Unfair Uniform Policy
Pres girls bustle about through the halls, all dressed in the classic blue and white plaid skirt. If it happens to be a chilly day, the students may be sporting the navy blue sweat outfit. However, if you look closely, some girls are not in full compliance with the uniform.
The occasional student may be wearing black tights, moccasins, or layered sweatshirts in an attempt to keep warm. If one of these unlucky students happens to cross the paths of one of the more strict teachers, they will be serving an hour-long detention. Students are all too familiar with this unfortunate occurrence, because day after day several names are posted on the detention list outside of Ms. Doolin’s office.
I find myself wondering why minor uniform violations, commonly known as UVs, are punishable by full hour detentions. The same penalty a student might face for a UV is the same she receives for freaking at a mixer, talking during a liturgy or other forms of noncompliance. Is it absolutely necessary to hold a student for an hour after school just because she forgot to wear her formal uniform or put on a pair of socks in the morning?
Apparently teachers believe that detention by UV is justifiable because many remain steadfast on the dress code policies no matter how petty of an issue it may be. “I got a detention for not wearing a sock,” said freshman Kathryn Daugherty.
The minor uniform violation that angers Pres most students is the issue of black tights. Students argue that they are almost indistinguishable from navy blue tights, and that they are more common and easier to find in stores. Why can the administration not make an exception to this
insignificant detail in the uniform policy? “The black tights are not apart of the color palate that makes up the uniform; blue, white, and gray,” said Dean of Discipline Peggy Shrader.
The second trivial UV that Pres students question is the inability to layer sweatshirts under the navy blue sweat outfit. If students are allowed to double up on sweatshirts when paired with the plaid skirt, why are they not allowed to do so when wearing sweats? The administration’s justification for this statute is that two layered sweatshirts appear sloppy. Even if this is the case, students should not be punished when the reason for their noncompliance is an attempt to stay warm–not disregard for the dress code or obvious rebelliousness. The faculty and administration must understand that on a cold day, a polo and sweatshirt is not enough to protect students from the chilly cold. In addition, if students are caught layering sweatshirts with their sweat outfits, they should not be punished with an entire hour detention. Clearly, the penalty outweighs the infraction.
In addition, if one were to argue that students received UV detentions because they were in the ‘wrong place at the wrong time’ they’d be 100% correct. The dress code is not evenly enforced throughout Pres because teachers vary on how strictly they enforce the uniform policy. I myself have encountered instances when I have been issued a UV and the student next to me, who is guilty of an equal, if not more obvious uniform violation, has been overlooked.
Although the administration’s overall goal to “demonstrate decency and good taste in their manner of dress” throughout Presentation is admirable, there are other ways in which to achieve this objective. Perhaps instead of immediately resorting to a detention, students could be issued warnings if caught with a uniform violation. Then, after a repeated violation, a detention could be issued.
A Collection of Thoughts from Black and White
By Tanya Padgaonkar, Special Sections Editor
A Perspective from a Chaperone…
Hey everyone, Mr. Mumper here. I’ve dreaded it for all of October, and now it’s finally here. Black and White. Someone please rescue me? Actually, no, it’s alright. I can do this, with this handy-dandy checklist in hand. Okay, so…
Flashlight: check.
Detention slips: check.
Protective gear…? Er, check?
I think…I think I’m ready.
But the moment I walk into the Hollywood themed gym, I know I’m in for a long night filled with sweaty teenagers, but (hopefully?) maybe a little bit of fun for myself too. I’d have to say though, the coolest thing I’ve seen all night was the crowd of boys and girls jerking and break dancing to the song “You’re a Jerk.”
Well, I guess people seem to be having fun. Standing atop a large ladder with a flashlight isn’t exactly my ideal Saturday night… I wish there was some Hawaiian music on. But at least the kids seem to like the DJ since they are singing along with almost every song. I’m not sure why the majority of the people seem to be in the middle of the gym though, since the foyer has spiffy looking card tables and there are refreshments outside. CI and NAHS really managed to incorporate the Hollywood theme into everything, from the decorations to the movie of old Hollywood films in the background, they thought of everything.
But apart from that, the whole experience is making me a little bit sad. I’m not in high school anymore! I can’t dance or even go to these things without a legitimate alibi. You know, I’m actually pretty impressed with all of these girls though. I’m supposed to be checking for drugs, alcohol, etc. and I haven’t found anything! Hey, these are actually some pretty good quotes. I’ll have to be sure to keep these and other positive Pres-related thoughts in mind in case one of those yearbook or newspaper students comes to interview me. Mr. Case warned me about them before I left. Now, where’s that checklist of mine?
By Angelia Tran, Business Manager
A Perspective from a Pres girl’s date…
Name: Jonathon Stutchman
High school: Saratoga High School
Grade: 12
Mission: Black and White Charity Ball at Presentation High School
Thoughts: Presentation is a typical private school, small, only females, and not too exciting. The dance will be kind of boring, not many people will be dancing, and there will be chaperones patrolling. But I told Ivy Nguyen I would go since she’s a senior and it’ll be her last Black and White.
October 24th 2009: It begins…
Preparation: 30 minutes to get ready and dressed. I must remember to wear something that matches lots of things to be safe since Ivy isn’t sure which dress to wear.
Mission begins: We are meeting at one of Ivy’s friend’s house for pictures and such. Perhaps I will meet other dates. I have a feeling I’ll be with them for the rest of the night. Then time for dinner! Ivy says we’re splitting the bill at Pasta Pamadora.
7:45 PM: Dinner is done and now at Presentation. The beginning of this dance is awkward since no one is dancing. This is typical of dances though, so, hopefully, things will improve. For now there are other things to do, like take professional pictures and play blackjack. How nice.
9 PM: For the most part, the music is pretty good. The DJ isn’t too amazing, but I’ve been to dances with much worse. Actually, this dance isn’t too bad and not too different from the ones I have gone to before. The only difference is, typically at schools like mine, there aren’t so many cops…and the chaperones usually aren’t so strict about the dancing.
11 PM: Time to leave. Wow, they really want us off campus fast. That’s different.
Notes: I didn’t think that the gym would be so big, and didn’t know that the school was really nice looking. Also there was a lot more sports awards in the gym than I thought would be at a private girls school. I really like the people though; they weren’t at all how I pictured. They seem a lot more real and fun than previously thought. Also there were more of them than I had thought.
A Perspective from a Police Officer…
Matt Christian and his brother are police officers, but their high school alma mater is Mitty. Still they came to Presentation, teenage stereotypes put aside, to chaperone the Black and White Charity Ball, the first for Matt who has only chaperoned other Presentation events such as the Mother-Daughter Breakfast. Unlike his experiences at Mitty, Matt found the Bellarmine boys to more well-behaved than he had thought and the Pres girls pretty decent. He was even further impressed with the charity aspect of Black and White as the proceeds of the night are given to Sacred Heart. Also, there were no incidents as he checked the parking lots and the rest of the campus for any criminal activity, critical or minor, to keep those on campus that night safe. The only safety breach came when some local neighborhoods kids hiding out at St. Chris managed to soak some students with water balloons as they were leaving the dance. While he and the other officers had rushed over, there was no one there. So, sadly, while the night had gone well otherwise, there was a casualty that night – a girl’s chic dress.
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