Recently, at Jim Thorpe Area High School, a reminder of the school’s dress code policy was given to all students. The teachers and administration at JTHS have been reminding students what the rules are for the dress code policy and have been checking daily if students are following the regulations. The consequences are being written up, sent to the office, or even sometimes asked to change into something appropriate. If the student continues to break the code, he/she could be faced with detention.

The students at Jim Thorpe seem to be responding to this in both negative and positive ways.

Shayla Rivera, a Sophomore at Jim Thorpe High School states, “The code is too strict to me. They’re going a little too far when it comes to things like shoes being striped or having a design, yet they’re still the right school colors. I agree the dress code should be current and used, but when they get too particular with sock colors,etc. It is unnecessary. They seem to stress on the code more than needed.”  

Students, like Rivera, seem to be reacting the same to the recent reinforcement on the dress code policy. Yet, some of the teachers and administration seem to differ.

Mrs. Vermillion, Math Teacher at Jim Thorpe High School says, “I definitely think the  minor dress code reinforcement was necessary. I think students are often too lax when it comes to the requirements, and push the limits. I feel if something is a policy, it’s rather all or nothing, not in between.”

Like Vermillion, other staff a JTHS also feel it’s necessary for students to follow and take the guidelines of the dress code policy seriously.

Mr. Lesisko, Principal of Jim Thorpe High School states, “ What had happened with our students was that the students started the school year right following the guidelines, until the winter came around and the students seemed to become more lax with the dress code . Over time I was beginning to see an increase in violation and it seemed to be worse than usual. Students were even starting to wear hoodies in the school building. I felt that a grace period would be fair to the students to give them time to understand the rules of the dress code policy.”