This is the con argument on the dress code and uniform at JC. To read the pro click here.

Conformity is the denial that one’s life is unprecedented.  We are all separate miracles with goals and dreams no one else can fulfill. Why must we mask our extraordinary potentials under a pair of khakis and a 55 percent cotton, 45 percent polyester polo?

Uniforms are meant to equalize the student body, however, they actually do the opposite. The Boys’ Dress Code is just that – a code. It can range from Nordstrom to Goodwill, as long as it follows the guidelines. Men can buy whatever brands are most comfortable or cheapest.

Girls, however, have to buy their uniforms from JC, regardless of how uncomfortable or revealing they may be. It is unfair to let the boys wear whatever they are content with, while the girls are forced to wear a custom-made uniform. It’s just plain sexist.

In the morning, it takes only about five minutes to get dressed. When I went to public school, it took a lot longer, as I had to plan out what to wear. Although I had to wake up earlier, I was proud of the clothes I was wearing. I bore my personality on my body and individualized myself from other students. Being able to pick your outfit out can be a liberating experience.

Why should a school, a place of learning, tell students what to wear? Does wearing a pair of jeans hinder a student’s ability to comprehend calculus? The only lesson anyone can learn while in a uniform is that education is for hordes of uniformed machines. But at least they look professional.

Every person is like a painting. Some can be imitated, but never recreated. Some may be criticized, but their value never lessened. To be forced to wear a uniform is like being forced to cover up a painting. Don’t let the JC uniform hinder your individuality. Underneath the gray skirts, the khakis, or the new JC sweaters is a unique masterpiece.

Billy Jump is a Copy Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.