How short should a dress be?
Aizawl, Feb 1, 2010: It’s time for skimpy skirts and low-waist pants to exit from schools and colleges in Mizoram, according to the powerful Mizo Zirlai Pawl (Mizo Students Union).
The student leaders have formally asked the government to fix a dress code for schools and colleges, MSU president VL Krosshnehzova said this to The Hindustan Times.
The idea is to discourage girls from wearing leg-baring mini skirts and boys from donning underwear-exposing low-waist pants.
“Skin-showing dresses made fashionable by rappers and rock stars find their way to Mizoram almost instantly. Even school children catch on to atrocious styles, going to the extent of tweaking their uniforms,” VL Krosshnehzova said.
The church in predominantly Christian Mizoram feels MZP has a point. “Fashion may be a way of expressing oneself, but traditional values of modesty should also be upheld. We are happy the students themselves have realised this,” Stephen Rotluanga, Bishop of Aizawl Diocese was quoted as saying by the daily.
Other priests hole the dress code would also have a positive impact on the ‘cult madness’ in Mizoram. The state has at least 95 Christian cults, some espousing polygamy, others idolising Satan and others specialising in grave digging and conducting ‘pagan rites’ with skulls.
Hey ram! I'm confused
I am for a respectable dress sense by students but putting up a dress code by the government is something that bothers me. Schools and colleges should have their own dress code instead of the government framing some redundant laws.I think MSU should approach the principals and headmasters across the state to come up with a standard dress sense.
As far as fashion goes, I am a strong believer of students of different disciplines to dress in a manner that expresses their status as scholars. I have never been a fan of girls wearing belly-exposing tee-shirts and guys wearing shorts to classes, not to mention those mentioned in the article. And I feel that it is high-time for this to end. It gives our Educational institutes a bad face. On the other hand, I feel it would be unwise, and quite impossible, for the Government, or any organisation, to fix a dress code. Fashion is a big form of expression for the youth, and in a society where there is but little space for self-expression, taking away the only few means might lead to other, bigger problems.
I feel that the problem lies, not in the youths being overtly-rebellious, or the institutes, but in the idea that we have, especially about education and the educational institutions. If someone respects something and regards highly of it, won’t he respect it and try to live up to the expectations that has been set? So, maybe, just maybe, if we can teach the youth, from very early on, that Educational institutes are places to be respected, and if the institute itself gives off an image of unmistakeable respect and authority, I am sure the students attending that institute will follow suit.