Should schools impose a dress code on parents?
2 May 2019
When a school in Houston, Texas, announced that parents must also follow dress code guidelines, it ignited a larger debate about appropriate attire and standards for parents across the nation. Principal Carlotta Brown of James Madison High School announced the new dress code guidelines for parents and guests a day after the mother of a prospective student was denied entry to the school because of her attire. Wearing a T-shirt dress and headscarf, Joselyn Lewis says she was turned away by school administrators when she attempted to enrol her daughter into the school. When she asked to see the school's dress code rules for parents, administrators called the police. Ms Lewis explained she was wearing the scarf as she was in the process of getting her hair done - but felt she should not be told what to wear, regardless. Effective last week, James Madison High School will reject any parent or guest wearing pyjamas, hair rollers, leggings, or a head scarf, among other clothing items. The school declined to comment to the BBC, but the principal has continued to express support for the measure. In a statement, Ms Brown argued that the school expects parents to set a standard for their children, by showing them what's appropriate and what is not. "Parents, we do value you as a partner in your child's education. You are your child's first teacher. However, please know that we have to have standards, most of all we must have high standards. We are preparing your child for a prosperous future." In a meeting on Monday, the principal also told parents that this was a successful policy at her old school. The issue has received mixed feelings from parents in the community. Shawn Rushing, a parent from the same school district, defended the new rules, saying: "It's so much bigger than a dress code. Schools are in place to educate children, so we have to prioritise the things that come up that appear as a distraction." Others, like James Madison High School parent Tomiko Miller, say the new guidelines seem to reinforce discrimination based on class, gender, and race. "I think the language used is very explicit," she says. "It lumps everyone together and overwhelmingly targets women and moms, on campus." Ms Miller also suggested that the school give out graduation robes if school authorities perceived a parent as too revealing, because "turning parents away sends a dangerous message". The Houston Federation of Teachers has also weighed in. "While we may agree that public decorum should be maintained on public schools, the implementation of this policy was flawed," says Federation President Zeph Capo. "It is unfortunate that a student was denied enrolment based on a dress code. Educating students should be our priority." While the debate in Texas surfaced only recently, James Madison is not the only high school attempting to create a dress code for parents. Lawmakers in Memphis, Tennessee, are currently trying to create a bill that will enforce dress code guidelines for parents in districts across the state. If the bill is passed in July, it could go into effect next year. State congressman Antonio Parkinson has said that the policies would not be applied in a discriminatory fashion and that he is receiving positive feedback from constituents. But some residents have continued to push back, saying this law could prevent parent participation in schools as some parents will not see themselves fit for these new standards. Parents from different parts of the country have also begun to chime in, sharing their thoughts on social media. One mother in Indiana, who asked to be kept anonymous, told the BBC that the policies in Houston and Memphis were "a warning that community members need to be concerned about". "I'm opposed to these policies because it sends a message that parents must identify themselves in a certain way and if they don't they'll be ostracised, judged and criminalised." She continued: "The school in Houston just proved a point about a slippery slope. What's next?" Both of these recent efforts have added to a larger debate happening around the world. In the UK, a dress code controversy involving a mother at Skerne Park Academy, a primary school, has divided the Darlington community. Karen Routh says she ignored the school's request for parents and students not to wear pyjamas because she was running late. While the school's head teacher said this was setting a bad example, Ms Routh explained that her priority was getting her child to school on time and was late because she didn't feel well. Dress codes in public settings - like for customers in restaurants or stores - are not a new concept. Enforcing a policy for parents, who do not attend schools however, is a more sensitive topic. As the discussion continues, some argue that this controversy has  larger implications about struggles that different families face across the world, while others suggest it is a needed standard that benefits students' education. The complicated balance continues to leave communities divided on whether it is an appropriate action or schools are simply going too far.
While the debate in Texas surfaced only recently, James Madison is not the only high school attempting to create a dress code for parents. Lawmakers in Memphis, Tennessee, are currently trying to create a bill that will enforce dress code guidelines for parents in districts across the state. If the bill is passed in July, it could go into effect next year. State congressman Antonio Parkinson has said that the policies would not be applied in a discriminatory fashion and that he is receiving positive feedback from constituents. But some residents have continued to push back, saying this law could prevent parent participation in schools as some parents will not see themselves fit for these new standards. Parents from different parts of the country have also begun to chime in, sharing their thoughts on social media. One mother in Indiana, who asked to be kept anonymous, told the BBC that the policies in Houston and Memphis were "a warning that community members need to be concerned about". "I'm opposed to these policies because it sends a message that parents must identify themselves in a certain way and if they don't they'll be ostracised, judged and criminalised." She continued: "The school in Houston just proved a point about a slippery slope. What's next?"
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A new trend?
Both of these recent efforts have added to a larger debate happening around the world. In the UK, a dress code controversy involving a mother at Skerne Park Academy, a primary school, has divided the Darlington community. Karen Routh says she ignored the school's request for parents and students not to wear pyjamas because she was running late. While the school's head teacher said this was setting a bad example, Ms Routh explained that her priority was getting her child to school on time and was late because she didn't feel well. Dress codes in public settings - like for customers in restaurants or stores - are not a new concept. Enforcing a policy for parents, who do not attend schools however, is a more sensitive topic. As the discussion continues, some argue that this controversy has  larger implications about struggles that different families face across the world, while others suggest it is a needed standard that benefits students' education. The complicated balance continues to leave communities divided on whether it is an appropriate action or schools are simply going too far.
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Has this happened outside the US?