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Given the number of barely there dresses I have seen I'm kind of torn on this. I am shocked some parents let their kids wear certain dresses that are way sexy. Then again, I wore a strapless dress to my prom. The bottom was poofy tea length and overall it was very '50s vintage.

I don't think girls should have to model the dresses for school administrators, but a requirement list is okay with me.

@Finfan: I can't imagine a tux/suit being too risqué but the barely there dresses, yes absolutely they should have to be approved or risk being turned away. Prom isn't the place to show up nearly naked.

A dress code should be published and any student with concerns over whether their attire meets the standards of the dress code should submit for approval and if anyone comes to prom violating the dress code, they should be sent home.

@Finfan: as almost legal adults, if they are unsure if their attire meets the dress code, they can have two choices: seek approval or risk being turned away. The dress code and policy for violations apply to both genders.

Having to get approved no. I can see having guidelines of what is acceptable or not for everybody and not just girls.

No one, other than the parents who are paying for the dress, should have any say into what a young lady wears to a non-educational event.

Why should I or the school be concerned about what a young lady chooses to wear? So what if some girls are allowed to wear dresses that I consider risque or too sexy... not sure how that affects me or the school.

I'm fine with a dress code (I think it's appropriate to have one and wish our administration would have actually sent people home with some of the dresses girls wore but that's probably nothing on what I've seen girls wear now a days!) but each dress being submitted for approval is a waste of resources.

@Finfan: I've also yet to see a dress that reveals more skin than girls volleyball shorts or a bathing suit but neither of those things are appropriate in a prom setting. And what I see most commonly as revealing on dresses is usually boobs, not legs. I don't think comparing a dance costume/sports uniform is the same.

@ModernDayJibarita: It's a school sponsored event, so I can see how they would think it reflects on them.

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: are those actual girls who went to your prom??

It sounds like a lot of work! I'm totally ok with a school dress code for both school hours and sponsored events. If it's been a problem, I can see the thinking that it's better to pre-approve than have a bunch of drama with having to turn someone away at the door.

@winniebee: no! I Googled "too sexy prom dresses"

Every prom season emails are forwarded with "creative" prom dresses and some of the stuff just isn't made well and overtly sexy.

Dress-code distributed and enforced? Yes.

Asking for photos is a bit much, IMO.

And I think requirements should extend to all students, not just females.

As a teacher I am really torn on dress codes in general because of course I think that there are plenty of clothes that are NOT school appropriate but then I think that the whole idea of a dress code is pretty inherently sexist. For years I scoffed at the whole leggings as pants trend but then I realized personally that leggings are just really comfortable! Yea I'd prefer that girls wear a shirt that covers their butt when wearing them or not have them be see-through in the back w/their thong showing through, but it's kind of like that's my problem and not theirs if they are comfortable.

As far as prom, I totally get what @Anagram is saying about the pre-approval process just being so that parents aren't more pissed at the actual event. Administrators these days kind of fall over themselves trying to do everything they can to prevent problems from ever arising with parents. I do think that it is more appropriate to have a dress-code for prom bc as many others are pointing out, it is a non-academic event, it is a privilege to attend not a right.
However, I just can't get behind a girl having to produce a dress she's planning to wear to an event ahead of time when there is clearly no need for a boy to do the same. I think they just need to deal with the consequences if they show up in a dress like the ones @Mrs. Lemon-Lime has posted and are not let in.

Before Mrs. Lemon Lime posted those photos, I was thinking "what's the big deal, what could kids possibly be wearing these days?" I looked at it from my seat, which isn't the seat all parents sit.

After the photos, yeah, I would support a policy. For boys and girls. The policy is there to guide them, to teach them to make good choices. If we don't guide, what's our other choice?

If the boys don't have to send photos of what they are wearing, why should girls have to do so?

I think that schools should have an established dress code for what is appropriate and what isn't, but to ask girls (and only girls) to submit photos of their dresses for approval is taking it too far. It's can't just say, "too revealing" either, it has to be specific: "no bared midriffs" or "no slits above the knee."

Individual dresses approved by pictures- no that's ridiculous. But I'm okay with a set of standards or dress code to follow. Some dresses are becoming so sexy (celebrity dresses that are not appropriate in a high school setting.) I'm sorry I don't think there needs to be a J.Lo green style dress at a high school prom.

Edit: I think men should have to follow standards as well.

And I think a lot of people here would be shocked by what a lot of kids will try to wear, with their parents full approval. We've had 6th grade girls come to school on graduation day wearing full on "stripper shoes", with tight, ruched mini dresses, like you'd see a 22 year old wear in a club. I hate that term, but those super high spike heels set on a platform. WHY? They are 11 year old girls. Same with boys wearing pants belted below the bum with underpants exposed. WHY. Sometimes the underpants have holes or the elastic is old and stretched and exposes their bum. No one wants to see that in a school environment. Just like the kids don't want to see their teachers wearing ruched mini dresses with our cleavage hanging out in the classroom, or the male english teacher wearing sagging pants with their underwear showing.

There are plenty of parents who don't exhibit common sense, so unfortunately, the schools are in the awkward position of having

Advanced approval? No. But they should make the code clear from the beginning and reserve the right to dismiss anyone who doesn't follow the dress code. I've seen some pretty racy prom dresses lately and honestly can't believe parents felt it was appropriate for a teenager to wear t a school sponsored event.

I looked this up and see it's a private, Catholic school requesting the pictures. There is a dress code for boys that I can't see being misconstrued--tux or suit that is gender-specific.

I was fine with this being a public school requirement, and I'm even more ok with it being a Catholic school request.

@Happygal: I found an article and video on this. I think the school should have been more specific from the get go. http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/prom-dress-pre-approval-high-school_n_6928962.html