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 WHH Opinions


The Willis Hall Herald welcomes your opinions on any matter concerning the upper school and its students.
​Please send to willishallherald@northcross.org.

Political propaganda in the 21st century

4/2/2020

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​The student body has witnessed a crackdown in dress code within the last few years. Increasingly, restrictions on skirt length, outerwear and footwear have become topics of discussion.
Shirt untucked? Dress code violation. No belt? Dress code violation. 
These changes aren’t necessarily a bad thing, but many are taking issue with the way many of these policies are enacted and announced. Some enforcement policies, like clamping down on certain styles of shoes and hoodies, make sense to students. But other dress code violations, like the emphasis on skirt length 
Picture
raise concern within the student body.
Unfair punishment distribution is also a hot button issue. Many female students call to attention how some seem to get away with any skirt length while others are put under fire for any skirt they wear. How strictly teachers enforce skirt length rules versus boy’s hair length and facial hair is also deemed unfair by many female students.
Furthermore, what parts of the dress code apply during special events like Spirit Week and jeans days? Why are students permitted to wear jeans but girls are still prohibited from wearing crop tops or “too short” skirts?
Dakota Whitlock ‘20 can only remember one or two time boys had to stay after morning assembly to discuss the dress code in his four years in the upper school. “It was really basic: just things like hair length, no piercing, proper collared shirts and tucked in shirts.”
On the other hand, female students have had one this year already–an elaborate affair where all the female teachers stayed behind to address skirt length in particular. Embarrasingly, Dr. Elizabeth Martin  had come that day to talk about a service opportunity, was present for the whole meeting. 
The biggest problems girls have with the dress code, already mentioned above, were only magnified by what can be seen as missteps. The reasoning behind the most recent crackdown–protecting the girls, maintaining a level of propriety, and parent complaints–raised eyebrows through the rows.
Aside from the aforementioned dress code issues, one area where students have a lot to say is the topic of formal dress. 
Recently, we saw the introduction of blazers for the girls. Yes, this makes the dress code more equal. Yes, now all of the students look uniform. But, if that is our guiding principle of uniformity, where are the pants?
Currently, the formal dress code prohibits female students from wearing pants. Special issue Lands End skirts are required, and for cold days leggings or tights are recommended. But in Roanoke where temperatures easily drop below freezing in the wintertime, is that enough? Girls say no–even the thickest tights do not guard against the cold as well as khakis.
Aside from these practical concerns, restricting female students to skirts raises another question: is it even fair?
Boys can wear pants on formal dress days, and they look professional. Why is that not the same for girls? 
Schools like St Anne’s-Belfield School allow female students to wear slacks on their equivalent of formal dress days, and many other private schools are doing the same thing to modernize their uniforms. 
Will North Cross ever follow in these schools’ footsteps? That remains a question that can only be answered by senior staff and the head of school.
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the Willis Hall Herald

Contact: willishallherald@northcross.org 
4254 Colonial Ave.
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Letters to the Editor: willishallherald@northcross.org 

Founded in 2010, and based in the Journalism elective, The Willis Hall Herald is the official student-led publication of the Upper School at North Cross School in Roanoke, VA. The Herald may be published in magazine form three times per year. GeoPrism: The Global Studies Journal may be published in magazine form once or twice per year. The Herald welcomes letters, commentary and submissions of original content that adhere to the Herald's dedication to factual journalism. Letters and other content must be signed and may be edited for length and Herald style. The Herald does not guarantee publication of outside submissions. Please contact Robert Robillard for ads. The Herald won Gold Medals from Columbia Scholastic Press Association in 2012 and 2015. 

The Staff

Editor-in-Chief ........................................................................................................................ Massoki Maka
Managing Editor....................................................................................................................... Eason Zhou
Social Media Editor.................................................................................................................... Eason Zhou
Website Editors...........................................................................................................................Eason Zhou
Opinion Editor.........................................................................................................................Massoki Maka
Graphics Editor................................................................................................................................... Dat Bui
Business Manager.......................................................................................................................Brock Miles
Features Editor......................................................................................................................................Nhi Le
Photography Editor.................................................................................................................. Eason Zhou
Arts Editor...................................................................................................................................Rabia Ferron
Arts and Entertainment Editor.......................................................................................Aadeetri Pandey
Sports Editor............................................................................................................................ Tristan Lange
Staff writers...................................... Rowan Anderson, Anne Bradley Cullen, Didi Dibetle, Lam Do, Antonio Mack, Aadeetri Pandey, Jiale Qin, Veronica Weston.
Graphic Artist .....................................................................................................................Gracean Ratliff
Op-Ed Columnists................................................................................................................... Helen Hertz

Advisor................................................................................................................................ Robert Robillard
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  • Home
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    • Head of School Armistead Lemon
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    • Profiles >
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  • GEOPRISM
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    • Scary Stories
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  • Print Issues
  • Photos
    • Homecoming
  • Ads
  • Staff
    • Aadeetri Pandey '26
    • Anne Bradley Cullen '26
    • Antonio Mack '26
    • Brock Miles '24
    • Dat Bui '23
    • Didi Dibetle '24
    • Eason Zhou '24
    • Gracean Ratliff '23
    • Hania Raza '24
    • Helen Hertz '24
    • Jiale Qin '26
    • Kenzie Raub '24
    • Lam Do '26
    • Massoki Maka '23
    • Nhi Le '25
    • Rabia Ferron '26
    • Rowan Anderson '26
    • Tristan Lange '26
    • Veronica Weston '26
    • Robert Robillard
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