Embedded Files
The Middle Division has been dealing with a grade-wide problem of rolling skirts. The girls of the Middle Division have been rolling skirts for years. The dress code states that skirts are not supposed to be altered in any way, which means they are not shortened or hemmed. We sent a survey to address this problem and see how the Berkeley community feels about this. The first question immediately asked how many people roll their skirts. Out of the 70 responses we got, we learned that 33 people do roll their skirts, meaning 37 don’t.
Many people said that the skirts don’t sit on the waist quite right, causing them to be uncomfortably loose. One anonymous response told us, “I roll my skirt because it is more comfortable. I understand how rolling the skirt an extra amount is not okay, but when it is rolled for comfort so it doesn’t fall down, it is okay. It is not to fit in. What some teachers do not understand is a skirt ‘fitting on the hips’ or ‘sitting on the hips’ feels too loose to most girls and is uncomfortable throughout the school day.”
On the other hand, others say that they do it because others do it. When so many people roll their skirts, it makes others feel insecure and that they stand out.
We then asked how many people had gotten an infraction, and a surprising ten people had gotten an infraction from their skirts. For some, the infraction caused them to change their mind about rolling skirts and to stop doing it altogether. For others who do it for comfort, it makes them feel as if teachers would rather have them be uncomfortable during the day. Many said they feel insecure when they get dress-coded because it makes them feel conscious about their looks. Some girls complain of inconsistency in discipline, and some feel “embarrassed and targeted” by it.
We got different responses when we asked how much rolling a skirt contributed to peer pressure. We received one response that a person does it to fit in and thirteen responses that girls feel partly pressured because they believe they need to do it to fit in. Twenty-five girls said it was just a personal choice. Peer pressure isn’t the main reason for rolling skirts, as most people initially thought.
We then asked what people would change about the rule, and we got many of the same responses. Most stated that 1-2 rolls should be fine and that having them to at least mid-thigh would be more comfortable than the knee cap. For example, one person stated, “I would change it so that girls can roll their skirt up to 2 times or that girls can have their skirt rolled, but it can not be "too short" and cannot go above mid-thigh or expose anything.” Others think that there should be a wider range of bottoms for women. Most of the respondents said they do it for comfort or security.
One of our last questions was what additional comments people had to share with the administration. One person who wished to remain anonymous stated, “I believe that middle school can be some of the toughest years of your life. I have heard this from so many people (including adults), and sometimes, you just want to feel confident or like you fit in. This is not easy to do when you don't like the appearance of your uniform. Every girl has felt this, and I'm sure of it. Including myself. If we aren't confident, won't that increase the pressure of the situation? And make everyone want to roll their skirts more like the others? This brings us to the next problem, which is everyone rolling their skirt. If you point out one singular person, they're going to feel really sad and embarrassed. Now, this has never happened to me, but I would feel terrible if it did. And calling someone in particular out isn't going to stop [that girl] from rolling their skirt. I can guarantee that. Everyone girl is doing this. We can't give everyone violations. But also, we shouldn't make everyone wear something their body isn't comfortable in.” Alex J., class of ‘29, said, “It is disappointing that I have to answer any of these questions. The dress code has been subjectively enforced and applied to the girls only. The skirts BPS chooses [must] be altered even to look normal. As we spend hundreds of dollars on uniforms alone, getting them altered is another hundred dollars out the window. Dress code violations should be for extreme situations, not from the viewpoint of one particular person to one particular girl. Who are you trying to protect, and who are you punishing?”
One student said, “My mother informed me that when people wear short skirts during concerts, they don’t realize that when they sit down, the audience can see up their skirts. I also feel that the trend requires people to roll their skirts, which makes the people who don’t roll their skirts feel individualized by everyone else. Also, the “rolling skirts” rule is not enforced at Berkeley. Infractions pass as a mere suggestion, and though it may help some, most will disregard it, leaving them a problem that remains.”
So why are people not allowed to roll their skirts? Mrs. Boss explained, “People make them too short and expose things people do not want to see. Also, it is a dress code.” Mrs. Boss agreed that rolling skirts has been more of an issue this year. She suggested, “It might be because the style of everything is very short, which makes people roll shorter than they used to.” As a follow-up question, we wanted to know how long skirt rolling has been going on. With an honest response, Mrs. Boss said, “It has been on and off through the years, but it seems to become a much bigger problem this year. I believe that the style of things like Lulu lemon skirts is influencing people to wear shorter skirts, but people should save it for the weekends.” For students who do not understand why they must unroll their skirts, Mrs. Boss explained, “When we tell people to unroll their skirts, it is because they are not following the dress code, or the person may not want to show what's behind them.”
We asked Profe Olson if she had a problem with people rolling skirts. In a very honest response, she said. “I told them not to do it because it was against the school rules, but then people showed me that their skirts are actually too large, which makes me feel bad about writing them up. On the other hand, I feel that this is a professional work setting and that both the adults and the students should dress professionally. Also, there is not a wide range of skirts for girls to choose from, and girls have diverse bodies that may not all fit. So maybe it is time to revisit the uniform.” Next, we asked Profe if she could change the dress code and what would change. She responded, “Maybe consider different options about girl skirts and perhaps ask the uniform providers if they have any other options because there are no girl shorts in the store, perhaps a more comfortable pant option and some better-looking ones.” Lastly, she believes the students should also get pockets in their skirts.
Mrs. Bristol shared, “I think the skirts should be made so they don’t have to be rolled. I think they should be made to be comfortable and let the girls feel comfortable in them. I also believe girls should have different skirt lengths while still being professional and appropriate. I also believe that there should be a girl pant option.” However, Mrs. Brisol felt that the dress code should not be changed. She stated, “I think there is enough variety to express yourself while keeping your mind off more than just appearance. It is not like you are wearing a Friday uniform every day. Even though you are still in a dress code, you still have options, and coming from a school that did not have a dress code, it is nice not to have to think about what you need to wear because you will have plenty of days in your life to do so.” As far as suggestions she may have, she said, “I think that emphasizing that there are more important things in life to focus on is important, and I feel that the dress code is good to keep you from worrying about appearance allowing you to focus on education and other things.”
We have been discussing the problem of skirts, but what is an alternative? Well, the most obvious one would be to add a pants option. The girls of Berkeley are allowed to wear pants, but the only pant options we have for them are boy pants. A seventh-grade student who wears shorts said, “I get them from educational outfitters from the boys' section.” We asked if this upset her, and she responded by saying no. We then asked if she thinks women's shorts should be made. She said, “I think it is unfair that girls have to wear boys' shorts. I would like a pant option for the girls because they are way more comfortable.” When we asked about her thoughts on her skirts, she didn’t seem to have any strong opinions other than the realization that the skirts are very long. However, She feels that people roll their skirts very short and finds that more annoying. Based on our previous surveys and interviews, we have also learned that people want a variety of skirts. Girls feel uncomfortable in their skirts due to their length and size. Some struggle with the fact that it sometimes goes over the knee, while others feel that the size around the waist is too loose to feel secure. Perhaps more skirt options should accommodate a more diverse range of bodies and girls should be allowed to wear pants meant for girls. Either way, both sides have strong points on whether the uniform code should be changed.
Survey results:
Report abuse