By Sarah Steffen and William Twist
Students, there’s something we need to address. Salem Academy’s dress code has been updated. The new additions include (for both sexes): torn/shredded clothes are not neat, and a new overall rule, that all dress code rules now apply to other school related activities, such as athletic, social, and field trips. For Salem Academy, a neatness policy entails a positive, pure Christian outlook, expressed through the clothes you wear.
With these new changes, controversy is sure to be sparked. Some of the staff and students alike were questioned, regarding their options. A senior, Madison Fox, replied in an interview, that, “[I] think that… the ripped jeans one is dumb, it’s dumb with the sporting events.” When queried, Brenden Tarver had this to say, “Honestly…I don’t really wear any of that. I don’t really care.”
While some people don’t have much of an input about dress code, some do. Salem Academy’s high school principal, Mr. Powers, stated that he, “[doesn’t] feel it’s an issue of who’s more righteous. It has to do with respect for the community.” He continued describing like this, “You can say, ‘I have a right’. As a Christian, [you] have a whole different responsibility… My job is to point [students] to God and help them.” With explanations similar to this, the students may reconsider their attire.
Next year, the staff is hoping to augment this idea. Possibly banning torn or shredded clothes makes Salem Academy have a neat appearance. After all, neatness is an outer reflection of how we respect out peers as a Christian, according to Salem Academy.
