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School's Dress Code Policy For Parents Wearing Bonnets and Headscarves Is Being Criticized For Discrimination
27 April 2019
Click2Houston // @bajanpatrick/Twitter
James Madison High School, a public school of about 1,600 students in Houston, Texas has come under fire after the mother of a high school student claimed she could not register her daughter for class because of what she, the mother, was wearing.
<p><strong>The school notified parents of these policy changes in a letter dated April 9, which, as <em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/us/school-dress-code-madison-high-school.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a></em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/us/school-dress-code-madison-high-school.html"></a> pointed out, prohibits:</strong></p><blockquote><em>...revealing and sagging clothing for all people visiting the school, as well as pajamas, hair rollers and satin caps and bonnets, which are often worn by black women to protect their hair.</em></blockquote><p><strong>That notice came just a day after Joselyn Lewis arrived at the school to enroll her daughter while wearing a T-shirt dress of Marilyn Monroe and a <a href="https://amzn.to/2IMLYRf" target="_blank">head scarf</a>. </strong></p><p><strong>Lewis <a href="https://www.click2houston.com/news/mother-claims-she-wasnt-allowed-to-enroll-daughter-in-school-due-to-outfit" target="_blank">says</a> an administrator would not allow her on the property:</strong></p><blockquote><em>"She went on to say that she still couldn't let me on the premises because I was not in dress code and I still didn't understand what that meant. </em><em>She said that my head scarf was out of dress code and my dress was too short."</em></blockquote><p><strong>Lewis said she un-enrolled her 15-year-old daughter from Lamar High School due to bullying and intended to enroll her at Madison the day of the incident, which occurred shortly after she decided to not to wear her hair out because she was having it done:</strong></p><p><div id="insticator-container" class="embedid-c230ccfe-b34e-4c23-8bb0-aaf80e33dfdf"><div id="div-insticator-ad-1"></div><div id="insticator-embed"></div><div id="div-insticator-ad-2"></div><script data-cfasync="false" type="text/javascript">Insticator.ad.loadAd("div-insticator-ad-1");Insticator.ad.loadAd("div-insticator-ad-2");Insticator.load("em",{id : "c230ccfe-b34e-4c23-8bb0-aaf80e33dfdf"})</script></div></p><blockquote><em>"When I went to Lamar, I had no problems, but when I got to Madison High School, they refused me access to the premises because of what I had on. I mean, I didn't understand why my headscarf and my dress would conflict with me enrolling someone in school."<br></em></blockquote><blockquote><em>"I'm not saying that it's a part of my religion, but it could have been, but I just wanted to have it up. Who are you to say that I can't wear my hair up? In a scarf? Who are you to tell me how to dress?"</em></blockquote><p><strong>Adding to the controversy? </strong></p><p><strong>When Lewis asked to see the dress code, the administrator could not provide it. </strong></p><p><strong>The school even called the police department:</strong></p><p><div data-conversation-spotlight=""></div></p><blockquote><em>"I wanted to see proof of where it says parents can come dressed a certain way, but it wouldn't show me that. I wouldn't leave, so they called the police department. They called them on me and I guess he was coming to tell me to leave, but I was already on the phone with the school board."</em></blockquote><p><strong>As far as Lewis is concerned, the policy should not have a bearing over her daughter's education:</strong></p><blockquote><strong></strong><em>I can wear what I want to wear. I don't have to get all dolled up to enroll her to school. My child's education, anyone's child's education should be more important than what someone has on, that shouldn't matter."</em></blockquote><p><strong>Here's a copy of the dress code issued the day <em>after</em> Lewis was barred from enrolling her daughter in school:</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQyNzMxNy9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3Njk4MzgwNX0.pI2O-kM-S2MllDAfW-_5ld34hqAgNGzFLVuFJww7xqI/img.png?width=980" id="db8ad" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fcffce9eef902e245b3ae12ae9f2a3e2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit..."><a href="https://www.houstonisd.org//cms/lib2/TX01001591/Centricity/Domain/22431/Dress%20Code.pdf" target="_blank">houstonisd.org</a></small></p><p><strong>Lewis's story has already sparked a backlash against the school online.</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="b01e2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="DEKTIC1556563063"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1121145824375988228" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The dress code for parents as James Madison High is funny (in a bad way). The school is consistently at or near the… https://t.co/zOwLMmcFtT</div> — flesh-colored (@flesh-colored)<a href="https://twitter.com/haitreason/statuses/1121145824375988228">1556136969.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="07c94" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="NP9MT31556563063"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1121061553292349440" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">All you need is your id and proof that you are the parents. No one has to meet some fake dress code to please a pri… https://t.co/GZ7r4V0BJL</div> — ProfB (@ProfB)<a href="https://twitter.com/AntheaButler/statuses/1121061553292349440">1556116877.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="bba07" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4F3C041556563063"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1121108496945221633" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@EBONYMag Lawd have mercy! Look, I don’t like seeing people out and about with their caps on. But who is it hurting… https://t.co/RpqrHcUtgR</div> — Felicia Renee (@Felicia Renee)<a href="https://twitter.com/1superflysista/statuses/1121108496945221633">1556128069.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="70aad" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="R14Q6Y1556563063"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1121181759654309888" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@EBONYMag They are fighting the wrong war. It is excessive. Damn the mom was bringing the child to enroll.</div> — Renee Ferguson (@Renee Ferguson)<a href="https://twitter.com/ReeAnders/statuses/1121181759654309888">1556145536.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="80f86" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="39ZEZM1556563063"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1121403444600942592" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@EBONYMag The principal put her personal taste over the kids' welfare. It has nothing 2 do w/ education, it's disru… https://t.co/1NsbIaVJzw</div> — 1DayBetter (@1DayBetter)<a href="https://twitter.com/tontonlove/statuses/1121403444600942592">1556198390.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><strong>Some agree with the policy, though.</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="8e3ca" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5PNHG71556563063"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1121179540490018821" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@EBONYMag Have pride in your self I would never go out the house like that that’s what u ware when cleaning the house</div> — Debra Copes (@Debra Copes)<a href="https://twitter.com/Highroller54/statuses/1121179540490018821">1556145007.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="aa87b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="UXZC1P1556563064"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1121519247853748225" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@EBONYMag I stand proudly with this Principle’s decision!! Bravo!</div> — caribe (@caribe)<a href="https://twitter.com/caribematx/statuses/1121519247853748225">1556226000.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><p><strong>Zeph Capo, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers, told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/24/us/houston-high-school-dress-code-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> the policy "seems a little classist":</strong></p><blockquote><em>"Having body parts exposed is one thing. Turning someone away because their hair's in rollers ... is a little ridiculous. This is an issue of a principal issuing a dictatorial edict rather than having substantive conversation."</em></blockquote><p>James Madison High School has not responded to requests for comment.</p>
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