Everyone’s been waiting for the weather to get warmer. Students are overheard complaining of the cold and are anxious for spring to arrive.

After months of shivering, the weather is finally starting to warm up. This year’s winter has overstayed its welcome, as we saw snow fall in October. Everyone is aching for it to be over for good, and not just for a few days or a few weeks, but permanently.
While most are deeply concerned with spring coming back, the school dress code is the last thing on their minds.

Now that the weather is starting to finally warm up, students of Joliet West are eager to peel off their constricting, stuffy coats and instead wear bright summer clothes and breathable fabric.

While some may wear casual tee shirts with puns written on the front and loose shorts, others may go too far. In the JTHS issued student handbook, the rule is that the body must be covered from the shoulders to the middle of the thighs, no less.

A common mistake both boys and girls make are sleeveless shirts that reveal their shoulders and armpits. Mistakes like these can be easily remedied with cardigans or shawls, and leggings or other tight pants can be coupled with skirts.

“I think everybody gets excited when the weather gets warmer,” Mrs. Lipke says. “I’m sure there will be some violations, but you can say that most of the students will follow the dress code, and my advice would be to refresh yourself with the dress code policy.”
Also, some may not remember first semester’s speeches in the auditorium when this was elaborated on and enforced. In the beginning of the year, Dean Laken, Mrs. Lipke and others have set dates for announcements in the auditorium concerning the dress code. Since last semester, many may had genuinely forgotten and immediately comply until they claim to forget again. The majority of students do not care about the rules and would rather wear what they want to wear.
Regardless of that, the rules of the dress code will be enforced, reminiscent of a review on an academic test.

When asked about the validity of the dress code policy, Dean Laken said, “My advice to the student is if you think it is inappropriate to wear to school, it probably is. Always dress appropriate for school because you want to represent yourself in a respectful way.”