The Duncanville ISD school district, after the constant debates from staff, parents and students, decided to change the dress code policy for the students. Once it was confirmed, plenty of students and parents praised the distr

ict for finally doing something that was favorable for both their children and themselves.  Yet many wonder whether or not this was a good change.

So the question is… Was it?

First of all, the dress code is as follows:

• Shirts: No color restriction. Shirts without collars cannot have any logos or designs. While shirts with collars may have anything as long as it’s deemed appropriate.

• Pants: All pants, skirts, and dressers must reach the bend of the knee. Pants must be a solid material. Denim is allowed and only K-4 may wear shorts.
• Shoes must be closed, Hats/Hoods are not allowed, and belts are no longer required.

This year’s dress code is pretty relaxed compared to the years prior. And everything is appropriate, so there should be no problem.

However, while many students are joyful about the new dress code, many parents are concerned that their students will be bullied or excluded because their clothes aren’t the most expensive or the coolest, etc. And while a couple of people might scoff at the idea, it’s mostly because they don’t understand the full extent of bullying that comes from clothing choice.

However, the dress code helped to prevent this. By limiting the clothes we could choose from, ‘fashion bullying’ was reduced immensely and bullying rates were reduced over all.

At the same time, having a more relaxed dress code gives students the chance to break from the norm of ordinary school life and allows students to learn how to dress better while still complying with the dress code established wherever they are.

All in all, issues like dress code have pros and cons. While they can help restrict inappropriate things, they can also be used to allow more discrimination. It is all dependant on the students. If people don’t want to worry about the dress code, then they should follow it and refrain from criticizing others.