Culture War: Christian Right Bulwark Crumbles

[Ralph]

Liberty University loosens dress code

LYNCHBURG, Virginia (AP) -- Capri pants and flip-flops will be fine in class but shorts will remain forbidden as school starts next week at Liberty University, the college founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell.

Students were notified of the more relaxed campus dress code by e-mail. As recently as five years ago, men were required to wear ties at the university and women had to wear long skirts or dresses.

"I am thrilled, because flip-flops and jeans are my favorite attire," said student Grace Burns.

The code requires "neat jeans" -- no holes or patches. Shorts "are never acceptable" in the classroom, though the ban is eased for the dining hall and academic buildings after 4:30 p.m. Shorts must be mid-thigh length or longer.

Mark Hine, vice president of student affairs, said the relaxed rules were issued following student input.

"This is what our students want," Hine said. "We're searching for a happy medium."

Student Scott Day said the new dress code "gives you a chance to be comfortable."

"Things are changing, so even in the business world people are more casual," he said. "I'm in music, so even if I was working in a job, I wouldn't wear a suit and tie most days."

As might be expected, not everyone at the evangelical Christian school with about 9,000 undergraduates approved of the change.

"I picked this school because it was different and because it had a dress code," student Angie Sweeney said.

Still, she says she plans to wear jeans and flip-flops when classes start August 24 "just because I can now."

[pizza]

Good to see things are relaxing a bit but it's still a far cry from "no shoes, no shirt, no service" -- the code in most classrooms and dining halls when I was a kid.

[Ralph]

Good to see things are relaxing a bit but it's still a far cry from "no shoes, no shirt, no service" -- the code in most classrooms and dining halls when I was a kid.

*****

Pizza,

The need to maintain order and decorum in one-room schoolhouses was very real and explains and justifies the restrictive conduct codes of your youth.