In El Paso Texas, a middle school has come under fire for a controversial dress code, forbidding students from wearing all-black attire from head to toe.
Charles Middle School made the announcement ahead of the school year, leading many parents and students alike to criticize the decision. According to CBS 11 News, this decision was made because school officials said it is “associated with depression and mental health issues,” in a statement made to the press.
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The president of the El Paso Teachers Association, Norma De La Rosa, spoke to USA Today and clarified that “Charles MS students wear a uniform and one of the school colors is black. They are allowed to wear black. The change was to not allow students to wear completely black from head to toe.”
“The intention is to ensure the physical and mental safety of their students and was initially initiated due to concerns observed by teachers at the end of the last school year,” she added.
No studies supporting the claim of all-black attire’s negative impact on mental health have been cited.
“I feel very comfortable with them wearing black. I’m wearing black right now,” said Sandra Meza, a former parent at the school.
What Mental Health Professionals + Studies Say
Mental health professional Krista Wingate of Emergence Health perfectly elucidates why it’s backward thinking, stating to KDBC El Paso, “I would say that mental health and depression they don’t have colors. They don’t have outfits. They have other signs are really important to look for.”
It’s been well-documented that personal expression in clothing for young people is extremely beneficial. Peer-reviewed study Humanistic Practice in Education in a Postmodern Age dives into the psychological benefits of perception in young people through clothing, making them feel good about themselves and reducing anxiety.
History Repeats Itself?
Of course, this isn’t the first time a school has banned students from wearing clothes deemed to be “too negative.”
In the late ’90s, a Michigan high school banned a student for wearing a Korn shirt to class. Korn quickly responded, teaming up with a radio station to distribute T-shirts to students, and filed a cease-and-desist order against the school system for making defamatory statements about the band.
Hopefully, students and parents make a similar stand in El Paso.
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Gallery Credit: Joe DiVita