BISD approves new dress code
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

Nathan Straus Photo Steve McGee, a BJHS 7th grader, enjoys lunch while in a pair of shorts, a BJHS first.

The Brownsboro Independent School District unanimously approved a dress code revision Tuesday, August 28, for students in grades 7-12. The change will allow all students to wear knee-high shorts rather than long pants, though female's skirts are now required to be knee-length.

Elton Caldwell, BISD superintendent, said the idea for the revision was brought to him by the principals of the schools.

"They thought it was something that needed to be done," Caldwell stated.

The code change will allow secondary school students to wear walking-style shorts, a change never before enacted in the history of Brownsboro ISD, Caldwell said. Walking-style shorts are the only shorts allowed, regardless of the length of other styles.

Yolanda Larkin, principal of the Brownsboro Junior High School, said she thinks the revision will be a boost to student morale.

"I think it'll help with the attitudes at school," Larkin said.

Kenneth Wooten, principal of the Senior High School, said the students know about the change and have been told about it several times thus far.

"Word got around pretty quick once we started telling them," Wooten said.

Wooten also said the revision will have been in effect starting Tuesday, Sept. 4.

"I think it'll be a positive effect, and it will make things less distracting, " Wooten added Thursday, August 30.

While male students were never before allowed to wear walking shorts, female's skirts could be several inches above the knee, Wooten remarked.

Caldwell said a prohibition against shorts of any kind has been in place since the school was built.

"It's been this way for all my 18 years and back farther," Caldwell said.

Caldwell also said the revision was a bit of a trade off, but some of the skirts had just become hard to regulate. The principal added that the revision would help parents.

"Walking shorts meets everybody's criteria," Caldwell commented.

Principal Larkin elaborated on the reasoning behind the revision.

"With the warm weather and how hot it's been," Larkin began, "that's all been taken into consideration. "

Wooten simply said it was the right time, but added nothing is absolutely permanent

"If we're having more problems than we've had before the code change then we'll adjust," Wooten said.

Steve McGee, a seventh grader at the Brownsboro Junior High School, said Tuesday, Sept. 4 he liked the new dress code.

"It's better. I like being able to wear shorts," McGee said.

Rachel Pate, also a seventh grader, expressed her satisfaction with the revision as well.

"It's flippin' awesome," Pate said. "It's cool because it's summer and we don't have to wear pants."

Pate's seventh grade friends Abbi Parker and Britney Willard agreed.

"It's awesome!" they both exclaimed.