Us students at North Dallas High School, in Dallas, TX,  believe we should have more freedom in what we wear to school.

I’m a student with a high/average GPA, and I love fashion. What I wear doesn’t affect how I perform in school, and it doesn’t affect how others do either. Banning t-shirts, hoodies, or other basic clothing doesn’t help students learn better. It just makes things harder, especially for those who can’t afford expensive or specific dress code items.

We understand that we can’t wear graphics that would represent our school in a violent/ malicious manner. Even having skirts finger length tip is understandable, and ski-masks for being able to identify students.

However, many students can only afford simple t-shirts. If the school won’t provide free polo shirts to everyone, then banning t-shirts is unfair. It feels like students are being punished for what they can or can’t afford.

We also want to point out that students who aren’t in the P-TECH program have asked for polos too, but haven’t been given the same support. Every student deserves to be acknowledged and treated equally, not just P-TECH students.

Instead of focusing on strict dress codes, our schools should put more energy into things that actually help us:

-More clubs
-Programs to raise test scores
-Mental health support
-Real resources for students who need help

School should be about learning and growing, not about policing what we wear.

We’re asking our new principal, and Dallas ISD to rethink these rules and give all students a fair chance to be comfortable, express themselves, and focus on what really matters; education.

Please sign this petition if you agree.