Dress code is strictly enforced on campus with short shorts, certain tank tops, and cropped shirts not allowed. But at district sponsored events after school, there appears to be a bit more leniency.

“Usually I see lots of girls wearing short shorts and crop tops,” junior Emily Graves said. “Some guys I notice wear shirts with the sleeves cut down almost to the bottom of the shirt, tank tops, once I even saw a guy wearing short shorts, but in general don’t really think it’s a big deal.”

Despite that “students are expected to be in compliance with the dress code at any school-related event or activity” per district policy, according to a campus staff member, code violations are not strictly enforced unless the infraction is extreme, something corroborated by district assistant communications director Meghan Cone.

“Dress code is applicable to all FISD events and does not change for extracurricular activities,” Cone said. “Enforcement of the policy does vary some from campus to campus and might be more relaxed after hours.”

But even if the dress code is more relaxed at events such as football games, Graves isn’t a big fan of the general policy. 

“While it is still a school sponsored event, I think dress code in general is a backward step in the body positivity movement,” Graves said. “The school tells you to love yourself but then they don’t let you love yourself in certain clothing.”

Although it may appear administrators are taking a more relaxed approach to dress code at athletic events, students continue to feel the full force of the policy during school hours.

“I have never seen anybody get dress coded at football games, but I have gotten dress coded twice this school year,” junior Shelby Pybus said. “While it does integrate the concept of professional dressing at an earlier age, it also interferes with our creative expression while we are still trying to figure out our creative identity and who we are.”