Forney ISD bans hoodies, dresses for older students in updated dress code

Forney ISD has banned all hooded clothing across its 18 schools along with dresses and skirts among its older students.

The district, located about 25 miles east of Dallas, will also prohibit t-shirts and denim pants, among other specifications for next school year. Skirts can only be worn by students in prekindergarten through fourth grade.

The dress code updates are part of the district’s push to impart “workforce skills” for the students’ future, FISD Superintendent Justin Terry said in a video. But some students are already pushing back against the new guidelines.

The district currently has about 15,000 students enrolled, spokesperson Kristin Zastoupil said.

In the video, Terry said officials were excited to “reset this bar” with the help of parents, community members and others “as we work together to take our schools, our classrooms, back for the future of our kids to have a safe, enjoyable and exciting learning environment.”

A petition created this week against the dress code has already garnered more than 3,400 signatures, asking people to “join the fight against these unfair policies.”

“I feel all female students are being denied the freedom to dress as young ladies,” one petitioner wrote.

In the same district video announcing the changes, a young student shares how she wants to be a teacher when she grows up.

“Every profession has a dress code, whether it’s scrubs, a welding helmet or a chef’s apron,” the girl said. “The way I dress plays an important role in professionalism and safety, both in the classroom and on the job site.”

Dress codes are implemented to “improve student self-esteem, bridge socio-economic differences among students, and promote positive behavior, thereby enhancing school safety and improving the learning environment,” according to the district’s website.

Students who don’t follow the dress code can face on-campus suspension for the remainder of the day, until the issue is corrected or until a parent or designated adult brings them an acceptable change of clothes to school.