Fun Fact: Jim Ned CISD's dress code violates Title VI and Title IX discriminatory protections on basis of sex/gender. Their dress code is quite literally separated into a section for girls and a section for boys.

Their gender bias dress code even violates their own district’s handbook, which states “The district believes that all students learn best in an environment free from dating violence, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation and that their welfare is best served when they are free from this prohibited conduct while attending school.”

They claim that "the district’s dress code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption, and minimize safety hazards." Exactly how does long hair, earrings, or painted nails on a boy violate grooming, hygiene, or safety? Exactly how does it cause a disruption?

I got a call from Jim Ned High School's Assistant Principal and Principal Wednesday, August 14, 2024. Apparently, they want to put my son in ISS if his hair isn't cut by Monday. They said that boys aren't allowed to have long hair or tie their hair back according to their dress code. I explained to both of them that their dress code is in violation of constitutional rights. I was told by the principal to call the Superintendent.

We met with the superintendent on Friday, August 17, 2024. While the superintendent did respectfully listen to our multiple reasons for why my son is growing his hair out, at the end of the conversation, he told me if we didn’t like the dress code that we could choose to go to a different school. This is the public school we are zoned for, not a private school. It is a luxury unavailable to the general population to be able to “just change school districts.” Then, completely disregarding everything my son explained to him about why he grew his hair long, he looked squarely at my son and told him that since it’s his choice whether or not he cuts his hair, then he can choose to “follow the rules or face the consequences.” While rules are to be respected and followed, rules that are illegal and discriminatory are harmful to our students. There is no place for rules that discriminate in any public school. The entire basis of Title IX is to protect our children in public schools and provide them with a safe place to learn.

We are beginning the grievance process at Jim Ned CISD in regard to this discrimination. But this is about more than just my child. This is about all the children in the Jim Ned School District that are affected. This is about ensuring our children's rights are protected while they are away from us at public school. This is about fighting discrimination for all protected classes. This is part of the ultimate fight of enforcing Title IX in all schools across Texas.

Clyde CISD, only 30 minutes from Tuscola, made the right call back in April 2021 to comply with federal law and update their dress code to a gender-neutral policy. Abilene ISD, only 22 minutes from Tuscola, has a gender-neutral dress code. It's time for Jim Ned CISD to do the same.

Please help me ensure equal rights for all our children in public schools. Please help spread the word that gender-based dress codes are in violation of our children's rights under Title VI and Title IX. Please help our children to learn and understand their own rights. 

Sign on Change.org today: https://www.change.org/EnforceTitleIX

 

More Information and resources:

ACLU wrote an open letter on July 7, 2022 explaining to superintendents how these dress codes are in violation of the student's federal rights under Title VI and Title IX.

You can find the full report from ACLU on how Texas dress codes are discriminatory, published February 2024, in this link:

https://www.aclutx.org/sites/default/files/dresscodereport_2-22-24.pdf​

https://www.aclutx.org/sites/default/files/7.7.2022-school-dress-code-letter-final-v.3-1.pdf​

https://schools.jimned.esc14.net/upload/common/2021-22/Handbooks/Dress%20Code%20HS%2021-22.pdf​

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/23/us/nail-polish-texas-school-gender-neutral-trnd/index.html