Killeen ISD students hope to achieve a more unconfined & expressive dress code. 

The current dress code restrains and inconveniences students on a daily basis. Particular restrictions target students based on gender. Such as the restriction against leggings, yoga pants, and visible midriff (these target mainly FEMALE students). We also have the restriction that explicitly exempts MALE students from wearing tank tops.

There are no valid or viable reasons for students having these restrictions except for the uncontrollable features of their bodies.

Furthermore, this dress code is not equally enforced on students. ( ie. A curvier student would be far more likely to get dress coded for wearing leggings than a thinner student would.) A dress code should not be something that discriminations against and makes students uncomfortable with/for their bodies.

Teenagers should not be deemed a distraction or crucified for their bodies. Things like midriff, shoulders & exposed upper thigh are not valid “distractions”. These things cannot only ruin a students body image but also waste valuable learning time. Nor can these things be validated without the covert sexualization of teenage students. The dress code seems to reflect the TEACHERS and adults comfortability with what students are wearing, rather than the STUDENTS comfortability themselves. The real distractions and interruptions of learning, are the multiple circumstances in which students have to pause their education to go to the AP’s office. The multiple circumstances in which students have to step out of class due to what they felt comfortable wearing to school that day. 

School is a place we all come to hoping for the opportunity to learn, socialize and express ourselves. However, this dress code is placing an uncomfortable and confining bind on students.

So, we are seeking counsel from the KISD board members to review and revise this dress code with assistance and input from KISD students. We hope to have our voices listened to, valued, and considered during this occurrence. With the help of board members JoAnn Purser, Susan Jones, Brett Williams, Shelley Wells, Corbett Lawler, Marvin Rainwater, & Cullen Mills, we hope to come to a compromise that will appease students and board members.