A Mount Aspiring College (MAC) Year 13 student has made a splash with an opinion piece on the school’s new mufti guidelines, which was published on national news website The Spinoff this week.

Nevada Wolfgramm, 17, wrote the column “to start a conversation” about the mufti guidelines, which were put in place this year for Year 12 and 13 students.

In the column she questions the need for the new guidelines; debates the notion of modesty and what that means for both girls and boys; and talks about how being censured for breaching the dress code has been shaming.

Following a three-year uniform review, and because the new MAC uniform was not available at the beginning of this year, senior students can wear mufti this year for this last time. The new mufti rules ban shabby or worn-out jeans, brief shorts, “see-through, low-cut, halter, thin-strapped tops on dresses or as separates, or revealing a bare midriff”, and singlets with gaping arm holes.

The rationale given by the school is that while the policy “is designed to respect an individual's autonomy, individual dignity and right to freedom of expression”, students must “respect that MAC is a learning institution with a diverse range of students and staff, and must take that into consideration when making clothing choices”. 

Nevada had already written most of her opinion piece after being told off for breaching the dress-code previously.

“The reason I wrote it is because I wanted to start a conversation - and that needs to include students too,” she told the Wanaka App.

Nevada believes the mufti rules should be open to discussion. She believes the current rules are about “covering up the female body”.

“There are maybe one or two rules that affect boys,” she said.

She is also aware of a female teacher who has told a few girls their clothing is distracting boys. 

“Most of the clothes I wear are not very provocative but I still get dress-coded all the time,” she said. 

When she has been censured, it has mostly been because part of her stomach is visible.

“If you can’t give me an adequate reason as to why I should dress modestly, then I won’t. I’m not in a professional environment - I’m at school. I’m not getting paid to be here, and I don’t have a choice of another school to go to.”

“I can’t tell you where the line is - I’m 17-years-old. I just don’t want the line to be where we have to wear a full shirt and pants in 30 degree weather.”

Nevada said clothes have always been an important part of her life, and she is thinking about studying fashion after school.

“I think talking about this stuff will always be a big deal for me, I’m super, super passionate about it.”

She said the school should want to encourage students to think critically and push boundaries, which will help prepare them to go out into the world.

MAC principal Nicola Jacobsen said, while privacy law precludes the school from commenting on individuals or individual situations: “Critical thinking skills are something I really value as an important part of education.”

“...given that society has certain unwritten expectations and narratives around dress code and gender, critical thought in this area is something to be valued. Inquiring into issues, from all perspectives in a respectful manner is a good thing,” she said. 

Because the school serves the whole community it is conservative in its approach to matters such as dress code, Nicola said, “mostly from a health and safety perspective as well as supporting a generally tidy standard of dress”. 

“There are a large number of subjects available for students which have different health and safety requirements in terms of dress, and our general statement around dress code needs to ensure that we cover all subject requirements.”

Nicola said the school has a concerns and complaints policy in place if a member of the community wishes to raise an issue, “... and this process helps to ensure that there is a process for dialogue to take place”.

Nevada has also been interviewed by MORE FM, which will be aired tomorrow (Monday March 1) around 10am.

Read Nevada’s Spinoff article here.

PHOTO: Supplied