The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing took down "poorly worded" dress code signs Wednesdays that some students found offensive, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

The signs, which were posted on Tuesday and seemed to be aimed at female students, prohibited "revealing clothing," because it distracts from the learning environment. The signs said students were prohibited from wearing short skirts, short-shorts, low-rise pants and "low-cut shirts that reveal cleavage."

"If the issue is that clothing 'distracts,' perhaps what the [University of Texas] nursing program needs to do instead of shaming or policing the clothing of female students is to instruct those who are 'distracted' by such clothing to stop being distracted," Jessica Luther, an alumna of the University of Texas and an Austin-based activist told the San Antonio Express-News.

According to Inside Higher Ed, a student reportedly took a picture of one of the signs and sent it to Jezebel, a blog aimed at women's interests.

According to Jezebel, the signs seemed to be directed at female students.


J.B. Bird, spokesman for the University of Texas, told Campus Reform that the nursing school has about 1,000 students enrolled and nearly 10 percent of those students are men.

Gayle Timmerman, associate dean of academic affairs at the nursing school, released a statement Wednesday saying the dress code signs were not an accurate reflection of our policy.

We're not in the business of measuring skirt lengths," Timmerman said. "We are in the business of educating a new generation of nurses."

Kathryn Wiley, a spokesperson for University of Texas's School of Nursing, told Campus Reform said the dress code was for both male and female students.

"The signs (which have been taken down) were not meant to be sexist, only to remind nursing students about the School's dress code," Wiley said. "The School of Nursing is educating both men and women to go into professional clinical environments where they will be required to dress professionally."

While Wiley and Bird agreed that the signs were not meant to be sexist in any way.

"It's important to have high professional standards for the medical profession," Bird said.