Boston Latin is a public school, but also an exam school with an admissions process so you might say the students who attend enjoy a certain level of (ahem) privilege to do so.
The school also has a dress code which some students find problematic with some even claiming it perpetuates rape culture.
FOX News reports:
Students at prestigious Boston school claim dress code perpetuates rape cultureAdministrators at prestigious Boston Latin School have been embroiled in a dispute with female students over rape culture.And the whole thing was triggered by the school’s decision to actually enforce its longstanding dress code.The code is fairly conventional as schools go: It bans gang-related colors and symbols, sexually explicit logos, hemlines higher than 4 inches above the knee, and shirt-shoulder straps narrower than the width of three fingers. It also prohibits leggings worn as pants (as opposed to under a skirt or dress).The female students, in middle and high school, didn’t react well to the announcement. In a Change.org petition, they said it sends the message that “we still live in a patriarchal society where men can decide whether a female’s clothing is appropriate or inappropriate.”The petition also claimed the dress code creates “a sense of shame towards girls bodies” and reinforces the notion that “yes, it is our fault when girls get raped because they should have covered up and avoided the situation by dressing in a way that does not attract another person.”
You can read the full text of the Change.org petition below:
Tell interim headmaster of Boston Latin School to reconsider strict dress codesAs of November 1st, Interim headmaster Michael Contompasis has decided to reform the dress codes of Boston Latin School allowing the school to control more and more of what students wear. These new restrictions prevent many clothing choices including tank tops, leggings and a variety of other clothing. Most of these rules, if not all of them, have already been in place for some time. However, it has now been said that these rules, which have up until now selectively enforced, are to be heavily enforced. If you have read the daily bulletin, you may notice that many of the restrictions are aimed towards the female gender.By allowing the school to dress code us, we are telling the school several things:Yes, we still live in a patriarchal society where men can decide whether a female’s clothing is appropriate or inappropriate.Yes, a body should be covered in order to be attractive. Establishing a sense of shame towards girls bodies is okay and perfectly acceptable.Yes, a girl’s body is a sinful temptation that needs to be covered up at all costs for others to focus on their education.Yes, a female’s body is more tempting and sexual than a male’s body.Yes, it is our fault when girls get raped because they should have covered up and avoided the situation by dressing in a way that does not attract another person.Are these statements correct to you? Is it okay to assign a dress code in this manner? If the answer is NO! then sign this petition to tell Mr. Contompasis to reconsider his dress code restrictions.
Here’s a video report from CBS News in Boston which focuses more on the gang colors issue:
Featured image via YouTube.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY