N.J. school board: Fearing wardrobe malfunction, distraction, strapless dress ban stays
The New Jersey school district decided that a controversial strapless dress ban imposed by a junior high principal will stay in place. The middle school principal said strapless dresses were too distracting for boys, but the school board worried about wardrobe malfunctions.
Student Claudine Nijenhuis, 14, speaks about the strapless dress ban in front of schoolmates at an earlier Readington Township Board of Education meeting in Readington Township, N.J., April 23.
Eduardo Munoz/Reuters
Readington, N.J.
A school board in New Jersey has decided to ban girls from wearing strapless dresses to an eighth-grade dance off school grounds to spare them from wardrobe malfunctions.
The board, in a 6-2 vote Wednesday night, agreed to allow single-strap and clear spaghetti strap dresses instead.
The Courier News of Bridgewater reports board members were concerned a strapless gown mishap could get posted online and embarrass a student.
Some parents last month criticized Readington Middle School Principal Sharon Moffat for prohibiting the dresses at a June dance because she said they would distract boys. Some parents said such a statement was sexist while others said they had already purchased their daughters' dresses.
A committee will review the dress code and make recommendations in September.