MASON CITY – Parents with children attending Mason City High School today informed NIT that the school district has started enforcing its dress code.
“I just got back from the high school as my daughter called saying she needed me to bring her jeans to change into,” one parent said this morning.
“As of today girls wearing shorts to school can no longer wear anything less than 6 in above the knee… the whole office was full of girls calling for someone to bring them alternate britches to change into and boy were they expressing their views about situation,” the parent continued.
UPDATED INFORMATION FROM MCHS PRINCIPAL TJ JUMPER:
“Just a friendly reminder about the dress code update. This information was include in the information “MCHS Program Updates” that was in the registration packet. This was also communicated through announcements all last week. Overall, the majority of students have met these new expectations. Having air conditioning for majority of the classes helps as well. Throughout last year, it was extremely obvious that we needed to take a stand on student attire as a whole. The expectations that are put into place was related to create a rule that is more objective than subjective. Dress code is one of the areas to be enforced because of the body types & sizes and current clothing trends. School is a professional place of business and what is acceptable attire must meet those guidelines. The guideline change is mainly focused on the length of shorts and skirts. We hope you can help us work with your son/daughter in meeting this expectation. Again, overall last Friday and today the majority of students have met the guidelines and have appropriate attire on.”
School Superintendent Anita Micich directed her Administrative Assistant to relay this information:
“I followed up on our conversation earlier with the high school and then shared with Anita and she asked me to send you the following excerpt from the Mason City High School Student Handbook, Page 19-20 of the Student Planner, which addresses your earlier request:
DRESS
Students who wear attire advertising products which are illegal or hazardous to one’s health or which display messages containing sexual innuendoes or create a hostile learning environment will be removed from school until appropriate clothing is displayed. Reasonable guidelines to follow:
*Skirt and shorts length should be within 6 inches from the top of the student’s knee.”
A parent said this afternoon that “now a days EVERY article of clothing for that age group keeps getting smaller and smaller… how are girls ‘required’ to wear something no longer being produced?”
Im glad that they are finally enforcing the dress code. It was obnoxious to see other girls walking around school with their underwear showing or their coochies hanging out. I felt so embarrassed for them. Even now in college where dress code doesnt exist, it is still disgusting seeing some of the things other girls wear!
I dont agree with the uniforms. If people would follow the dress code properly, there wouldnt be a need for them. However, I can see the other side of the argument for them.
I have a child that is in middle school right now and Im all for uniforms. I realize uniforms are costly, but so are other pieces of clothing. My scrubs for work are also costly, but a requirement!
I CANNOT believe some of the articles of clothing parents let their pre/teenage kids wear! Dont you realize what you’re setting them up for? You cant go to school wearing a outfit thats as large as a swimsuit!
I don’t think a dress code should be costly. It’s quite simple for khakis and polo shirts. I think it would be nice to see the kids were khakis and polo shirts with school emblems. But I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. If they can get the kids to follow the current dress code and make sure the parents follow also that will be a great feat the school has accomplished.
My guess, if you polled every MCHS student, parent and staff you would find maybe 20% have a problem with the way 10% of the students dress. What’s wrong with this? As our country does, lets rewrite the constitution to please the few very few who have an issue with it. The problem is, even if we do that that same few will just find another reason to complain, something else to change. If we empower them, we the 80%, lose.
There are dress codes at work & should be at school too. That’s what they’re doing is trying to get these kids ready for the real world right? I can’t wear shorty shorts to work & neither can anyone besides hooters waitresses. The Cheerleader skirts do need to be lengthened a bit, they werent’ even that short when I was in high school 10 years ago & I thought it was a bit much then. I honestly believe kids should wear uniforms, they are in school to LEARN, not be fashionable or be picked on if they don’t have the best fashions.
Why dont you just rewrite the dress code and make it fair to everyone!No short shorts , no short cheerleading outfits, no short volleyball shorts,no jeans hanging off guys asses,no huge gauges, and actually follow the dress code! And be fair to everyone! and just end all the talk about the dress code its really not that big of a deal just make sure you follow it and be fair to every stundent!
Good luck on enforcing this MCHS:
“students who wear attire advertising products which are illegal or hazardous to one’s health or which display messages containing sexual innuendoes or create a hostile learning environment will be removed from school until appropriate clothing is displayed.”
A shirt advertising Big Macs is clearly touting a product hazardous to one’s health, and no, I’m not being facetious.
Does a tee shirt saying “I Support Abortion” or “Abortion is Murder” create a hostile learning environment? Either one might lead to some angry arguments.
Problem is those prohibitions are so vague that they are just lawsuits waiting to happen when the wrong person gets told to change his/her clothes.
I applaud the school for enforcing a dress code. Now how about implementing a code for gauges and facial piercings.
I saw a young gal at back to school night with her head half shaved, huge gauges, and numerous horrendous facial piercings.
It made me wonder why on earth the parents would allow their child to do this to themself.
I agree, that is just as much of a distraction if not more.
What i find humorous about this whole conversation…. We as parents are suppose to get our children ready for their future, career, life, family (etc) Every Public place you eat… has a dress code (no shoes, no shirt, no service) Almost every job you apply for as a code, what type of shoes, boots, uniform or clothing attire… So why is this a big deal? This is our society and after all the kids should be at the school to LEARN, not make a fashion statement. My tax dollars are paying teachers to EDUCATE. And the start of education is being able to adapt to rules even if you do not like them. If you are on welfare or have a job their are rules that is a part of life. If you want the paycheck be to work at 8 dressed accordingly… if you want your MEPD, turn in your paper work to DHS on time…. Mason City has gotten to the point we like to defend and argue just because we can.
Yeah, you ought to see what those unsuccessful “not ready for the future” deadbeats are wearing at Harvard this fall, or for that matter at the University of Iowa.
College, is a completely different setting. The expectation is that those students have freedom to choose their paths now.
In High School however, the students have not yet reached the level where they can choose their own standards. They are not yet adults. Close, but no cigar.
I see many in our community who are of High School age, act more mature than a lot of other kids much older. Their parents have instilled upon them the need for respect and decency. Far too many however, do not get these lessons from home, for a multitude of reasons.
High School should be the final stage of teaching self-discipline and responsibility. But when students (and parents condone) violations of rules, action must be taken lest you undermine these important precepts.
Way to go mchs! You can call a parent for shorts but let boys wear pants falling off there ass… making a parent take off work and bring jeans and then parent walks in sees a boy walking down by the commons waring jeans falling off there ass with there boxers showing and that dress code! wouldn’t it just be easier to send a stundent to newman and pay there payroll at least parent wouldnt have to take off of work! Without stundents you have no jobs.. so be fair and treat every student the same! or provide the parents a giftcard to purchase wha you want for a dress code like northwood does .. otherwis if there ass isnt showing then dont go calling a parent give them a warning! with what a parent pays for school in Iowa is really rather high meaning Minnesotas schooling is free.. and yes thats is a fact we moved from hem to come to Iowa and the price of school and the unhealthy lunches is outrageous.. So enforce a boys dresscode to or provide us a giftcard to purchase your dress code!
Good Grief. Do you think everything in this life should be free? If you don’t like the lunches, send a healthy lunch with your child. Or is that too much work? And consider taking a remedial spelling class. Your education was free, but you obviously didn’t take full advantage of it.
You will excuse me for saying so, the School District is not in the business of purchasing your kids wardrobe. That is a parental responsibility.
Having spent my youth in private schools, that had uniforms, it was not that much to purchase five pairs of black (or blue) pants and six white shirts. And one did not wait til the start of session to purchase them.
I personally believe uniforms would be more conducive to an educational setting. While socializing is important to a child, competing on who has the best outfit, or shows the most skin, detracts from the classroom environment. After all, you send them there to learn, not show off their closet.
Your “spellcheck” mustn’t be working. In reading your letter, your writing skills appear to be in need of a refresher.
Tell the girls to order volleyball shorts they are a school uniform so how can they be against the dress code.
Volleyball shorts are for the Volleyball court not for the classroom.
Are the cheerleader skirts that they wear to school classes less than 6 inches above the knee? If you think these short shorts make girls look like sluts then does it really matter if they are on a court or not? Hypocrites!
If the girls need to change, then the guys with the waistband of their pants hanging below their butt or at their knees needs to be enforced too! I can’t believe that wasn’t addressed! wow
Actually, I believe this has been enforced for quite a while, at least when I was a student over 4 years ago. The dress code has always been there, but I just don’t think it’s been enforced very well until now. When I was in school, shorts and skirts had to be finger tip length but that was harder to enforce than saying “six inches”. I remember lots of guys would wear t-shirts advertising beer or having inappropriate stuff on it, but most of the time they had to either change or turn the shirt inside out until the end of the day. They aren’t singling out girls here. This article just covers one aspect of the dress code, and it happens to be the length of your pants, which doesn’t really have much to do with guys.
It’s a good rule, and it’s overdue.
Are you all idiots? I don’t get the fact that there are parents on this board complaining about this. As a parent you should not allow your children to were shorts that show ass cheek at any time. The reason the school is enforcing this policy or rule is, in fact as it states in the handbook, school is a place of learning and professionalism, and should not provide an environment for distraction. Now I know some parents want to let their daughters dress like whores and that is your choice. However for the students and young people who are trying to make more of themselves than being pregnant or on drugs by the time of graduation, and actually want to move on to college or not and just receive the highest quality of education that the environment provides should not have to look at or be distracted by this.
Now I am going to assume that the handbook was handed out earlier in the summer, maybe not, I don’t know but as a parent you should practice safe dressing. There are too many parents that allow their young daughters to dress like thugs and whores and you are setting them up for a lifetime of failure. Help you children become something better than you could become, they deserve it!
Finally I hope the school is addressing the sagging ass pants as well. Last thought of the night it would be interesting to see cheerleaders and volleyball players wearing bloomers and long dresses. Imagine the mobility you could get in those which are needed to play the game! Jesus some of you people are pathetic!
Seriously…their ass cheeks are not hanging out of their shorts. There may be some that this is what is happening, but the majority look good. They do not look like whores, but there are some that do I agree. I don’t think our girls should have to wear stupid looking shorts that are not in style because some nasty girls ruined it for everyone. I am definately not defending those that wear shorts so tight and short they look trashy, but don’t put all the girls and the cheerleaders in that category. Obviously some of you must just be fat and ugly and feel a little jealous!! And, by the way…some of the best dressed turn out to be druggies and little whores…just sayin….
No, not everyone looks bad in shorter shorts, but they can’t single out the girls who shouldn’t be wearing them and tell them to change. That would be a HUGE lawsuit. What do you expect them to do? Say “If you weigh under 150 pounds you can wear short shorts, but if you weigh over that you’d better put on something longer”? No! That’s absurd.
No it doesn’t have to have anything to do with weight, the issue here is people saying that the girls butt cheeks are hanging out. If the girl is 90 pounds and her butt is hanging out or if she is 400 and it is hanging out, they don’t look good. Skinny or heavy girls can both look good in what they wear.
Pretty sure there is a compromise on the volleyball shorts and the cheerleading uniforms! YOU DON’T NEED TO WEAR SHORTS RIDING UP YOUR A$$ TO HIT A VOLLEYBALL!
“let them be ‘teenagers’!!!”
Ahhh yes, let the chickens rule the roost. Let teens attend all night parties, drink booze, smoke tobacco and drugs, destroy other people’s properties (tee-pee trees, soap windows, toss eggs, throw smoke bombs down the hall, pull fire alarms, ad nauseum). It’s all good right?
Where were you when the rules were proposed? Where were you when the handbooks were handed out? Is that not your job as a parent to make sure that happens?
“we still live in a free country, where the choices we make express individualism and defines us as who we are…”
Personal behavior is regulated, as it should be. How much you can drink, and still drive, where you can carry an offensive weapon, and where you can park your car are just examples. We as citizens must follow those rules or suffer the consequences.
What you are teaching your children by way of your comment is, do what ever you want, there should be no consequence for your actions. The reality is, in a civilized society, we have rules, and it is an injustice to teach your kids otherwise, either verbally or by example.
1) As the parent of a high school student, we all read the handbook and assumed this was going to be enforced, therefore I don’t feel I should applaud the school for doing something that was in their rules that they already said was their job to enforce.
2) I’m amazed at how many parents on this board commented with misspelled words. For God’s sake, use spell check people! Oddly enough, those defending their children’s poor dress directly corresponds with their poor spelling.
3) I’ve seen girls walk out of that school in clothes that I would literally assume they were prostitutes if I were to see them on the street.
First off, if the shorts are that short no they shouldn’t be wearing them, but there are a lot of shorts that are more than 6 inches above the knee that are cute and look nice on the girls. I agree that if they are up to their butt or have holes in them – not acceptable. There are a lot of skanky girls who wear clothes that look like crap even if they are longer. I do not agree with earrings at 8, make up at 12 tight clothes at 14 and pregnant at 16…sorry to say…that doesn’t get a girl pregnant – it is the people who think their kid is perfect because they dress like it and pretend to be it but the parent has no idea what their kid is really doing. Raised two kids that turned out great (no early pregnancies with either/no drugs/no smoking/no jail) and it wasn’t because they wore long shorts 🙂
Lets not forget about these young boys walking around with their pants hanging down to their knees?? What about these men who walk around with their ASSCRACK showing, O’ wait their not female!
Earrings at 8 make-up at 12 short shorts and tight clothes at 14 and PG at 16. How the heck did that happen?
Robin maybe if you or your child would of READ the registration packet you wouldn’t of had to make the trip to take clothes to your daughter.
Agreed. I am also a parent of a young girl at the high school and was fully aware of the new rule. And it’s a good rule. And the rule needs to be enforced for the cheerleaders and also the boys. No more sagging pants.
Robin, just because you think it’s okay for your daughter to dress inappropriately, it’s not okay.
and just how is a girl dressing inappropriately if all necessary body parts ARE covered??? the length of a pair of shorts doesn’t make a person slutty skanky or a tramp- the choices they make and actions they take DO! I’m not bitching about the imposed dress code- I agree with it!! what I am defending are the girls who wear clothes in a respective manner portraying their bodies in positive ways be left alone! so many keep saying stuff bout asses hanging out and slutty attire, of all the girls I saw today waiting for parents, only 3 or 4 ‘guilty’ of violating MCHS dress code… its not a crime to walk around having your legs exposed in public!!
my son go’s to the high school too. next thing they should work on is the food they serve. just saying
Agree with the food issue – I heard they throw away more food now than they ever have. Good thing we are having them eat more healthy!
Honestly, as the father of two girls, I agree that is about damn time this was enforced. So, what will the school require of the cheerleading squads and the firls volleyball teams? I gotta tell ya, seeing what they wear on the volleyball court leaves almost zero to the imagination. Those little shorts are so damn tight you could read the date on a dime placed between the skin and material. You just know that someone is going to get sue happy and argue these points. The administration better prepare themselves or make some more changes ASAP.
The athletics arena is separate from the classroom in regart to appropriate attire/uniform.
Cheerleaders wear their uniforms during school.
As for the volleyball attire, I know there are girls that don’t go out for the sport because they are FORCED to wear INAPPROPRIATE shorts! Separate or not the school or someone should do something about it.
im ho…All uniforms in sports are appropriate for flexibility and least restrictive movement as the activity requires. I doubt the girls swim team will be forced into wearing knee length cotton swim suits (circa 1917) to appease your misguided rage.
Seriously…you don’t need to wear shorts riding up your butt to be a good volleyball player. I I know several parents with the same concern.
A swim suit is completely different obviously! However,competitive swimmers are wearing full suits to their knees these days!
CLHS shouls start doing this then to considering BOTH MCHS & CLHS girls are starting to dress like sluts. Whats wrong with the Youth of today?
Jane Doe, you ask what’s wrong with the youth of today? It’s the parents. They need to quit trying to be “best friends” to their kids. They need to step up to the plate & enforce some discipline. It is getting absolutely ridiculous how kids dress & act today.
Nothing is wrong with the kids today, anymore than was wrong with the kids when you were a kid, or when I was a kid 45 yrs. ago. Kids were arguing against dress codes back then–same as now.
What’s changed is that you got old, just like me.
Twenty years from now these kids will be wondering what’s wrong with kids “nowadays”.
FINALLY…THANK YOU MCHS and all schools that enforce a dress code !
This is long overdue! Girls dress like tramps today and spaghetti strap shirts/dresses should be banned as well! No boxers exposed for the boys either ! These kids look HORRIBLE !
MCHS Cheerleaders uniforms need attention very badly! They look like tramps, too! The school system needs to enforce the dress codes! Kids today look like giant skanks, and have for some time!
The schools are not a Las Vegas booty convention, but it certainly has appeared to look this way for several years ! It’s about damn time the dress code is enforced.
Thank you MC School leadership !
You mean students are now required to dress as the would in a real world work environment high school is readying them for?
Oh the shame.
Two big thumbs up for this rule. The kids have enough to deal with in school without having to deal with shorts so short that it leaves nothing to the imagination. And while they are at it they should say no bare bellys or butts and no underclothes that show. I raised two boys that fought that dress code but didn’t die because their parents enforced it. If I had girls you would be they wouldn’t even own clothes that didn’t conform to this dress code. They aren’t asking much, just make it respectable. Good job MCHS!
as a mother myself there are plenty of pants/shorts that are produced that are “in fashion” that girls can wear they are called capris and bermudas. I don’t understand for 1 why ANY mother wants her teenage daughters @$$ hanging out for every boy to imagine what he can do with it. We as parents should be stopping/correcting the sexual behavior. We should be appauled as a country that 63.5% of our kids have had sex BEFORE age 13! Good lands ladies BE LADIES! What happened to leaving a little to the imagination and being proud of who you are on the inside instead of the outside!
I am the mother of a 15 yr old daughter at the high school who had to take alternate pants to her today… of the MANY young ladies I observed waiting also for their parents to bring theirs- in my opinion, there was only a few I felt was in ‘violation’ of dress code. these girls ‘goods’ were appropriately covered, I honestly could not see why they were made to change before allowed to class! as long as these young ladies dress in good taste and nothing exposed, what is the harm? we still live in a free country, where the choices we make express individualism and defines us as who we are… let them be ‘teenagers’!!!
Robin, Freedom has it’s limits. Your free to do as you please until it offends someone or in this case disrupts the learning of others. Those rules have been in the book for a long time and they are for everyone. That is the problems today you can be a teenager just fine and express yourself without having you goods hanging out of there shorts, pants, tops. I do think that this is for the boys too.
These girls dress appropriately today ? Are you totally blind Robin Ragsdale ?
So many of today’s youth look like tramps ! A dress code should have been enforced long ago, but the school system failed until now .
THANK YOU MCHS Administrators !
The girls butt cheeks hanging out of their shorts is totally inappropriate for school! And for those vollyeball “uniforms”……camel toe come to mind anyone ? Basketball players don’t wear skin tight pants so why do the girls need to wear skin tight pants? Is it because the coaches like them so tight ? Maybe this needs to be investigated..just sayin’
The Olympic girls beach volleyball team looked like tramps as as well – what kind of an example were they?
If anyone knows Robin, her response shouldn’t surprise you.
You also have the right to homeschool or open enroll your child in another school. By not respecting these rules you are disrespecting authority. No wonder the kids don’t listen to the teachers half the time.
This wasn’t new news and I feel sorry for the kids that had to wait on their parents who were working or couldn’t get to school. The kids knew this was going to be enforced and most parents should have known also.
Do you really believe that almost 2 out of every 3 12 year olds have had sex? I doubt it.
There is no reason for a girls butt to be visible while wearing her shorts. Thank you school for enforcing this.
Maybe the school should inform Kris Penca, the cheerleading coach of the new dress code. The cheerleaders skirts are ridiculously short!
inregards to your question and the one below about volleyball team- from what my daughter says they were told both of those are ‘school uniforms’ therefore they are appropriate attire… so what MCHS is portraying to these girls is they can break the rules for school representation, but general population of students cannot!! she went on to say that girls were detained at the front doors and made to wait in office for their parents- they weren’t allowed to go eat breakfast in the meantime. and for the girls who’s parents couldn’t bring them ‘proper’ attire due to them being at work were put in ISS (in school suspension)… quite a few were I’m tears because of it!!
Suck it up buttercup….read the dress code and follow it
Kris Penca wasn’t the coach when the uniforms were purchased. Direct your misplaced blame elsewhere
For your information, Kris Penca is not the head cheerleading coach. She is the volunteer assistant coach for sideline and competition cheer. The head coach went in and spoke to the principle about the girls’ uniforms and had them approved. Also, Kris had nothing to do with the uniforms; when they were purchased, Mrs. Penca was not a part of the MCHS cheer program.
Will the volleyball team be following this new dress code?
BooHoo. I feel soooo bad for the young ladies not being able to show off their wears. What took the school so long to do this? Why did they wait until things got out of control? Just watch, the Mommies will be on TV saying how unfair it is. Maybe what is unfair is the fact the school has to dress their daughters and the Moms buy trashy clothing for their girls to wear…Shame one them…But then again some know no shame.
http://www.target.com/p/cherokee-girls-antique-dark-bermuda-denim-short-blue/-/A-13800062
Looks like they are still being made to me
Those are just adorable :/