Time and time again, policymakers have attempted to employ procedures and rules that inflict discipline and safety. With the US legislation, we have the power to overrule laws and bills that seemed a good idea at first but later crumbled when actually employed. This principle should also apply to local regulation as well. I and many others believe one such rule that is plaguing the schools of Forney, TX is the needless excessive enforcing of the dress code

To preface, it should be noted that the drawback of dress code is mainly intended for the high schools of Forney; however, this may be changed at the district's behest.

Dress code rose through the 90s and early 2000s and was spearheaded partly by Bill Clinton in a movement to reduce in-school crime and bullying. Although it was an impressive push, in between 2015 and 2016, only about 22% of districts nationally reported using dress codes. This shows that a large portion of districts don't even recognize the need for dress codes. Along with this, the following are several points that may sway the district to be more lenient with the regulation of dress code.

• A study performed in 2012 found that dress codes show no real increase in graduation rates or reduction in disciplinary infractions. This trend is common among studies on the effectiveness of dress codes (another research study found the same thing).
• Research of clothing industry costs found that parents end up spending more money on new uniforms annually than when dress codes aren't enforced.
• Before, uniforms were justified in one way with breaking down socioeconomic divides between students, but nowadays most clothing brands have a hand in the uniform industry. Nike, Under Armor, and Haggar all have vastly different costs (averagely $30-50) compared to places like Aeropostale, Gap, and Old Navy (averagely $5-24). (Under Armor Prices - Old Navy Prices)
• Many students report school uniforms harm their self esteem more than normal clothes. With standard clothing, a student may find clothes they find more fitting or comfortable to wear, but uniforms make students put up with overly formal pants and shirts made of material tougher than cow hide. It becomes especially useless when nowadays, bullying is based on how the student acts, speaks, and looks.
• Dress codes infractions most likely make up a large portion of disciplinary actions taken on students (students wearing joggers, sweatpants, shirts without collars, etc.) This hassle of badgering children in high school for what they wear every day other than school is asinine and counter-productive. Dress code is only a Band-Aid on real bullying and ostracizing. 
• Drawing back the dress code doesn't mean doing away with modesty. The dress code can be reformed to simply serve as a guideline (no inappropriate or offensive symbols, overly tight clothing, etc.) 
• One problem with dress codes is it denies freedom of expression and creativity which are both important parts of the development of a teenager. One study found that uniforms directly correspond with lowered creativity and individuality.
• A study in Australia found that uniforms discourage girls from taking part in various physical activities.
• A problem with many studies on school uniforms is that they rely on study of elementary schools and middle schools. It is understandable why there is positives with younger children because the district is enforcing discipline early on in the child's development. With enough conditioning, any behavior can be taught within a human. High schools are different because the ages (14-18 normally) are already far along in their development and are crafting out their identity. The school should work to promote that individuality instead of hampering it with redundant dress codes.
• Another problem with positive studies is they focus on inner city school districts where crime is more rampant and gang violence is an understandable thing to curb. Forney is a smaller scale town where the violent crime rate is roughly 4 times lower than the state average. Gang violence and crime within school is almost non-existent with the exception of drug problems (which have nothing to do with uniforms).
• The high school can be more efficient in the way they punish rule-breaking because less attention focused on dress code means more time focusing on bigger issues such as the rampant drug problem rising in Forney High School and around the nation.

In the end, students aren't complaining about dress codes for no reason. School uniforms are remnants of a bygone era where not much research was available for school districts to use. With the trend in the past couple years of the school district getting more lax with dress code, it only makes sense to put the final nail in the coffin and finally embrace a happier environment for students and staff alike.

We just want to be happy.