As the new school year begins, Oak Knoll’s administration has tightened its dress code policies, bringing renewed attention to rules that have previously been more relaxed. While these regulations were in place before, students have noticed a sharp increase in enforcement, particularly around footwear.
In previous years, it was enforced that students wear shoes that were predominantly white, gray, navy, or black. However, the reinforced rule now requires that footwear be entirely one of these colors, not allowing any colored accents, such as stripes or logos. It’s worth noting that Oak Knoll’s footwear policy remains more lenient compared to some other Catholic schools, which prohibit sneakers entirely. Still, many students are frustrated at the sudden enforcement of stricter standards.
A significant point of contention is the lack of clear communication regarding these changes before the school year began. The administration mentioned that “communication was sent out in August,” yet many students missed this information and felt that it did not effectively convey the shift as no rules changed in writing only in enforcement. Junior, Emma W stated, “I wish that the administration would have informed us of this change before school started. This would have made the process of purchasing new shoes more manageable.” Other students have found it very hard to even find affordable sneakers that are entirely one color in such a short amount of time. The administration further stated, “Students have been given lots of reminders and cautioned, in addition to there being a grace period to comply with the dress code.” However, some students maintain that these efforts did not provide enough clarity or time to prepare.
Frustration has also mounted around the specificity of the colors allowed. Students feel they should be allowed to incorporate combinations of the school colors into their footwear. Junior, Maddie M. pointed out, “Since the school colors are navy, gold, and white, we should be able to have all those colors on our shoes. Since we wear these colors on a daily basis, having them on our shoes would not be distracting.” Many students overall have been reluctant to follow the rules and want more information on the reason behind the strictness.
This year, the consequences for violating the dress code have also become more severe, causing even more discontent among the student body. As the school year progresses, students are hopeful that a balance can be struck between maintaining a professional appearance at school while still allowing for some personal expression. Oak Knoll has always prided itself on allowing students a say in their policies. But, as for now, students will have to follow the rule of solid-colored sneakers.
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