What Phoenix parents need to know about school dress code

PHOENIX — Kids nationwide are getting kicked out of class for wearing leggings to school.

“It’s very shaming to female students to restrict them in so many ways,” Christina Jimenez, a licensed marriage and family therapist for Doorways Arizona, said. “Strictly because their clothing is being inappropriate, when, really, the inappropriate nature of their clothing is manifesting out of response from maybe their male counterparts.”

Adhering to school dress code has become more of a distraction to kids’ education than the actual clothing itself, Jimenez said.

“I just think it’s taken too far,” she said.

Jimenez said overly restricting school-aged kids could teach them that it’s not acceptable to be their own person.

So how do parents decide what’s appropriate?

“As parents, your job is to make sure the physiological aspects of your child’s dress is taken care of,” she said. “Making sure your child is wearing covered and wearing clothes that are appropriate for the climate.”

Jimenez said parents need to strike a balance between their child’s sense of identity and familial values.

“Kids want to express themselves so you may not agree with the clothing color or maybe the patterns or the way they put it together,” she said. “They’re learning to trust themselves in that process.”

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