or decades, being a student in Tokyo meant you had to look a certain way.
Under the public school system’s dress code, all students had to dye their hair black, certain hairstyles were prohibited and even their underwear had to be a designated color.
But these rules, which have recently come under scrutiny and been criticized as outdated, will now be abolished, the city’s authorities announced this week.
A total of five rules will be dropped by nearly 200 public schools across the Japanese capital, including regulations on hair and underwear color, and a ban on “two block” hairstyles, which are long on top and short at the back and sides — a style currently in fashion in many countries.
Other rules being cut include the practice of punishing students with a form of house arrest, and ambiguous language in the guidelines on what is considered “typical of high school students.”
The policy changes go into effect at the start of the new academic year on April 1.
The move came after Tokyo’s board of education conducted a survey last year that asked schools, students and parents about their views on the policies.
I – Word Understanding
Scrutiny – carefully examining something in a critical way
Outdated – old and no longer useful
Abolish – to stop or end something
Ambiguous – having more than one possible meaning
II – Have Your Say
1, Describe and explain the school rules and dress codes that you had to follow when you were a student.
2, One of the issues of uniforms is gender equality. Share your thoughts.
3, What do you think about the school rules that schools in Tokyo are going to abolish?
Do you think all schools in Japan should do the same?
866 Tokyo schools drop controversial dress code on hair and underwear color
