Out of the Mouth of Babes "Our Future Leaders"

S1 EP6 pt4 - School Rules and Realities: Balancing Dress Codes, Cell Phones, and Student Life

• Kevin Shook • Season 1 • Episode 6

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What happens when school policies clash with the everyday realities of student life? Join us as we unpack personal stories with our guests about favorite teachers and the ups and downs of classroom dynamics. From the thrill of learning new languages to navigating the complex social web of peer interactions and seating arrangements, we paint a vivid picture of how these elements shape the educational journey. Our conversation doesn't shy away from the struggles and triumphs that come with student life, offering an authentic look at the joys and challenges of learning.

The heart of our discussion beats around the controversial issues of dress codes and cell phone policies. We question the fairness of these rules, particularly their disproportionate impact on certain groups, and challenge the notion of collective punishment. Through a lively exchange, our guests and we seek a middle ground that honors personal expression while respecting the school environment. Can schools strike the right balance? Tune in to hear our perspectives on crafting policies that are both equitable and empowering for all students.

Speaker 1:

Okay, well, there's two different answers for that. Okay, we're live now.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so ask that one more time what's your favorite teacher?

Speaker 1:

Okay, my favorite teacher is Msussie, I think. So far what does she?

Speaker 2:

teach.

Speaker 1:

ACP, apush or APUSH.

Speaker 2:

Okay, and your favorite class is that class.

Speaker 1:

No, it's probably like I like that class, but maybe my engineering probably interests me the most, or like ACP Bio, which is probably not what a lot of people would say, but, um, engineering has just always been kind of fun to me. So, yeah, I'd say that's probably my favorite okay, what about you?

Speaker 3:

my favorite would be spanish, just because learning something new is always fun what about you?

Speaker 2:

mine is definitely french, because number one, that teacher is late and also like like. Aaliyah's in there, but I think if that's not my favorite class, I'd say Nutrition and Wellness. I don't really like the teacher but like the environment in there I'm like, oh yeah.

Speaker 1:

Who teaches that?

Speaker 2:

Miss Siders.

Speaker 1:

Is it, miss Siders?

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

We're not going to talk crap on here, but but yeah, but she's all right.

Speaker 1:

I can just tell she's definitely, like you know, she's just tired of everybody. She's done. Yeah, she's old. I do have a question for you. Uh, do you really get begin any work done in French without? I mean without? We don't sit by each other, okay, yeah, that's probably the best.

Speaker 2:

I know it's actually terrible. Aaliyah's table's dead and my table there's like these two kids across from me. I was like how's your day, avril? And the girl next to me, she's cool.

Speaker 1:

But one of them, he tried to get my cell phone number and my snapchat and I was like shut it down so is it like a bad thing that he's like or like your like? Peers are like caring for you oh no, that's a great thing. It's just there's a certain extent, you know, I definitely I was just saying it's great, but I'd rather sit by leah and have leah care. You know that's bad, though, though I'm going to try to write this next to my best friend too.

Speaker 2:

So because literally like in the last episode of the podcast we were talking about, this is redemption year. Like last year, that was a learning process and this year we can take a step back and like self-reflect.

Speaker 1:

Hey, Angeline, have fun. Freshman and sophomore year.

Speaker 2:

Buckle down.

Speaker 1:

Junior year is like a punch in the throat.

Speaker 2:

Buckle down.

Speaker 1:

Like in the stomach.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, buckle down.

Speaker 1:

It's like the first day you get like, I got like. Oh my God, my first day was trash.

Speaker 2:

I got a project.

Speaker 1:

I got freaking papers.

Speaker 2:

I had a three-page essay in geometry. Words in geometry, not letters, I mean, not numbers.

Speaker 1:

Who do you have Words?

Speaker 2:

Hits in.

Speaker 1:

Okay, that's kind of crazy. Yeah, I never had no three-page essay in geometry.

Speaker 2:

And it was like get to know you.

Speaker 3:

Okay, guys rate your first week from 1 to 10. Four.

Speaker 1:

Honestly, I don't remember it.

Speaker 3:

Four, I would say about a five. Okay, out of the mouth with babes.

Speaker 1:

So I would say my week was probably a cool one Out of the mouth with babes Out of the mouth with babes, guys, what if I'm not done talking?

Speaker 2:

Okay, well, you're good, wrap it up, wind it up. Okay, one more last comment I'm getting hungry and tired.

Speaker 1:

All right, all right, all right. Last thing I want to talk about, though I just want to hear you guys' opinion on the new dress code and the cell phone policy.

Speaker 2:

Cell phone policy sucks, I think, and same thing with the dress code code sucks, I think. They're punishing everyone when they should just be punishing separate individuals for people who are abusing it, not everyone. Don't think it's fair?

Speaker 1:

for like the dress code, because I know the phone one, I can understand that yeah fully and completely, but I still kind of feel the same way.

Speaker 2:

I feel like everyone is not abusing it. Yeah, the majority but some people are not, I don't think everyone should be punished. Same thing for the dress code. Some people are definitely the majority, are definitely abusing it, but some people aren't, and that's not fair For both sides. I think it's not fair, yeah.

Speaker 1:

For one part I mean I don't okay, life's not fair, that's. But also I think it's a lot harsher on women than it is men, and so it's kind of hard no, that's for me to speak.

Speaker 1:

Oh, he has his hands, like I could say Okay, anyway. But I was saying, though, for the midriffs, like the you know shirts, so it's like how do you, where do you like put the line? Because I feel like that's something that's like really hard. Because like that's something that's like really hard, because if you say, if you say that certain midgets are like allowed, then how do you say certain ones aren't, even if they're the same, like there's other ones that have like cuts in them and things like that also, people have different body types, but I don't think that should matter.

Speaker 2:

Like either.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I agree, I agree, I'm not some people.

Speaker 2:

This is when I saw people abusing it. Some multiple girls were wearing bras to school.

Speaker 2:

That's highly and completely inappropriate, but like I literally know back in the 70s, 80s and 90s y'all was wearing them crop tops to school, like I just know you were, and I understand from a parental view and an adult view. I can understand both perspectives, but like it's not fair. To an extent, like I said, I feel like everyone is getting punished. I don't abuse the dress code because my dad get back in the house, but I know some parents aren't like that, so some kids can just walk out in a bra and their parents won't say anything. But it's like you can't punish everyone.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I agree, my only thing like I've never was really like I don't get distracted by that.

Speaker 2:

Your stomach, yeah, or like some shoulders.

Speaker 1:

Like, come on, bro, like if I said this to kevin earlier, I was like, if that's really what's distracting you, like maybe y'all say, maybe you figure your priorities out like exactly if.

Speaker 2:

But if my stomach is not letting me learn something math class, that's a problem for the teacher and the school.

Speaker 1:

But I can understand if it was someone's private parts, but like we're not allowed to do that and some real stuff, like some of the shorts do below, like sure, like things like that, like maybe pushing it, but like definitely there's definitely like a limit, like that, I feel like isn't distracting, like for half the midget. I mean be noticing, so like they really.

Speaker 2:

Everyone's wearing it, so not like to hear like a little brawl.

Speaker 1:

If you wear the sports bra, then even then I'm not gonna see that as different, because I mean I run cross country and like I do, I'm physical and I'm active. So it's like you see that, like you see that just in general, you have to get.

Speaker 2:

You have to get uncomfortable and comfortable, you have to be able to get out of your comfort zone with stuff. But also it's very case by case. Like a girl could wear a bra to school, I didn't me personally, I didn't see her get dress coded. It was a sports bra. I feel like if I were to wear something or someone who had a different body type, they would get just put it immediately. I think that's not fair.

Speaker 1:

I think that's the thing, though, too, is like it's not necessarily like I've seen less, not really anything about race is more a lot of like body types because, like I'm not gonna say which body types, because I'm not trying to call nobody out or anything like that, but like I say, like I see a lot of my friends that'll go like women or I mean there's some men too that I've heard got in trouble too with it but like wearing certain stuff, like some kids, like they're like kind of popular, like good with like the administrative, like they won't really hear none it's very kids, but then you'll hear some kid that's like you know.

Speaker 1:

I mean, everybody knows them. But like you know, like like me, for example, I'm not real like popular, but like everybody knows me, like I'd probably get dress coded, but like some kid that like you know, like I don't know, some varsity basketball player or something like that, like they probably won't.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I didn't get it, but it's very biased, that's what I'm saying like.

Speaker 1:

But then, like there's a girl that like she was in my math class I'm not gonna say her name on here, but she literally like when I say her, she got called for a midriff but it was like you couldn't even say her. She got called for a midriff but it was like you couldn't even see her belly button or nothing. There was literally like a whole gap.

Speaker 2:

Right, but why is my belly button offending you? You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1:

I was like I didn't even realize you had a midriff until they said something.

Speaker 2:

Exactly.

Speaker 1:

I was like what? And so then that's why I was like, but then I literally walked past a girl that literally had to like hear and they pick and choose. She walk around like she mad confident. So I'm like what's.

Speaker 2:

So I and I'm not saying I was okay I will say this I was disrespecting the dress code or not following the dress code, I wore a crop top. I think, like you said, it depends on who you are. My mom will call that school and I will call that school. I will most definitely speak up for myself If my grades are good. I'm not messing on my education if someone's not staring at my stomach, you know but even then, why are they staring at you?

Speaker 1:

like that, anyway, like it's not their business.

Speaker 2:

If how I'm dressing is genuinely affecting my education or someone else's, you can sit down with me and talk to me about it, not punish everyone else yeah, and, like I said, it'd be one thing if so everybody's out there dressing indecent, like, granted, there's some people that really do be pushing it? Yeah, I know for sure.

Speaker 1:

But like, at the same time, I feel like if you're just wearing something that you're comfortable in, like you're just in there, you're coming to school to learn, you're not coming here to pick up nobody.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, like, and I told mr hamley I said um, some people they don't have the resources or tools to get different clothes, like they may be getting hand-me-downs, or maybe they might not have enough money to put it, put it towards longer shirts, or maybe they're shopping at a thrift store.

Speaker 1:

You know, they might not have certain resources so it's like it's case by case I feel like I mean to that case. I'm not gonna lie. I feel like it'd be a lot easier to get some regular shirts compared to midgers, but like true, but I mean, that's not me, I've never. I'm not in that situation, so it's not really for me to speak on.

Speaker 1:

But yeah it's I don't know. I feel like it's that one of them like weird topics, because I talked to a teacher about it too and they were saying that they don't necessarily agree with it. But they're saying like, yes, I agree that kids take like advantage of it, but like, how do you enforce it?

Speaker 2:

that's the thing, that's the big thing after this, I just want to end it real quick. I just think like, oh, he does want to end it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I just want to keep it short though but I just want to say, like, how do you, how do you enforce it? Like, yeah, like you're like, oh, is it like over the belly button, I think?

Speaker 2:

for the same thing for the cell phones and same thing for the midriff. If you see someone abusing, I can understand that, but the reason why they're implementing the rule is because people were abusing it, but it wasn't everyone you know you have. You have to just talk to your students and communicate and make it fair. I feel like I know.

Speaker 1:

But then if they say midriffs are allowed, but don't abuse it, like where's the line, that's I just want to know where the line is. I'm not, that's when they would have to communicate that.

Speaker 2:

You know, I know where my line is at, I know how I'm supposed to dress, but that's something that you would have to discuss with other students. You know you would have to let them know. Hey, this is the limit, you know, not to. You know, don't have too much, whatever the case may be, whatever they want it to be, because I know what I'm comfortable with.

Speaker 3:

But you just have to communicate that with your students and make it fair instead of implementing a rule that is not necessarily fair to everybody. This rule has been a rule since like 2000 yeah, since like no in the high school. It's been a rule since like 2000, like 17, 18 and now they're just they're just now actually implementing it.

Speaker 2:

They did not care about the phones and they did not care about midriffs and, yes, people did abuse it and that's why they're starting to care now. I completely get that, completely understand it and respect that and I'm all for that, but you can't punish. It feels like a punishment, like they're punishing everybody you know like and Mina Leah we're talking about if you're wearing something like a bra to school, you need to get sent home, you need to change into something more appropriate for school and we we were talking about I feel like I'm kind of dragging it.

Speaker 2:

But, just basically, you know what is right to wear to school. You know and we were talking about how you should always be free to express yourself to an extent, like some jobs, you have to dress a certain way for your job, like business casual.

Speaker 1:

You can't go in any PJs. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2:

But there's a certain point where someone shouldn't be telling you what to wear, you know. You should just know, like I can and can't wear this to school, and if it's a problem then you need to speak to that individual. You don't need to punish everybody who's still doing what they're supposed to do. Yeah, I think as long as it's not distracting, then why does it matter?

Speaker 3:

But matter. But I I thought I think we should um yeah, uh, let's wrap it up boys and all this chit chat, see you next time on.

Speaker 2:

This is out of the mouth of babes.