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It’s winter in Florida, and as students try to bundle up against the chill, the deans will probably be receiving an influx of referrals for the most popular infringement this time of year: dress code violation.
Although teachers and administrators alike have referred to it as a dead horse issue, every year Heritage’s outerwear policy proves problematic for both students trying to stay warm and teachers forced to pay extra close attention to what kids are wearing.
Heritage prohibits its students from wearing any kind of outerwear other than that provided by the school. When it comes to this policy, students encounter a major problem: costliness and inconvenience.
In an environment where everyone is wearing the same thing, it is not uncommon for someone to mistake a classmate’s sweatshirt for their own. Misplacing a jacket at Heritage is not always the result of a student’s irresponsibility; more often it’s the product of an accident one which frequently occurs on campus. With prices ranging from $26 for a standard Continental sweatshirt to $150 for a leather and wool Heritage jacket, Heritage outerwear can be costly to replace.
Many parents are already paying upwards of $1000 in books and fees, as well as hundreds of dollars for the mandatory uniform shirts, shorts, and pants. Uniform outerwear adds an unnecessary cost to already lengthy bills.
Sophomore Scott Mandelberg said he has an issue with the policy. “They [the sweaters] are totally un-protective, and the nice ones are expensive.” Mandelberg is a member of the swim team at Heritage and wishes the school would allow him to wear his Heritage swim team sweatshirt because it has a hood.
Another common issue students run into with the outerwear policy is its lack of practicality. Many Heritage students own only one jacket or sweater, which is reasonable, considering Florida only experiences temperatures below sixty degrees a few weeks out of the year.
“It’s stupid to pay for a sweater you’re only going to wear a few times a year. That money could go toward something else. Heritage outerwear should be an option, not something that is mandatory,” said junior Alexis Fleischer.
Are students really expected to wash their sweatshirts every night when Florida experiences a week of weather below sixty degrees, as it recently did this January? Being able to use their own outerwear on days when the weather calls for it is much more convenient not only to the students but also to the teachers who are forced to waste class time by writing referrals for non-Heritage attire.
Several students have also complained that much of Heritage’s outerwear is ineffective. “These sweaters do not keep me warm, and after one wash, they shrink and become coarse on the inside,” said senior Sawson Moussa. “Plus, they rip really easily, too.”
While the desire to maintain a uniform appearance is understandable and the school’s right, the need for exceptions should be recognized when policies become impractical. If Heritage allowed its students to wear solid colored sweaters and jackets from home in red, white, and black, students could keep warm effectively and economically, and the school could still maintain uniformity.
Yes, some students will undoubtedly break the rules; but then, they do it now anyway. Students would be less likely to abuse their privileges if given allowances with specifications, as opposed to stringent prohibition. When asked if they would be willing to comply with the proposed new policy, every student interviewed replied, “Yes”.
If Heritage adopted a more reasonable outerwear policy, perhaps the cold weather would be a bit more enjoyable for both students and administration.
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