The Pebble Issue 1

ecome a topic of contention and confusion
among students.
Another controversial aspect of the dress
code is its ban on hoodies. Students often
wear them to keep warm, and junior Andrew
Park believes they should be allowed.
“No hoodies makes no sense,” he said.
The current dress code reflects, to some
degree, today’s cultural expectations. Leclercq
said the professional world is shifting toward
a more relaxed standard of dress; he expects
school dress codes to follow suit.
But what are the implications of a relatively
relaxed dress code on students’ behavior
and performance? The 1991-1992
MPH Palladium, a condensed handbook for
students, stated, “At MPH we expect students
to be well dressed because we see a high correlation
between behavior and dress.”
Such a statement is no longer written
in the Palladium; however, history teacher
Edward Curtis, who started at MPH in 1992,
agrees that it is important to dress well. Curtis,
who wears a tie to work every day, said he
would be open to a stricter dress code.
“I think that the clothes you wear tend
to reflect your attitude and approach towards
your daily work, and dressing according to
a certain standard improves your work and
your attitude,” he said.
Dunaway views dress similarly.
“We send strong messages with our
clothing; there is a reason one doesn’t wear
shorts and a T-shirt to a job interview or a funeral,”
he said via email. “There is an element
of self-respect and regard for others in the
way we dress.”
Experts disagree on the impact of dress
codes. While some believe dressing up aids
performance, others argue that dress codes
can create a stuffy environment that hinders
success.
MPH allows students to dress down for
AP and final exams in the interest of comfort.
The third Wednesday of each month is also a
dress-down day, a policy similar to casual Fridays
in the professional world, and students
can dress down on Fridays if they wear MPH
attire.
Regardless of the research, Leclercq said
the dress code helps students transition to the
expectations of the workplace and fosters a
sense of togetherness.
“The dress code is not about individuality;
it’s about community,” he said. “Although
we have a dress code that, in my opinion,
promotes a certain level of individual expression,
it’s also a rule, or a set of standards, that
we all share in common, and it’s one expression
of our being together as a community.”
And although the dress code can present
a hassle for students, some say that it has
a positive effect on the school. Even senior
Madison Brang, who said she breaks the dress
code once or twice a week by wearing leggings
or torn pants, acknowledges its benefits.
“I am glad I go to a place where I am
surrounded by people who are dressed fashionably,
along with myself,” Brang said via
email. “It’s not like I’m [breaking the dress
code] to rebel or make a statement; leggings
are just really comfortable and easy to wear
with anything.”
Despite the dress code’s advantages, some
faculty agree that it is, and should be, far
down on the school’s list of priorities.
“The focus ought to be on academic work
and what you’re doing to make yourself the
Photos courtesy of MPH.
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