Every school in the Los Angeles Unified School District has a dress code that is instituted for all students to build an appropriate learning environment.

However, the enforcement of it is being reviewed by the district due to an event that occurred at one of the schools.

In October at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts a student named Mary “James” Salazar was dress coded for wearing a red dress with thin spaghetti straps. When she refused to either wear a sweater from the lost and found or get a parent to bring a change of clothes, she spent most of the school day sitting in the front office instead of attending her regular classes.

The district’s dress code leaves it up to each individual school’s interpretation as to whether an item of clothing is appropriate and not seen as sexually suggestive.

“I think our dress code is appropriate,” Principal Deb Smith said. “We don’t really ask a lot of students in terms of I don’t think we’re too stringent on our dress code and expecting students undergarments, mid sections, and shoulders to be covered.”

The incident of Salazar being withheld from attending classes has caused the district to review the way schools execute disciplinary actions for this.

“It’s not right to take a student out of class for the clothes they wear,” senior Rosemary Vazquez said. “The school acts like a guy is going to get turned on if they can see a girls shoulder, back, or bra. Bras are a part of a girl’s outfit and it shouldn’t be a big deal if they show.”

Students often show distress over the attire schools view as inappropriate. Some believe the dress code is sexist because many items of clothing outlined as inappropriate are targeted towards women’s outfits.

“The dress code is definitely sexist,” junior Reem Chaar said. “The other day on the PA, the boys were reminded not to wear hats with certain colors and earphones but the girls were told not to wear anything too short and revealing.”

However, the schools are trying to keep the educational environment distraction-free and prepare students for their impending future.

“I think part of it is trying to communicate out to students that even though you’re not in the work world right now, this is still an educational setting where we’re here to focus on an education and not necessarily be dressed for a Friday night or a Saturday night date,” Smith said.