Toolkit
step 1
Start with an email! Send it directly to your county or district board. Just copy and paste the draft email into an email addressed to the contact of your local board
Step 3
Still no response? Make it so they can’t miss you. Find a public, free-entry board meeting and attend it with a copy of the proposed dress code below. Advocate for your cause and feel free to reference the tips at the bottom of the page for talking points!
Step 4
If you are at this point and you are still without a response or you got declined, don’t worry. I was rejected several times. Persuade them with student voices! A printed petition is a great way to get things done.
When you have collected your signatures, attach a picture of the document onto an email and send again to the same contact.
Step 5
Want even more attention for your cause? Contact a local news station like I did to help spread awareness about the change. Email and share the copy of your new dress code to the station.
Downloads
Printable Flyer With QR Code (pdf)
DownloadFAQ / Tips
Finding people who have been dress coded (We recommend 3!) will help you because it adds real-life experience. Along with this, having a teacher on your side is greatly beneficial. Having a member of staff support your cause legitimizes your argument and can connect you with people you need to talk to.
COMMON REBUTTALS
Question: Why don’t we just have uniforms?
Answer: Uniforms are expensive, and we don't know if everyone can afford them. Also, we believe that students should have the right to self-express, which a uniform really diminishes.
In reality, getting uniforms for a whole school district is a lengthy process. Whoever says this is probably just trying to shut you down with this comment.
Question: What about adding measurements? For example, why don’t we say shorts have to be 5 inches below the hip?
Answer: This is a common argument, one that we hear all the time. It sounds like a good idea, but in reality, it leaves room for bias. It is unfair to expect teachers to stop their teaching and get out a ruler to measure a student. And if they decide to estimate it, this becomes a slippery slope that could lead to those with different bodies, for example: bigger hips, to be persecuted unfairly. Also, this could be an incredibly demeaning experience, can you imagine that happening in front of all the students’ peers?
Question: Students would just show up in a swimsuit, right?
Answer: As outlined in our proposed dress code, swimsuits are not allowed to be worn to school (outside of pool areas).
Common Questions
Who should I contact first?
Always contact whoever is in charge of policy in your school district. This typically will be the school board. Start at the highest possible level!
How do I contact them?
Find their email on a public site, which one can do by simply looking up “[School Board Name]" contact info. Then, once you collect the contact information, copy and paste our pre-written email into a draft. Edit all of the customizable pieces (marked with brackets around them), proofread, and then send!
What happens if they decline?
The first thing to do is to remind yourself that it is NOT OVER. I was denied more times than I can count. The key is persistence and negotiation. Ask what specific problems they had with the proposal, and see if you can work things out with them. If there is one thing they have a problem with, for example: crop tops, it is up to you to decide if you want to compromise or keep advocating for your cause. Compromising is not failing! At the end of the day, you still changed your community for the better with the new dress code.
More questions? Contact us for additional information including setting up your Coded Campaign branded online petition for your school district..
