Where is the Student Dress Code?

Every year, the students listen to Principal Paul Gasparini boom over the announcements about the school dress code. But it is obvious that no one is listening, because walking through the crowded hallways at Jamesville-DeWitt High School, one can see girls wearing short shorts, tube tops, tank tops, short dresses, and revealing low cut shirts. Further down the hallway, you might see a boy's shirt promoting alcohol, violence, or profanity.
According to the J-DHS website, our dress code is as follows:

"A student's dress, grooming, and appearance shall be safe, appropriate, and not disrupt or interfere with the educational process.
"Recognize that extremely brief garments and see-through garments are not allowed.
"Ensure that underwear is completely covered with outer clothing."

Even though it's stated clearly, many students still don't completely understand the dress code. So, students' perceptions of how the dress code applies to the student body vary greatly. According to senior Paige Volz, "we don't have a dress code anymore."
Freshman Lyndon Pisansky doesn't think a dress code exists, while sophomore Alonso Donalson said that we "kind of" have a dress code. "You can't just walk around in your underwear. I mean if it was socially acceptable, I totally would."

It has been said that the freshmen have been breaking the dress code. But can it be narrowed down to just one grade?
"You can't generalize it to be just freshman. Like I've seen a lot of seniors break it. I mean, don't even get me started," said senior Rachel Robinson, rolling her eyes. Volz also said that many girls break it, and that it's not just the freshman class.

Many teachers have said that they've seen the school dress code being broken, but didn't do anything about it.
Ann Ellerton, a math teacher at J-DHS for seven years, says that she has seen the dress code being enforced several times with a previous principal. Mrs. Ellerton said that when a student was breaking the dress code, "the principal made the student wear a red shirt over it for the rest of the day."

Colleen Tedeschi, assistant principal, says that when a student breaks the dress code, they get a warning and a t-shirt to wear over their apparel. If it continues, there will be a parent phone call home. If it still persists, it will lead to a detention.
Will Hartley, a student assistance counselor at J-DHS for 10 years, said, "If I know the person, I'll say something. I think that some male teachers don't want to be seen as inappropriate."

Even though people's opinion of how the dress code is enforced varies, J-DHS has a dress code for a reason. Marian Glauber, a social studies teacher and head of the social studies department at J-DHS, feels that the dress code exists because, "it's a part of growing up." Mrs. Glauber believes that you should dress appropriately for school as practice because you have to dress for many different occasions for the rest of your life.

George Kilpatrick, a junior, says that not only is the dress code part of growing up, but it also shows respect for your classmates. "When girls don't dress right, the guys aren't respectful to them," he says. Freshman Mitchel Brinley says that the dress code is important because, "you don't want the school to have a bad image." Shayla Graham also agrees, saying that, "how we dress is how we present as a school."