Many students believe college is finally that place of freedom they have been yearning for and there are no strict rules to abide by like in high school. They can wake up 10 minutes before class and throw on whatever they want, right?
Well, not so much. Most schools have put in place dress standards that each student is required to follow and can be denied admission to class if they are in violation of dress code. At Florida A&M University the dress standard is known as the Millennial FAMuan. In April 2012, the Florida A&M Board of Trustees adopted this dress standard and it was officially enforced at the beginning of the fall semester 2012.
The dress standard states that “acceptable manners and selecting attire appropriate to specific occasions and activities are critical factors in the total educational process.”
And it also includes a list of things that cannot be worn. Pajamas, midriffs or halters, mesh, netted shirts, tube tops, scarves, and caps are all at the top of the list.
While some students agree with the idea of a dress standard, many like Florida A&M student Oriana Plummer do not. “I chose FAMU because I felt it was a place I could express myself in every way. Some things I wear might not be what another person would wear. That’s the beauty of it all. We are all different in our own way. A dress code can sometimes dim this light. However, a dress code keeps us in a professional manner,” she said. “In the real world we won’t always be able to wear anything we want to wear. And I totally understand that. ”
Florida State student Rachel Musoni says she isn’t for it. “I personally don’t believe that having a dress code is necessary. Students are going to be engaged in school no matter what they are wearing. A cap on a bad hair day shouldn’t be a problem. We are all adults now. ”
We live in a world today where everyone is very outspoken and many are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in and they want to embrace it wherever they go. School isn’t always the best place to do that, said Tyra Smart, a Somerset Prep Academy educator in Jacksonville. “If everyone wore what they believed it would be World War III. A dress code keeps everything regulated,” she said.
Before you hop out of bed and throw something on, you may want take another look at your attire. It could be the reason you weren’t permitted to enter your class.