The Dress Code Debacle
Room 305 where students are instructed to go to change into uniform compliant clothing
March 1, 2022
As of Friday, Jan. 28, the first day of the second semester for 2022, Millikan has changed the dress code temporarily to include jeans (without any rips), solid blue or gold collarless T-shirts, and black and gray outerwear (as long as they are not patterned).
Millikan’s Assistant Principal, Arinn Filer, who has been speaking about the dress code the past few weeks over the morning announcements, said that the “staff wants to get student, parent, staff, and teacher perspectives,” on the new dress code, hence the only temporary change.
PEACE and QUEST Assistant Principal Cheryl Savio put out a video on Tuesday, Feb. 8, reviewing all of the new dress code policies making it very clear what is and is not acceptable to wear to school.
According to Dean of Students, Kyle Heinrich, these continuing reminders are all part of the school’s effort to “communicate the new guidelines and give clarification,” so that eventually the new dress code will be more streamline and everyone will be on the same page.
“I get why there may be a little bit of a bump as to students abiding by the guidelines,” says Heinrich. “[The staff and I] want to be understanding and flexible and willing to change over time.”
COMPASS junior Julissa Flores says, “I still don’t feel like we are able to express ourselves as much as we should be, students should be able to wear whatever it is that they want within reasonable guidelines. It doesn’t make sense that one piece of clothing can be a certain color but another can’t.” Flores is referencing how students are allowed to wear black sweatshirts now but not black t-shirts or black pants.
Heinrich added a few reasons as to why Millikan is so adamant about keeping the dress code, such as safety precautions because seeing someone who is not in the permitted colors makes it easy to identify someone on campus who might not be a student and could be posing a threat. Some of Heinrich’s other reasons included school pride, creating a “level playing field” among students, keeping the tradition of the school, and more.
Flores counters by saying, “I haven’t seen anything drastically negative happen on days where it’s free dress.”
Heinrich says that “[The Millikan staff and I] want our students to come into school feeling like they belong, that they are safe, comfortable, and involved.”
Hopefully the change in dress code is the beginning of a new era of understanding between the student body and staff, and moving forward in this way will create a space where everyone is proud to walk in the gate and be a part of Millikan.
Aidan Kolb • Mar 15, 2022 at 11:06 am
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 3, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled, “The Dress Code Debacle.” His article talks about the new temporary dress code that was given to the students on the 28th of January and some of the opinions of the new dress code from two different perspectives. A student says that the dress code doesn’t fully let students express themselves through their style or fashion and that the dress code itself is a little confusing to the students. I agree with the student when they say that the dress code lacks a little bit of reason because we are allowed to wear one thing of a certain color but we can’t wear other clothing items of the same color. It fails to explain to students why we can’t wear a certain thing and because of this, many students get dress-coded because they thought that their clothes followed the dress code. I also agree with the student when they said that students should be able to wear whatever they want. I understand the safety issues that arise with that as stated by Mr. Heinrich but there are ways that students can be recognizable. One idea that I really thought was really good was by THE Kira Hamilton. The idea was iron-on ram patches. I really liked it because it would allow students to dress how they want and show school spirit at the same time and in a very cute way. It is also a really easy way to identify students!
Isabella Rezex • Mar 9, 2022 at 10:45 am
In Issue 3/2022 (March 7, 2022), Charlie Hex, wrote an article titled “The Dress Code
Debacle” The article talks about the recent temporary uniform change at Millikan High School.
As of Friday, January 28, the first day of the second semester for 2022, Millikan has made
temporary changes in the uniform policy. The dress code temporarily includes jeans (without
any rips) sold blue or gold collarless T-shirts, and black and gray outerwear without any
patterns. According to the Dean of Students, Kyle Heinrich, this new change comes in a better
effort to communicate uniform guidelines better and give clarification to Millikan students. On the
contrary, students at Millikan still continue to say that they are not able to express themselves
as much as they would like. Students have been expressing the fact that it does not make
sense to be able to wear one color of clothing, and not another. One student asked by the
Millikan Corydon stated, “I haven’t seen anything drastically negative or dangerous happen on
free dress days.” The Dean of Students at Millikan stated “The Millikan Staff and I want our
students to come to school and feel like they belong, that they are safe, comfortable, and
involved. Although the Millikan administration believes the dress code policy is helping fellow
ram students, is it really doing more harm? It is hard to tell.
Sincerely,
Isabella Rezex
Julissa Flores • Mar 9, 2022 at 10:06 am
In issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle.” The article mentions that the Millikan dress code has been recently temporarily changed for the second semester. I am thankful the school is finally listening to what the students have to say regarding dress code and trying to take action regarding our opinions. I do agree though as if we should be “able to express ourselves as much as we should be, students should be able to wear whatever it is that they want within reasonable guidelines” but i understand that the school is trying to get the opinions of the staff and parents as well to see where to take it from where it is now. I do suggest that the school should speak more about what they are trying to do and the actions they are taking regarding the dress code so the students won’t go on feeling as if we are unheard or ignored. I do have some questions regarding this topic for the school such as why isn’t the school more worried and focused on the students actions rather than blame it on the clothes itself? What is the school doing to gather the opinions for the students and parents opinions on the dress code? Thank you for informing me on this topic.
Jacklyn Frost • Mar 8, 2022 at 10:07 am
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article addressing the dress code changes and opinions about them. The article talks about how both staff and students feel about the changes and dress code in general. I can agree with the points made by the staff saying that school should be a place where students should feel safe. However, I believe that dressing and expressing yourself makes you feel the most comfortable, and doesn’t really have to do with whether or not it is safe. Adding on, all of the ther schools in the district, with the exception of Wilson, do not have a dress code anymore. Finding specific colors or something that does not have logos is pretty challenging, and personally I have not seen anything drastic or negative when we have free dress days. I am happy that the school started to make changes in dress code, but I also think that it could still be expanded to make school an expressive and comfortable place for everyone. Do you think the school will keep the changes or get rid of the dress code completely? How do you think students will react if they do not change?
Thank you for taking the time to listen to everyone’s opinions!
Sincerely,
Jackie Frost, Grade 11
Tyler De jesus • Mar 8, 2022 at 12:45 am
In Issue 3/7 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle”. This article talks about the dress code at millikan. They recently updated our dress code temporarily to black and gray tops and jeans. I personally like this idea but I support what Julissa Flores said. She said “ I still don’t feel like we are able to express ourselves as much as we should be regarding clothing”. I believe that because I want to be able to wear whatever clothes I want to show my style and express how I feel in clothing. But I do believe it was a good idea for them to be more lenient on clothing. I believe a dress code is needed for clothes that are inappropriate but other than that you should be able to wear whatever color you want. But I don’t think that the school will ever stop the dress code policy. If they do end up dropping the dress code policy I think that all the students would feel more comfortable expressing themselves in clothes and giving students some ideas on how to dress. Free dress gives students an opportunity to figure out their style and find new styles and friends.
Mareli • Mar 7, 2022 at 5:23 pm
Dear Corydon Editor, In Issue 4/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex, wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle.” Recently, our highschool has adjusted the dress code to a more accessible network of clothing. In this article Charlie informs us of their new code. It states that we can wear new solid colors such as gray and black. However, they aren’t allowing plain long sleeves, pants, or shirts. In other words, if it isn’t a sweater forget about it. I agree with Julissa Flores. It makes absolutely no sense for me to wear a plain black sweater but someone else can get a dress code for wearing the same color with no sleeves (a t-shirt). I can understand staff trying to protect us and better the uniform. However, it is so restricted they might just return to how it was before which might lead to many unhappy students or they could not be so heavy on the t-shirts people are wearing. Millikan is one of the few schools in Long Beach with uniforms. I think students should be allowed a say in what we are wearing like other schools do. Overall, Charlie did a great job of informing me of new clothing that is allowed. I love that I can wear jeans now! It was hard this summer trying to look for “no jean” bottoms. I hope that if they do decide to remove gray and black that they keep jeans. Thanks so much for the article!
Wyatt Herzberg • Mar 7, 2022 at 4:33 pm
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle” In this article a student named Julissa Flores says “I still don’t feel like we are able to express ourselves as much as we should be.” I strongly agree with this. Even the new dress code rules are still very restricting to students and the reasoning the staff provides as to why is minimal. In this article, Flores also says “I haven’t seen anything drastically negative happen on days where it’s free dress.” referring to the claim that the dress code can be used to identify someone who is posing a threat to the campus. Once again I agree and have always felt that this is a weak argument because we are already required to show an up to date student ID at the gate upon entry. That means if there is someone on campus posing a threat they would have to at least appear to be a student to even get in. I don’t believe that a lack of uniform will ever get in the way of keeping the campus safe and the students comfortable and welcomed. On the contrary, I feel that students not in uniform are constantly unfairly profiled as delinquents or threats to the school before ever doing anything against the rules.
Sincerely,
Wyatt Herzberg, Grade 11
Jade Donahoe • Mar 7, 2022 at 4:30 pm
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote a news article called “The Dress Code Debacle” addressing the ongoing debate on the temporary dress code. The textbook definition of a dress code is a set of rules that specifies the required manner of dress at a school in hopes to create a more peaceful learning environment. Uniforms are the specific clothing worn by students attending certain schools. The difference between the two is that the dress code allows room for students to choose what they wear. This confuses many students because even though we are now given more possibilities on the way we dress there are still many restrictions that don’t make sense. For example the temporary dress code allows for students to wear black outerwear but not a black shirt or pants. Why is it that there are specific requirements for outwear? Although there are students in California who choose to wear sweaters in warmer weather, most students don’t wear jackets so why is there the need to specify the outwear guidelines when most students don’t utilize it? Also, I agree with COMPASS junior Julissa Flores when she says, “I still don’t feel like we are able to express ourselves as much as we should be, students should be able to wear whatever it is that they want within reasonable guidelines”. I understand that there is a limit to how much can be changed considering that our dress code is a safety precaution against someone who isn’t supposed to be on campus. It makes it easy to identify someone on campus who might not be a student. Instead of giving students the chance to express themselves with clothing, why not just make an official uniform. This would make it so students no longer have to experience getting their hopes up just for the faculty to restrict and hinder students’ personal expression.
Sincerely,
Jade Donahoe, Grade 11
Rose Schafer • Mar 7, 2022 at 3:52 pm
In Issue 4/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle.” This article discusses the newly implemented changes to the Millikan Dress Code. Students can now wear black and gray outerwear, jeans, and solid blue and gold shirts with no collars. Although these new changes give us students a little more freedom than we had before, I agree with Julissa Flores. There are not enough changes to allow students to fully express themselves. If we can wear a black or gray sweatshirt, why can we also wear a black or gray shirt? If I can wear blue jeans, why can I wear black ones as well? I understand the safety reasons behind this, but I think there is still room for improvement. The staff says that the limiting dress code also promotes school spirit. However, spirit wear can be expensive for some students to purchase. It can also be hard to find clothes that students like that also comply with the dress code. While it is obvious that school isn’t a fashion show, students should still feel confident in what they are wearing and who they are when they walk on campus.
Sydney Trump • Mar 7, 2022 at 12:30 pm
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle” The article mentions that the Millikan’s dress code has sparked a lot of tension between students and staff. The article goes on that the Assistant Principal, Arinn Filer, who has been speaking about the dress code wants the perspective of staff members, parents, students, and teachers about this new dress code. A staff member Kyle Henrich and a Millikan student Julissa Flores have their say on the dress code. Henrich says that he gets why there may be a conflict with students following the dress code and that he and the staff want to be understanding and flexible and willing to change this dress code over time. Flores states that students aren’t allowed to express themselves as much as they should be able to and that students should be able to wear whatever they want as long as it is within reasonable guidelines. Personally, I agree with Julissa because it’s true that students aren’t able to express themselves the way they want to. Although having over 1,000 students follow this without any hiccups is bound to happen because not everyone has the same mindset as one another. I do think that this whole situation has its flaws when we can wear gray and black sweatshirts but can’t wear gray and black shirts and bottoms. Would it hurt anyone to put that into the dress code? Could Millikan in the future not have a dress code if right and reasonable terms are set? Could Millikan as a whole come to an agreement with this situation? Thank you for putting more of an insight into the current dress code.
Sincerely,
Sydney Trump, Grade 11
Eliz Barsikhian • Mar 7, 2022 at 12:17 pm
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 7/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled,”The Dress Code Debacle”. The article covers the new changes in the schools dress code such as solid blue or gold collarless T-shirts, back outerwear, jeans, etc. The author of this article also goes on to state the goal behind this dress code, which is to create a better understanding between the staff and students.I like how the article states the background behind the dress code because myself and some other people I know were a little confused about that. I also liked how the article has ideas and opinions from different voices like students and staff. It allows you to see both sides of the argument and it helps you form your own opinion because the article isn’t leaning to one side of the argument but ir provides support for both.. However, I agree with Julissa Flores when she said that whether its the old dress code or the temporary dress code, it doesn’t allow room for self expression through clothing. Overall I really liked this article, it for sure helps clear up the whole temporary dress code situation and the reasoning and goals behind it.
Sofia Uy • Mar 7, 2022 at 12:10 pm
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled, “The Dress Code Debacle”. The article talks about Millikan’s new dress code policy and what the staff thinks about it. Millikan’s new dress code has added being able to wear black and grey outerwear, jeans, and blue or gold shirts. They updated the dress code temporarily in order to get other people’s opinions on it and give students more freedom. Although I am glad that we can now wear jeans and different colors, I do agree with what Julissa Flores said about the dress code. Students should be able to express themselves freely, and with the dress code, even though it is more open, it still limits what students can wear. I also find it weird how we can wear certain colors but not others. Although I understand the staff’s perspective of being able to identify threats and making the school inclusive, nothing bad has happened when we get free dress and being able to express ourselves can lead to new friendships being formed. I hope that if we do continue to have a dress code, that the staff decides to keep it the way it is because it gives students some freedom.
Molly E Davis • Mar 7, 2022 at 10:58 am
March 7th, 2022
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 1 (published March 1st 2022) of “The Dress Code Debate?” Charlie Hex wrote an article on the new dress code rules at Millikan High School. The new rule is that blue jeans, solid blue and gold shirts, and black and gray outerwear are allowed. I like the new dress code, because I can wear more comfortable clothes and I can express myself more. Hopefully, this dress code will stay this way after this year. Although, I can understand why they would have to take this privilege away if people are not following the rules. If people don’t follow this new dress code, the school will have to take it away. From what I have seen, my classmates have been following the rules and we all enjoy the new clothing options. I hope this new dress code stays, because I enjoy the new clothing options I have. This has also helped out families that can’t afford the uniforms every year. I also appreciate the vice principal’s opinion on why they changed the dress code in the first place. So far she thinks the dress code has helped the school for the better and I agree.
Sincerely,
Molly Davis, Grade 11
Hannah Swank • Mar 7, 2022 at 10:36 am
March 7, 2022
Dear corydon editor
In the article the dress code debacle by charlie hex, was quite interesting when it came to the new temporary dress code and both the perspective of staff and students. I read in the article that jeans that were blue were allowed but not with rips in them, I also heard much about the new dress code on the announcements too. The only part I got confused with was the quote from a student claiming that she did not see and bad things happen when students wear a black t-shirt or jeans, I understand and all for free expression but the dress code is there to make students feel accepted. The other reason is that over the years there has been some bad stuff happening. But a few suggestions I would say is to have more quotes from students or teachers to hear what their opinion is on the new dress code. Thank you for giving a different perspective of the new temporary dress code.
Sincerely
Hannah Swank, grade 11
Xene Sommers • Mar 7, 2022 at 10:31 am
In issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle” The article addresses the newly updated temporary dress code policy. Prior to reading the article, I was not aware of the reasons the staff has the dress code. I appreciate them looking out for our safety but, I do strongly agree with Julissa Flores. When reading the new dress code, I was a bit confused with some of the new policies. For example, like Flores said, why can we wear black outerwear but not black t-shirts or black pants? We can wear solid gold and blue collarless shirts, but not white or even gray? I wish students could wear whatever they want, within reason, to school. I hope that this updated dress code will transfer into the new school year. Overall, the new dress code has made me much more comfortable with what I’m wearing to school now compared to before. I’m grateful that we’ve gotten this far with the policy though, never did I think we would be allowed to wear jeans or my favorite gray zip up to school. I’m happy to see the student body and staff communicating on this topic. Thank you for addressing this topic.
brooke burwell • Mar 7, 2022 at 10:29 am
March 7, 2022
Dear Charlie Hex,
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022) Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle” This article provides different opinions and point of views from staff, and students. Charlie provides information on why this new change in the dress code was brought about. The author provides clear information on how this change is meant to bring more understanding between students and staff. The student’s opinion she used stated that the dress code is strict and holds students back from self expression. Although I’m very happy with the recent change in the dress code, I have never had a huge problem with going to a school with a dress code. It almost seems as though it provides a cleaner, more put together look. But, the majority of students never wore collared shirts to begin with so there is not much of a change besides jeans, and black and gray outerwear. And I can also see and understand where Heinrich was coming from when the article mentioned safety precautions. I believe we are in a very good spot with our dress code, I think jeans were a very good change to the dress code. This article provided a clear understanding of the changes and I appreciated the opinions from the staff.
Sincerely,
Brooke Burwell, Grade 11
Quinn Tilles • Mar 7, 2022 at 10:29 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex speaks on the matter of our recent dress code change, which began on the first day of the second semester. They finally included jeans, black and gray outerwear. For years at Millikan, we have had the same dress code and nothing has really changed, although they finally added a little more options for what we could wear. Even though this change was great, it is only a temporary change. Staff wants to get to know the student’s, teachers’, and parents’ perspectives on the new dress code. The article mentions that the staff wants to be more flexible but why don’t they just allow kids to wear whatever they want? I understand the unity aspect and to show that we are a disciplined school, but I feel that dress code issues are constantly going to be an issue unless Millikan lets kids have free dress. Also, I agree with your statement that “hopefully the change in dress code is the beginning of a new era…” Maybe this will spark a bigger change in dress code but until then, we are trying new things.
Sincerely,
Quinn Tilles, Grade 11
Zoe-Jane Cardwell • Mar 4, 2022 at 2:33 pm
In issue, 5/2022 (published Mar 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle.” This article talks about how Millikan added a temporary dress code rule which includes jeans, gray and black outerwear, and navy shirts without collars. This new change I think a lot more students have been able to feel more comfortable coming to school. With previous dress code policies some students, including myself, felt uncomfortable in the colors and even the type of clothing allowed. There is a big barrier still with who gets dress coded and who doesn’t. Such as I saw another girl get stopped at the gate for wearing a tank top on an incredibly hot day whilst a bot passed by flawlessly in a black shirt and black pants. Both out of dress code yes, but the sexsism with it still continues to spread. With apon adding the new temporary dresscode I feel as though this issue has gotten worse with selective dress coding. I do appreciate some of our administrators fighting for the dress code issue and keeping kids confined to a certain standard that normal life doesn’t have. Thank you for covering the issue with the dress code.
Sadie Rick • Mar 4, 2022 at 2:30 pm
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debate.” The article goes over the new dress code at school, and the various viewpoints and opinions held by people at the school. I agree with the points Julissa Flores made, the dress code feels very inconsistent since students can wear certain colors on only specific pieces of clothing. I understand the arguments made by Dean Heinrich, however I think the points he makes could be resolved without a strict dress code. I like the idea of iron on patches that someone else commented on, but I also think that the safety of the students should be less dependent on clothing. There are many schools without dress codes that are safe environments, and foster school pride in other ways besides mandatory dress. That said, I understand why uniforms can create a level playing field for students, and how guidelines can be beneficial. I hope that Millikan will continue to listen to what the students want out of their school, and that they make more changes that would allow students to express themselves. Thank you to the author for writing this article, it was very informative and written very well!
Sincerely,
Sadie Rick, Grade 11
Avery K Wintjen • Mar 4, 2022 at 2:17 pm
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022) Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle” talking about the new dress code put in place on January 28, 2022. The article interviews staff and students to get different perspectives. I liked this in the article because it explained why we have a dress code and how the students feel about this dress code. The student interviewed, Julissa Flores, talks about not enjoying the dress code and how students should be allowed to wear what they want within reasonable limits. Julissa also mentions how it doesn’t make sense that students can wear black/grey outerwear but can’t wear those same colors on the bottom or on their shirts. The perspective of staff member Kyle Heinrich differs from Julissa’s. He believes it is important to have a dress code because it helps differentiate between students and outside threats and our close could show our school pride. The article then cuts back to Julissa’s perspective saying that there have never been issues of safety during free dress days. The article had such amazing perspectives that were so different from each other. These perspectives create an amazing argument for each side of the debate.
Sincerely,
Avery Wintjen Grade 11
Leyla Fernandez • Mar 4, 2022 at 2:16 pm
In issue 5 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle”. The article explains how Millikan temporarily added jeans, collarless solid blue or gold T-shirts, and black or gray outerwear to the new dress code. I like how you involved not only the staff and teacher’s perspectives, but a student that is attending Millikan which is the most important perspective that should be listened to. It is important to listen to the students’ perspective about the new dress code because they are the ones experiencing the emotions and the way they feel about attending school. Students are gonna have different opinions on the dress code, some will enjoy the dress code because it gives us a little bit more freedom of clothing. But, some students are gonna disagree about the new dress code, some may feel as though the new dress code isn’t enough and expect even more freedom for their clothing. I agree with you when you stated that our new dress code will hopefully create an environment where everyone is comfortable and proud to be a part of Millikan. Thank you for taking the time to write this relevant article for our school.
Eli Domingo • Mar 4, 2022 at 2:05 pm
March 4, 2022
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex published, “The Dress Code Debacle” This article summarizes the new dress code changes that took place a couple months ago. He shares the experiences of students and the old dress code and how it wouldn’t allow them to express themselves. However, despite the new changes, it’s still fairly limited and manages to contradict itself; such as the inconsistencies in what colors to wear and on what article of clothing. I appreciated how you shared both sides of this situation, the students and the school’s reasoning. However, I wish you shared parent’s opinions on the dress code or maybe the teacher’s perspective. Despite that, this was a very informative article and helped explain what was going on.
Sincerely,
Eli Domingo, Grade 11
Beth Langendorf • Mar 4, 2022 at 12:48 pm
In Issue 3/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle” The article covers the new change in the Millkan uniform to include jeans, solid blue or gold collarless T-shirts, and black and gray outerwear for students to wear. And explains that the reason behind the change in dress code was to get students to be more uniform and eventually get them to be on the same page with one another. The author also says they hope that this new change in the dresscodes is the start of greater understanding between staff and students. I personally believe that this dresscode is a new step to better things and less strict rules and hope that it can continue to phase into a new and less strict set of rules for students. I am especially hopeful of this because I believe that specifically dress codes are useless and created to be a power trip for students. Because dress codes don’t have any of the positive effects of uniforms (nocking status based on clothing and wealth, reduce bullying, lessen distractions and more) and only stiffles students’ self expression and creativity in their clothing I hope that this uniform change is the first of many to come.
Sincerely,
Beth Langendorf, Grade 11
Kira Nygaard • Mar 4, 2022 at 12:40 pm
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 4/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle”. The article talks about the recent updates to Millikan’s dress code with the addition of black and grey outerwear and jeans. I agree with what Julissa Flores said when she mentioned that some articles of clothing can be black or grey (jackets) but shirts or pants cannot. It doesn’t make sense in my mind because if you are adding a color, it should be across the board and I have seen some people get in wearing all black and some people not let in because they have a grey shirt on. Which leads me to my other point which is that students are always going to break dress code and there is no real way to get around that. So, a better solution to the “temporary” dress code would be to just have general guidelines for what students are and are not allowed to wear and not have a dress code since the one we currently have is seemingly unravelling with the addition to classically “non-Millikan” attire. Of course that won’t happen anytime soon and I understand safety and inclusivity concerns, but I feel that when there is such a massive debate over an article of clothing that people are getting detention, I think that sparks a bigger issue.
Sincerely,
Kira Nygaard, Grade 11
Adrian Acosta • Mar 4, 2022 at 12:22 pm
March 4, 2022
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex, a News editor wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle.” The Article informs us on the New Dress Code Policy that was impose on the beginning of the 2nd semester. On February 8, 2022 there was a video that was put out so that students and faculty could understand the dress code policy so that we know what we could only wear. However, having to only wear specific colors or outwear does give us a chance to wear what we want but even then why do we have to wear specific colors and outerwear that doesn’t make a lot of the students feel comfortable. I believe that having to wear whatever we want makes students’ feel a lot more comfortable and able to express themselves. Furthermore, In the article Heinrich said, “such as safety precautions because seeing someone who is not in the permitted colors makes it easy to identify someone on campus who might not be a student and could be posing a threat.” However, this just contradicts how school safety isn’t efficient and that we are basically still at risk of being in school. If we have to wear school colors to know that we are safe and go to this school then the school safety system is inefficient and again we are basically still at risk of being at school everyday. Overall, I like how the article really speaks about both points of views of the new dress code policy.
Sincerely,
Adrian Acosta, Grade 11
Giselle Moreno • Mar 4, 2022 at 10:27 am
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle”. The article mentions different opinions and perspectives to the new dress code for the second semester at Millikan High School. The new dress code allows students to wear jeans that aren’t ripped, blue and gold t-shirts, and gray and black outerwear. Charlie clearly explains the dress code and includes opinions from the Millikan staff and a junior from Compass. I really like how he includes the discussion between the dean and the student. This helped me understand different perspectives from both sides. I also liked how Charlie included another video source that one of the assistant principals put out. If someone uninformed about this topic reads this article, the video would be a greater way to understand the policy. In my opinion I do agree with Julissa but, the way Charlie expressed both sides evenly made me question my thoughts. Overall I really enjoyed reading this article but I think it would be interesting to provide pictures of students in their new uniform policy. Another friendly suggestion would be to include some of the students’ parents’ opinions on the new uniform and have them express their thoughts. Thank you for publishing this article.
Emma Lloyd • Mar 4, 2022 at 10:23 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 3rd, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle” The article informs me on the new dress code policy and all the problems that some students are having. The article explains that the code is temporary and includes a quote from Ms. Filer. The article also explains how students still think that the new dress code doesn’t give students a fair way to express themselves and I strongly believe that to be true. I like the variety of opinions within the article and all the new information.
Sincerely,
Emma Lloyd, Grade 11
phoebe • Mar 4, 2022 at 10:20 am
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex discusses the new dress code and how it differs from the last one. This new dress code allows gray and black outerwear, solid navy and gold t-shirts, and jeans. This was a big change, and personally, I really like it. I am grateful to have more options to wear to school and really enjoy how much more “free” I feel at school. A Lot of people feel that uniforms should just be gone completely, and we could just wear free dress with guidelines every day. Although it would be nice to not wear a uniform all the time, I feel that free dress won’t be happening anytime soon. Like Charlie stated in his article, there are reasons the admin and the board feel that Millikan should continue to stay in uniform like safety reasons and a sense of unity.I do understand why Millikan hasn’t gotten rid of the uniforms yet, but like I stated earlier, with this new dress code they seem to be headed in that direction. Lakewood and Poly have already gone uniform free, and students say it is a great way to express themselves and develop a personal style. Charlie did a great job further explaining why Millikan still has a uniform, and I learned more about the real reasons behind keeping the sense of unity.
Kira Hamilton • Mar 4, 2022 at 10:18 am
In Issue 4 of 2022, 3/1/22, Charlie Hex wrote an article titled, “The Dress Code Debacle.” His article addresses the recent alterations to the Millikan dress code, and some responses that have risen as a result of it. The article notes interviews with both students and staff, getting their take on whether or not the dress code change will be beneficial. One student notes that the way students are allowed to dress in black outerwear and not black pants is a bit confusing, and how it is difficult to see any purpose for it, presenting a valid opinion. When the dress code has only partially allowed a color to be worn, it brings confusion to students because they think, “Well why can I only wear this color as a sweater and not pants? This is weird”, and it is. It is pretty weird. Especially given I have these really cute black overalls that are so comfortable and would be very nice for school. An interview is also given to a school staff member, who says that the staff is trying their best to be flexible, and that the purpose of dress code is to make students easily identifiable, so that if someone were to attempt to come onto campus with malicious intent, they could be detected by staff. To this problem I propose iron on ram patches. ASB could collaborate with COMPASS to create a multitude of different ram patches, which could be ironed on to any backpacks or clothing items. I think that having these ram patches would be great because they would look so cute, and COMPASS and ASB could create different ones for holidays, and special months like pride month, black history month, womens month, etc. Imagine how cool students would look with a halloween ram on their sweater, it would be amazing and so stylish. I think this would be a great way to open up the dress code while still making students identifiable to staff and other students. Please do this it would be so sick.
Zach • Mar 4, 2022 at 10:17 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 5/2022 (published March 1, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle”. This article addresses both the student and staff perspectives on the dress code. I think that this is important to not so that we can understand what the other side’s points may be. I think Charlie mentioned some great quotes from staff members that really bring light to the situation. The most informative quote that he included was from Kyle Hendrix, “such as safety precautions because seeing someone who is not in the permitted colors makes it easy to identify someone on campus who might not be a student and could be posing a threat.” I think this is one of the strongest points the other side makes. And it is the most logical, even if most students don’t want to see it that way. I also agree with the article when it says “we should be able to wear what we want, within reason.” I also strongly agree with the logic behind this statement, “Flores is referencing how students are allowed to wear black sweatshirts now but not black t-shirts or black pants.” This argument is so strong because it exploits the flawed reasoning of the other side, in a polite way, but in a way that should get the staff rethinking their reasoning. And especially rethink what is, and isn’t allowed. I think this is a fair point and something that staff should take into consideration. Overall, the article was very informative and well-written.
Lucy Bruechert • Mar 4, 2022 at 10:15 am
In Issue 5/2020 (published March 1st, 2022), Charlie Hex wrote an article titled “The Dress Code Debacle” The article explains the new shift in dress code policies at Millikan High School, starting on January 28th, 2022. Students are now allowed to wear blue jeans, gray and black sweatshirts, and solid gold and navy tees. Throughout the interview, Hex sits down with the Dean of Students, Mr. Heinrich as well as, junior, Julissa Flores. While Mr. Heinrich believes that school dress codes give protection and a sense of school pride to students, Julissa believes that students should be able to express themselves through reasonable outfits. She and many other students are also confused why certain colors, such as gray, are allowed as sweatshirts but not as shirts. I completely agree. The main dislike I have about this new “dress code” is that it doesn’t feel consistent. If students are allowed to wear black and gray as sweatshirts, they should also be allowed to wear them as shirts. Maybe the administration can just allow students to wear all articles of clothing of gray, navy, gold, and black? I also understand the administration’s view that if you give students a little bit of leeway they will run with it, and that the dress code needs to be specific. Either way, I am excited you wrote about this topic because it has been circulating through almost every conversation I’ve had with people about the school.