Cheerleading and Modesty
Have you ever thought that cheerleaders dressed immodestly? Of course, some brothers and sisters in the Lord’s church have insisted that the outfits are modest, but then some of the same have insisted that swimsuits are, also. In fact, very little (of the very little attire that some wear in public) has gone undefended by those whose Bible actually does include such verses as 1 Timothy 2:9-10.
Despite whatever you might think about cheerleaders’ garb, “many Pinellas County high schools won’t allow cheerleaders to wear their traditional uniforms to class this school year,” according to an article in the Orlando Sentinel on August 29, 2013 (B2). It has been a tradition for at least half a century that on the day of a pep rally the girls attend classes dressed in what they ordinarily wear to the game to lead cheers in.
However, the high schools in Pinellas County (Florida) have adopted a “modified dress code” this year for all students—without any exceptions. Well, what could cheerleaders possibly be wearing that would violate a school’s dress code? Apparently, there are two areas of concern. The first is sleeveless tops. The remedy is for the students to either wear jackets over the tops or to wear shirts under them. The second is short shorts or skirts. If there is a matching “longer skirt” that comes with the uniform, girls may wear them, but the shorter ones are to remain at home.
Who knew that these outfits were immodest? Have you ever suspected such a thing? Well, okay, as a high school student, it might have crossed your mind once or twice, but then you probably thought, “Maybe, it’s just me.” Now one county has confirmed what you already knew: those outfits actually are inappropriate. Surprisingly—especially in an era where sexting has become popular among some—one high school principal has had “80 to 100 students that have come” to him “with positive comments” about the new dress code. He claims to have heard only four or five negative ones.
But the question you may have is, “If it is inappropriate to wear sleeveless shirts and short skirts in the classroom, why is it all right to wear them outside of it? “Silly!” someone might respond. “Such dress is too distracting in an academic setting.” Hmm. Really? Why? Could you explain what is distracting—and to whom? Then please inform us as to why it is not distracting outside the classroom?
Pinellas County is to be congratulated for having this in-school policy. Perhaps others will follow suit, if they have not already. It’s only taken 50 years to get this far—to see that there is a correlation between dress and behavior, not to mention attitudes. A similar question church members might ask is, “If it is inappropriate to wear immodest clothing in the assembly, what makes it all right in other contexts?”