Texas high school posts dress code for parents

A Texas high school is telling parents that they need to dress appropriately for school.

James Madison High School in Houston shared a letter on April 9 with parents stating they must set an example of what to wear in certain settings, including the school.

The letters listed several items that will not be permitted when visiting the school or on school property at all, including:

* No satin caps or bonnets. Also no shower caps.

* No hair rollers.

* No pajamas of any kind, including flannel pjs.

* No leggings that shows your behind.

* No low cut tops or revealing tops that show busts.

* No sagging pants, shorts, jeans. Also men wearing undershirts will not be permitted.

* No Daisy Dukes or low ride shorts.

The letter, signed by Carlotta Outley Brown, the school’s principal, said that parents are partners and children’s first teacher. She also stressed that “we have to have standards, most of all we must have high standards.”

But the Houston Chronicle reported that some parents were offended by the letter.

“I’m almost insulted,” one mother told the newspaper. “I really think it was discriminatory, the language that was used. It was demeaning. And I’m African American — and if it’s misty outside and I have a hair bonnet on, I don’t see how that’s anyone’s business.”

The president of the Houston Federation of Teachers called codes relating to women’s hair “classist,” “belittling” and “dismissive,” according to the paper.

The school shared the letter, the day after tv station KPRC reported that a mother claimed she could not register her daughter for class because of her outfit. The mother wore a T-shirt dress and a head scarf to enroll her daughter at the school, but said she was not allowed on school property, according to the station.

Another parent spoke to KTRK-TV and said that she had to rush to the school to get her child out of school due to the special circumstances. Because of the emergency she had to wear a satin cap, and school officials handed her a copy of the new parent dress code.

But one person, who shared the letter on Facebook page linked to the school, was happy with the dress code, “I haven’t been so proud of my old high school in DECADES! They made the national news for creating a dress code for parents and other visitors. Lord knows that neighborhood has it’s good folks and the extra raggedy, too. Go Madison Marlins!”