Brownsville, Texas—Fall means the end to carefree summer fashion for BISD students who will move out of shorts and flip-flops and into appropriate learning attire — or else. The Brownsville Independent School District’s dress code lists restrictions for students grades 6-12 and disciplinary actions for off-code outfits range from warnings to being sent to an alternative campus. The code is derived from what high school principals in 1998 judged to be issues “disruptive to the instructional environment.” It has not been modified since.
Sylvia Perez, one of the principals to participate in the drafting of the dress code, said there has not been any change because it remains valid.
“It’s hard to come up with a dress code that is right in every way,” she said. “Students need to remember they can wear whatever they want as long as it’s reasonable.”
Perez and Hanna High School senior Gaby Soto offered their opinion on some BISD fashion rules:
Rule No 1: Anything shorter than the end of the student’s fingertips when the student’s arms are extended to his/her sides shall be deemed too short, but longer lengths may be inappropriate in individual cases.
Soto: “Girls get in trouble more than boys for violating the dress code — this is the reason. Some girls wear really short shirts and skirts. Older teachers are usually the ones to get most offended by this, but I’ve also heard of some girls that get away with it. That’s not fair.”
Perez: “Because of middrift exposure and revealing clothes, ladies call a lot more attention. Sometime it is hard to determine what is or is not appropriate, but it is up to each administrator to make the call and implement the dress code.”
Rule No 3: No tight or transparent clothing.
Soto: “Most girl’s clothing is fitted. Some girls overdo it, but others really don’t and still get in trouble. We don’t want our young ladies to be disrespected.”
Perez: “It’s hard, especially because of the type of clothes available for youngsters.”
Rule No. 14: Male students shall not be allowed to wear female attire.
Soto: “Some boys go for the ‘slim fit’ they get from girl’s ‘skinny’ jeans. I don’t know why they do it, but they shouldn’t get in trouble. It’s just the style now, I guess.”
Perez: “I haven’t really seen much of this (new style). Some of them are just trying to emulate what they see on TV and magazines. It’s fine, as long as they dress in good taste and doesn’t just call attention.”
A complete dress code can be requested from BISD or school offices. Go online to www.bisd.us, for more on student codes of conduct.
The Brownsville Herald
1 comment:
haha thanks for asking me to be part of this article. i had a lot of fun, but now thanks to you, i actually have to follow dress code. =]
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