Summer is almost here and you know what that means – girls are breaking out their tank tops, shorts, and summer dresses to enjoy the sun. But at Foothill High School we can’t, because of a sexist dress code that bans girls from wearing clothing that shows undergarments or is “shorter than reasonable length.”

My friends and I are good students, but no matter our good behavior and academic performance, we get in trouble at school because of what we wear. Some girls are even asked to leave class in order to go change out of clothing that violates the dress code. Why? Because, we are told, our clothing distracts our male peers.

My dream is to be accepted into UC Berkeley and become a doctor someday, so I work very hard in school, showing up everyday ready to learn. But I go to a school where my clothing is more important than my education – how am I supposed to succeed in an environment like this?

Foothill High School needs to stop punishing girls for wearing “revealing” summer clothing when it’s hot outside.

Students who violate the dress code multiple times are required to attend an after school class on “characteristics traits,” suggesting that girls who wear shorts to school are lacking in moral character and reinforcing an already toxic culture of making girls ashamed of their bodies. Our dress code tells girls that whether or not they want to, they will always be viewed as sexual objects. What’s worse is the message it sends to boys: that it is acceptable to mistreat, disrespect, or take girls less seriously based on what they are wearing.

If I am going to succeed in becoming a doctor, I need my teachers and peers to respect and believe in me all the time – not just when my bra straps aren’t showing.

Sign my petition asking FootHill High School to remove Section 4 of the dress code which bans tank tops and short clothing for girls.