School’s rules
create strap flap

Campbell High
students and some parents
object to a policy banning
spaghetti-strap tops

By Craig Gima
Star-Bulletin

When it comes to high school fashion, there is a thin line between spaghetti-strap tops and suspension.

Campbell High School has a dress code policy that prohibits "scanty attire" in school, and, as of this fall, spaghetti straps and wearing underwear that's not covered are included in the definition of scanty attire.

But students and some parents object to the policy change.

"It's really hard for us to find clothes that are not spaghetti straps," said junior Stacy Reeves.

Reeves' mother, Candace Manly, said she spent $600 this summer on clothes for Reeves and her sister that are prohibited under the new policy.

"You go to any of the clothing stores. You don't see regular kind of shirts like this," Manly said, pointing to her T-shirt. "You see those (spaghetti-strap tops)."

Reeves said she has been sent to the office four times this year and given detention for a week because of the way she dresses.

So she decided to protest the new policy. Reeves collected 1,000 signatures on a petition and passed out fliers urging people to attend a meeting of the Campbell High School PTSA board last night.

About a dozen students -- mostly girls wearing spaghetti-strap tops -- told board members that the way they dress is not only fashionable, it helps keep them cool.

"We live in Hawaii. This is a tropical climate," Reeves said. "It's very, very hot. You should be comfortable in class if you're going to learn."

But Vice Principal Sandra Kurata said it's important for students to wear appropriate clothes to school.

"When you dress in play clothes, your attitude is that you're playing," she said.

"We're not trying to tell you what to wear to the mall or to the beach," said Robin Martin, a math teacher at the school. "We're not trying to be prudish about it. We're just trying to decide what is appropriate for the school environment."

Martin and other board members noted that the school tries to prepare students for life outside of high school, and the board believes students should learn how to dress for the work environment.

"It's not appropriate for your brassieres to be showing, ladies," added Kurata.

After the discussion, Martin noted that the school has been fighting to enforce a policy against bare midriffs for the last two years. This year, there are fewer belly buttons showing, but a fashion trend seems to be developing of girls wearing spaghetti-strap tops with their bra straps showing.

"Somebody does have to balance that fashion message," she said.

Board members agreed with the students that not enough notice was given to students and parents about the spaghetti-strap policy, and suggested enforcement of the policy be put on hold until the board gets more input from parents and students.

But the students who were present also agreed that showing bra straps and underwear probably wasn't appropriate for school.