BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — School may be out for summer, but there's one subject everyone at Nardin Academy is talking about, the new dress code.
The school sent an email on July 23rd to the parents of the all girls school, and said student's skirts now must be at, or below, knee level. The email said it's "the length that is most representative of professionalism." Georgia Boyd, a rising junior at the school, disagreed.
"The email implies that it's unprofessional if your knees are showing in an outfit, which is just an ancient concept." Boyd said.
It only took 45 minutes for Boyd, and her friends to start a change.org petition against the new policy. That petition now has over 1,100 signatures. Boyd and her friend Ava Dancy support the current dress code, which says a student's skirt has to be finger tip length, but felt this extra step disempowered women.
"If our school isn't working to empower their students, there's something wrong with that," said Boyd.
Dancy, also a rising junior, echoed that sentiment.
"I don't think we should be continually treated like objects, especially when we should be focusing on our education instead of our outfits," she said.
Other concerns students and parents voiced in the change.org comment section were the costs of the new code. Boyd's mother, Kate, said she estimates replacing all her daughter's school skirts will cost in the hundreds of dollars. She added that there are other logistical concerns too.
"There's just not as many age appropriate options for the girls that are knee length or longer, it doesn't happen to be a popular thing," said Kate Boyd.
In the past there were dress code committees, but Boyd said this time parents and students were blindsided.
Nardin Academy told 7 Eyewitness News that it hears the voices of everyone who has spoken out on this issue, and supports the empowerment of the student body and young women. The school said it will review how the new dress code is defined and interpreted.
