FORT SMITH, Ark. — After just one week of school, the Fort Smith Public School Board held a meeting Monday, August 23 where students protested the dress code issues at Northside High School. The meeting was met with about 40 students protesting outside before and after the school board meeting.
In an email sent to 5NEWS, students from Northside High School wrote that the school dress code is being unfairly enforced.
“Personally I’ve been having problems with the issue since, I don’t know how long. It wasn’t really an issue my first year at Northside or really the second. But it got more strict this year," said A'scence Farmer a student protesting.
The students also say that male students' clothing is not regulated in the same way females are and that it is not just about gender discrimination but also racism.
School officials allegedly target specific body types and make inappropriate comments to students of specific body types.
“The dress code bans almost all girl clothes, from leggings to crop tops to tank tops anything we can buy in the girls' section they don’t allow us to wear. So, what are we supposed to wear to school?” asked Samantha Rivas a student protesting at the school board meeting.
The meeting lasted less than 20 minutes with the school board listening to the students but did not engage in any conversations afterward.
“Well because it that we just want to show off everything. It’s never been about that it’s about being able to express ourselves in a way that we’re comfortable and that isn’t disruptive to school," said Farmer.
“I feel like we need to stop sexualizing teenage bodies," said Samantha Rivas.
The board says it can't engage in debate but will take the students' thoughts into consideration. 5NEWS contacted Fort Smith Public School District for comment but said they would be holding comments so there is no speculation.
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