Letter to the Editor
The opposition expressed by students such as Brittany Truax to the revision in the Liberty Way to allow nose rings (“Liberty Way says okay to nose rings”) is misplaced.
Her argument is that by allowing students to wear small studs in the nose, they will forever be negatively affecting their chances of finding a job, as “most employers will not be fond of nose and/or facial piercings.” This reasoning of “maintaining an environment of professionalism” has been echoed by members of the Liberty administration. The professionalism argument is a cop-out excuse to justify the dress code of the Liberty Way.
Frankly, it’s rather insulting to assume that we students would not have the common sense to wear professional attire, i. e. take off accessory jewelry, for a job interview. Most Liberty students, having had internships or jobs, are aware of the dress code of the work force — such a standard does not need to be forced upon us in a non-work environment five days a week. Furthermore, the Liberty Way’s current permitted standard for class dress, which includes jeans, sweaters and sandals, contradicts the “professionalism” standard anyway, as most of the attire would not be appropriate in a work environment.
Modesty, rather than professionalism, should be the standard by which we judge our attire at this school. According to the Liberty Way, the guiding principles for dress code are “cleanliness, neatness, (and) appropriateness.” A female student wearing a nose ring can honor God and still uphold these guidelines.
Additionally, Truax’s negative reaction to the “slippery slope” of Liberty conforming to the will of the students should be viewed as a positive, as it demonstrates that students can exert influence. As the ones financially supporting Liberty, we have a right to express our opinions and take initiative for change.
I would agree with Truax’s statement that “college is (a time) to prepare us to get real jobs.” Yes, our time at Liberty is a period of preparation — the key word being “prepare.” We students are not currently in a work environment and are merely gaining knowledge to use in the real world. And this process of preparation is not going to be destroyed by wearing a nose ring.