Anonymous wrote:Again, McKinley manages to have the same Dress for Success message without shaming or stressing kids if they need to wear tennis shoes or jeans. It might be hard to imagine but some kids really truly don’t have the resources.

I would hope it’s not something that’s gonna count against a kid in reality if they’ve made an attempt to look presentable, but it speaks volumes about the culture at the school and the fact that this text has gone out year after year. They’re not ignorant about their messaging.

If this has really gone out year after year, then shouldn’t applicants be ready for it? PPs were making it sound like this was a total surprise on short notice. I get the consternation more if that had been the case (although still — it’s an interview!).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s been a few years since my kid interviewed and perhaps the wording is different, but I remember there being something along the lines of dress for success being suggested, as to encourage the interview being taken seriously, not a “dress code”. It’s really not a big deal.

I mean, here is the language. It seems quite explicit/prescriptive:
We also want to remind families of dress expectations of School Without Walls admission interviews. All students are expected to wear casual professional attire. We expect students to wear slacks, shirt, shoes, appropriate pants, dress, sweater, blouse/shirt, or jacket (tie, jacket, and/or suit are optional). We ask students to refrain from wearing tennis shoes, tee shirts, jeans, leggings, or any attire that does not meet the standard for a formal interview.

A kid’s ability to put together “casual professional attire” is so much more about the parents than the kid. This is strange gatekeeping.

I’m pretty flummoxed by the idea that teenagers wouldn’t have at least one professional looking outfit. What do they wear to church? Thanksgiving?

Maybe most can, maybe some can’t. I think the question is whether there is any defensible reason why admission to a public school should have anything at all to do with what a kid wears.

Most of the public schools in my area of DC have uniforms.

Again, McKinley manages to have the same Dress for Success message without shaming or stressing kids if they need to wear tennis shoes or jeans. It might be hard to imagine but some kids really truly don’t have the resources.

I would hope it’s not something that’s gonna count against a kid in reality if they’ve made an attempt to look presentable, but it speaks volumes about the culture at the school and the fact that this text has gone out year after year. They’re not ignorant about their messaging.

Some of you are really incapable of thinking from any perspective except your own. Try considering for a moment why the school might want to ensure some consistency in the dress worn by interviewees. Before you assume they have sticks up their collective rear ends and just want to judge students on how well they dress, maybe ask yourself if there's any other possible reason. Think about what students might wear if there were no guidelines, and think about whether the *students* conducting the interviews might form an impression-positive or negative-based on the dress rather than the content of the interview. There's no perfect way to avoid that, but a minimal amount of conformity might help. I'm not saying that is the true reason it that it guarantees fair interviews, but it's at least possible the motivation is to make the process more fair, not less.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid’s interview is Saturday morning - got the confirmation a few minutes ago. Love the “dress for success” suggestions (no tennis shoes) with 36 hours notice. And talk about gate-keeping…

Right? Agree that you should dress for success, but they're 13, FFS, and we're not all made of $$. This school is ridiculous.

What's the problem? Latest iPhone, $200 sneakers, and a bunch of other material things that no one can pronounce. But mad at a school asking you to have your kid dress decently. Doesn't take a lot of money to look presentable.

Congrats on the straw man argument.

Signed,
Someone whose teenager is STRESSED about whether they have something appropriate to wear on Saturday given the quite explicit parameters the school has provided.

Always an excuse....This is on you as a parent NOT your kid. Your job is to guide and prepare. But you know that already.........

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is strange that a school with absolutely no dress code has strict instructions on what to wear to the interview.

Agreed. Was there a dress code for interviews last year?

Yes, they said the same thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s been a few years since my kid interviewed and perhaps the wording is different, but I remember there being something along the lines of dress for success being suggested, as to encourage the interview being taken seriously, not a “dress code”. It’s really not a big deal.

I mean, here is the language. It seems quite explicit/prescriptive:
We also want to remind families of dress expectations of School Without Walls admission interviews. All students are expected to wear casual professional attire. We expect students to wear slacks, shirt, shoes, appropriate pants, dress, sweater, blouse/shirt, or jacket (tie, jacket, and/or suit are optional). We ask students to refrain from wearing tennis shoes, tee shirts, jeans, leggings, or any attire that does not meet the standard for a formal interview.

Wtf? This is absurd!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s been a few years since my kid interviewed and perhaps the wording is different, but I remember there being something along the lines of dress for success being suggested, as to encourage the interview being taken seriously, not a “dress code”. It’s really not a big deal.

I mean, here is the language. It seems quite explicit/prescriptive:
We also want to remind families of dress expectations of School Without Walls admission interviews. All students are expected to wear casual professional attire. We expect students to wear slacks, shirt, shoes, appropriate pants, dress, sweater, blouse/shirt, or jacket (tie, jacket, and/or suit are optional). We ask students to refrain from wearing tennis shoes, tee shirts, jeans, leggings, or any attire that does not meet the standard for a formal interview.

A kid’s ability to put together “casual professional attire” is so much more about the parents than the kid. This is strange gatekeeping.

I’m pretty flummoxed by the idea that teenagers wouldn’t have at least one professional looking outfit. What do they wear to church? Thanksgiving?

Maybe most can, maybe some can’t. I think the question is whether there is any defensible reason why admission to a public school should have anything at all to do with what a kid wears.

That wording on attire for interviews is exactly the same as last year. And yet somehow 500 DC 8th graders last year managed to figure it out without major drama. Like the PP said, this isn't a big deal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s been a few years since my kid interviewed and perhaps the wording is different, but I remember there being something along the lines of dress for success being suggested, as to encourage the interview being taken seriously, not a “dress code”. It’s really not a big deal.

I mean, here is the language. It seems quite explicit/prescriptive:
We also want to remind families of dress expectations of School Without Walls admission interviews. All students are expected to wear casual professional attire. We expect students to wear slacks, shirt, shoes, appropriate pants, dress, sweater, blouse/shirt, or jacket (tie, jacket, and/or suit are optional). We ask students to refrain from wearing tennis shoes, tee shirts, jeans, leggings, or any attire that does not meet the standard for a formal interview.

A kid’s ability to put together “casual professional attire” is so much more about the parents than the kid. This is strange gatekeeping.

I’m pretty flummoxed by the idea that teenagers wouldn’t have at least one professional looking outfit. What do they wear to church? Thanksgiving?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s been a few years since my kid interviewed and perhaps the wording is different, but I remember there being something along the lines of dress for success being suggested, as to encourage the interview being taken seriously, not a “dress code”. It’s really not a big deal.

I mean, here is the language. It seems quite explicit/prescriptive:
We also want to remind families of dress expectations of School Without Walls admission interviews. All students are expected to wear casual professional attire. We expect students to wear slacks, shirt, shoes, appropriate pants, dress, sweater, blouse/shirt, or jacket (tie, jacket, and/or suit are optional). We ask students to refrain from wearing tennis shoes, tee shirts, jeans, leggings, or any attire that does not meet the standard for a formal interview.

A kid’s ability to put together “casual professional attire” is so much more about the parents than the kid. This is strange gatekeeping.

Not if you’ve raised your kids right!

You really think kids should be penalized for having parents who might not be as well equipped as you are to put together interview attire for their 14-year-old? I don’t think that’s a serious response.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s been a few years since my kid interviewed and perhaps the wording is different, but I remember there being something along the lines of dress for success being suggested, as to encourage the interview being taken seriously, not a “dress code”. It’s really not a big deal.

I mean, here is the language. It seems quite explicit/prescriptive:
We also want to remind families of dress expectations of School Without Walls admission interviews. All students are expected to wear casual professional attire. We expect students to wear slacks, shirt, shoes, appropriate pants, dress, sweater, blouse/shirt, or jacket (tie, jacket, and/or suit are optional). We ask students to refrain from wearing tennis shoes, tee shirts, jeans, leggings, or any attire that does not meet the standard for a formal interview.

A kid’s ability to put together “casual professional attire” is so much more about the parents than the kid. This is strange gatekeeping.

Not if you’ve raised your kids right!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s been a few years since my kid interviewed and perhaps the wording is different, but I remember there being something along the lines of dress for success being suggested, as to encourage the interview being taken seriously, not a “dress code”. It’s really not a big deal.

I mean, here is the language. It seems quite explicit/prescriptive:
We also want to remind families of dress expectations of School Without Walls admission interviews. All students are expected to wear casual professional attire. We expect students to wear slacks, shirt, shoes, appropriate pants, dress, sweater, blouse/shirt, or jacket (tie, jacket, and/or suit are optional). We ask students to refrain from wearing tennis shoes, tee shirts, jeans, leggings, or any attire that does not meet the standard for a formal interview.

A kid’s ability to put together “casual professional attire” is so much more about the parents than the kid. This is strange gatekeeping.

Anonymous wrote:It’s been a few years since my kid interviewed and perhaps the wording is different, but I remember there being something along the lines of dress for success being suggested, as to encourage the interview being taken seriously, not a “dress code”. It’s really not a big deal.

I mean, here is the language. It seems quite explicit/prescriptive:
We also want to remind families of dress expectations of School Without Walls admission interviews. All students are expected to wear casual professional attire. We expect students to wear slacks, shirt, shoes, appropriate pants, dress, sweater, blouse/shirt, or jacket (tie, jacket, and/or suit are optional). We ask students to refrain from wearing tennis shoes, tee shirts, jeans, leggings, or any attire that does not meet the standard for a formal interview.

It’s been a few years since my kid interviewed and perhaps the wording is different, but I remember there being something along the lines of dress for success being suggested, as to encourage the interview being taken seriously, not a “dress code”. It’s really not a big deal.