many girls to stores in search of that “perfect” dress; however, with gowns becoming more risqué, schools like Pinecrest High in Southern Pines, North Carolina have felt the need to enforce a dress code at their prom.

Pinecrest put the prom dress code into action this year. Those students who did not meet the dress code standards were denied access to their prom.

“Prom is about you. If you like the dress, wear it. I don’t think it’s right for schools to have so much power over what we wear,” said Brooke Cooney, junior.

Three of the Pinecrest administrators awaited each student at the prom entrance and then determined whether or not the students could enter. If the administration could not reach a unanimous approval toward a student that student could not enter.

“[Prom dresses] change with the times; we aren’t in the Elizabethan age anymore people. We aren’t trying to be ‘promiscuous’ we are trying to look good and have fun. So maybe prom dresses are getting more revealing, but that’s not something we can control. You need to take that up with prom dress designers, all we can do is buy what is put out there for us,” said Briana McManus, senior.

Some of the requirements included that the dresses could not show too much side or back as well as the dress needed to be at least below the knee. The students were given the list of the requirements a month before the dance and were informed of the consequences.

Parents argued that the standards were not upheld to all the students, and even their principal, Thomas Ferrell, apologized for that lack of consistency amongst those who were dress-coded and those who were not. Still, Ferrell did think he was right to enforce the code for students. He says in the past the girls’ attire made both parents and staff uncomfortable so he felt enforcing a dress code would be the most effective solution to the problem.

“I feel like some [prom dresses] are pretty revealing. But there are just as many, if not more, that are beautiful and elegant,” said Cooney.

While some students were able to fix their gowns in the school parking lot others were left locked out of their prom. Those denied access to their prom were reimbursed for their tickets and left without the memory of dancing at their prom.

Athens Drive has recently taken a new approach to the Wake County dress code due to parental concerns. Athens’ faculty is taking the dress code much more seriously and is strictly monitoring student’s attire while on school grounds. Some of its components include no sagging of the pants, no strapless shirts and no head covering of any kind.

However, rumors of bans against other types of clothing, such as leggings and norts (Nike shorts), have also been buzzing through the halls. Still these are only rumors and Doctor James Hedrick, principal, states he never had any intention of restricting Nike shorts or leggings.

“Students know what the school board policy is, in fact they all take home a copy of the handbook and what the rules and regulations are… y’alls business is to come here and be educated, the teacher’s business is to provide y’all with an education and I think inappropriate attire is disrespectful to the environment and disrespectful to the people who inhabit that environment,” said Hedrick.

Students who fail to follow the school’s new code will be asked to change, and if the student has no other clothing the student will be forced to call a parent or go home and return with school appropriate clothing.

“There is research out there that indicates two things… the condition of the school helps contribute to the performance of students within the school… I do believe it [an appropriate dress code] can have an impact on the culture and the environment of the school and anything that is a positive addition to the culture and environment of the school certainly will contribute to student learning,” said Hedrick.