Texas school district bans hoodies and dresses as part of 'Back for the Future' dress

[tctrojan]

I think this is crazy. How are dresses not professional? I know in some religions females were dresses or skirts. They expect administrators to examine clothes beneath the surface. How below? If a girl decides to go braless will she gave to expose her breasts. Are there going to he funds to help replace wardrobes? I think they are too many restrictions. I would have had to discard a majority of my wardrobe. I wore skirts and dresses frequently. There would be no jean days.

Your thoughts?


Http://nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tex...dresses-part-back-future-dress-code-rcna35235

Visible stripes, checks, lettering, wording, or other designs.
Sleeveless.
Thermal type shirts. T-shirts. Zippered shirts or blouses.
Hooded sweatshirts or outerwear.
Hats, caps, bandanas, or other non-religious head coverings worn inside the school building.
Leather, suede, vinyl, corduroy, and denim materials (not including outerwear).
Baggy-style legged slacks.
Holes in clothing.
Cargo or Carpenter style pants.
Soccer or boxer style shorts, wind shorts/pants, athletic shorts/pants, sweat shorts/pants, spandex (except in PE/Athletics, Cheer, or Drill classes only).
Dresses.
Overall pants, overall shorts, overall jumpers, and coveralls.
Leather, suede, vinyl, corduroy, and denim materials; brads or studs.
The district will also bar students' clothes that are too tight or too baggy: "Clothing can be no more than one size larger than the student’s measurements; nor may the garment be too tight."

The codes go from the top of students' now-unhooded heads down to their toes, in perfectly matched shoes.
"Shoes must be a matching pair," the guidelines say. "Shoelaces must be a matching pair."

[I]Administrators are also expected to examine clothes beneath the surface, as sufficient "underclothing is required" and undershirts "must be one of the approved solid colors, with no printing or designs," according to the 7-page guideline.
[/I]
A district official could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday.

 

[klarabelle]

Dress Code

I had seen something about this but it also included skirts. I don't get why the no dresses/skirts.

Why not just make students wear uniforms like we do in Philadelphia, consisting of bottoms (shorts, skorts, skirts, pants or jumpers) and polo shirts for students. (Polo shirts will be sold at school with the school name printed on them). The color of the uniform top/bottoms are chosen by the school and can be different colors for the different grades.

No hoodies are to be worn in the building at any time. Pullover sweatshirts are available for purchase to be worn in the winter months. Students may wear black sweat pants or athletic shorts, and a School Tee Shirt on days they are scheduled for Gym. Uniforms are expected to be worn on class trips.

No scarves, large earrings, bracelets or necklaces are to be worn in school. Students who come to school with these items will be asked to remove them and they will be confiscated.

Consequences for not wearing a uniform to school include, but are not limited to, conferences, detentions and exclusion from privileges. Children may be asked to call home so that a uniform can be brought to school for them, or students will be asked to change into a uniform we keep at school.

 

[Ima Teacher]

I don’t even own dress pants anymore. I only had dresses in my work wardrobe for the last couple of years. And, unfortunately, many of my clothes were tight because I like food. Of course, as a kid I hated dresses. I didn’t grow into being girly until my later years.

Personally, wardrobe was not the hill I wanted to die on. Our dress code was very lenient, although you couldn’t have known by the parent complaints. DH’s school had a uniform code. They didn’t seem to have as many complaints as our school.

 

[Lilbitkm]

This is pretty restrictive and I don’t get the no dresses.

I couldn’t imagine having to enforce this policy and I wonder how many staff members were actually consulted on the policy changes.

The new code bars students above the fourth grade from wearing dresses, skirts, or skorts. All students, no matter their grade, are barred from wearing a long list of items including sleeveless shirts, T-shirts, anything with visible designs, spandex and nylon, anything made of denim, and any jackets or sweatshirts with hoods. “Extreme” hair designs are also off the table.

I did see this about skirts. I went to school with and teach with a few Mormon women who aren’t permitted to wear anything other than skirts/dresses so would they be granted an exemption?


But, instead of going through all of this trouble, why not just institute uniforms?
Are they not permitted to by the state or something?

They also say that they are doing this to “level the field with families who have financial hardship.” Do they not understand the financial hardship they’re causing these families?

The video they put out talks all about being ready for the workforce, 5 year olds aren’t in the workforce and there’s plenty of time for them to be prepared for it.


You can also buy pairs of shoes now that are purposely made to look mismatched.


I don’t see anywhere that this dress code applies to teachers/staff.


Here’s the link from the school district of the official policy: https://www.forneyisd.net/cms/lib3/...023_Student Dress Code-REVISED 2022.06.20.pdf

Hair at no time should be in the student’s eyes.

Hair and eyebrows may not have cut-out designs or etchings.

I teach elementary and many kids, boys and girls, have long shaggy hair/bangs.
I’ve also had so many kids come in with designs in their new haircuts and they love them.
I can’t imagine trying to restrict how a parent cuts their child’s hair.

 

[ICrazyTeach]

I think it is completely ridiculous.

 

[Tori58]

This list is so long, it would be easier to list what they can wear. And I agree, if you're going to be this strict about clothing, you should go to uniforms.

And, no skirts or dresses? I'm old enough to remember when girls had to wear skirts or dresses. No pants allowed.

 

[GreenBunny]

Dresses?!! Really?

It seems very restrictive. Since it's so restrictive, perhaps it's leading up to uniforms.

Administrators are also expected to examine clothes beneath the surface, as sufficient "underclothing is required"

This is a harassment suit waiting to happen.

 

[PoohBear]

Insanity, I agree they should just wear uniforms if they're going to be this restrictive. And the explanation that they're just preparing kids for workplace requirements is ridiculous.

and I'm also old enough for this

And, no skirts or dresses? I'm old enough to remember when girls had to wear skirts or dresses. No pants allowed.

I was a senior in high school before girls were allowed to wear pants and then only on Fridays as part of a pants suit.

 

[marguerite2]

After high school I went straight to the college summer session. That was the first year students were allowed to wear shorts to summer class. That fall it was dresses and skirts -- no slacks.

My first year teaching in October we got a notice that we could wear a pants suit from November 1 to March 1. In February we got a reminder that the policy was ending. Somehow the ending notice was ignored by the senior teachers and the restriction was never mentioned again.

As to the school in the OP. It's Texas. Unreasonable appearance rules from there seem to make headlines.
https://www.revolt.tv/article/2022-...enroll into,a heritage that he is so proud of.

And who in the right mind would write a rule that required administrators to examine student undetgarments?

 

[FionaJ]

Um, wow. As ICrazyTeach said, ridiculous.

 

[apple annie]

Talk about micro-management! Seems to me there are much bugger fish to fry than monitoring what every kid wears to school. I predict this policy will quickly get old and fade into the sunset.

 

[Teach 5]

Dress code

And the poor teachers that have to spend their time enforcing this. I’m sure the no dress rule is aimed at not having dresses that are too short. I could see no wording on shirts but no stripes or checks. What? I’ve worked three different types of professional jobs and I’ve worn, stripes, checks, and patterns. Clothing can’t be more than one size larger than their measurements? Who’s going to measure them? No suede, no corduroy. Who thinks these things aren’t professional? I imagine there will be massive protests.

 

[kidsrterrific]

I have no words!

 

[kahluablast]

Do you think they want to go uniforms but got a lot of back lag over it, so made this crazy dress code instead? I mean it us basically uniforms without saying uniforms.

 

[Tiamat]

Well, I’m used to uniforms, so most of it is automatic. It doesn’t bother me but, as I said, used to uniforms.

An idea of some of our uniform options. Note: I do not investigate underwear.

 

[amiga13]

I can’t figure out how to respond without making it political, so I’ll just echo RIDICULOUS.

Fiona, those uniforms are darling.

 

[Claire]

Texas is slowly chipping away at all of our rights it seems.......just saying.

 

[Haley23]

This seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen. I would be uncomfortable enforcing this.

My previous school had uniforms when the year started (the uniform policy had been instated by a former P, not the P I worked for). I was not a fan because I felt like for general classroom management purposes, you need to say what you mean and mean what you say. If we're going to say it's a "rule" to wear a certain uniform, then we need to enforce that rule. If it's not really a rule, then don't say it is. That confuses children about what rules actually mean.

P made it clear that she didn't really care for the uniform thing, and thus we were very inconsistent with enforcing it. I actually got "called out" a couple of times for trying to enforce it in my classroom. I didn't care about uniforms one way or the other, just wanted to be clear and consistent with enforcing what we claimed the "rules" were.

 

[Sbkangas5]

Ridiculous on so many levels. And really, who is going to be enforcing that? You are seriously going to have half the student body in the office at any given time. My teens would have a field day. Not to mention that the dress code is creating serious inequity for families. All I can think of are my kiddos who have to wear hand me downs that don't fit "right".

 

[Teacherbee_4]

My take

Here's my take. I personally think that many schools have gotten too lax in what they let students wear. I really do believe that there is a correlation between how students dress, behavior, and academics. I'm all for tightening up the dress code.

However, this seems excessive and doesn't seem to make sense. What stands out to me the most is that it says it's to prepare students for the work force, yet dresses and skirts aren't allowed. I haven't heard of any work place that doesn't let you wear dresses skirts, unless maybe it's a manual labor type position (where you wouldn't want to wear them anyway). It seems to me that they banned dresses and skirts because then they don't have to enforce length...but that's not necessarily preparing them for the work force.

The whole examining the undergarments and requirements for undergarments seems nitpicky and asking for a lawsuit.

I'm all for stricter dress codes in schools or uniforms in schools, but this seems excessive.

 

[CricketSong]

I don’t get the workforce excuse

I understand children need to learn discipline, how to manage their time, how to work hard and be responsible and respectful.

They need to learn to dress themselves.

I don’t know about anyone else, but, having never been in show biz or worked the Vegas Strip, NONE of my uniforms were so complicated that I had to practice wearing them for years in order to prepare. Learning to read and understand directions was all it took for me to wear my uniforms properly.

The only good excuses for barring certain things are education/ safety related. I personally think learning to deal with the diversity of people is more productive in preparing for the work force than making everyone dress the exact same. I understand cities deal with gang violence and I also understand that offensive clothing that promote violent, racist, or drug related things is not good for children to be around. “Preparing for the workforce “ is not a good excuse for strict dress codes , imo.

 

[SusanTeach]

Personally, wardrobe was not the hill I wanted to die on.

That's my thoughts.

When students show up with a yellow shirt (we have uniforms at a public school and yellow isn't a color for us), I let it go. I'm just glad they're there. Mom/Grandma/Aunt.... doesn't need to leave work to bring Johnny a shirt. If I say anything to the precious child, I almost always get the same response. Usually something like, "My school shirts were all dirty." I guess nobody taught that 5 year old how to wash clothes yet.

If our new admin this year makes a big deal out of it, I'll just go to the clothes closet and find a uniform shirt for that child and remind him/her to wear the right thing next time.

So many more important fish to fry.