In the spring of '05, the Athens (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) adopted a standardized dress code policy one step removed from a full-fledged uniform requirement. Many residents continue to consider the policy to be oppressive, arbitrary, capricious, and, in a nutshell, backward.

Moreover, the policy contains sections which would in all probability be determined to be in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 if attempted to be introduced into the private sector. The following three sections seem particularly suspect:

1) Knee length walking shorts are acceptable for male students. [Why aren't walking shorts acceptable for females?]

2) Boys may not wear earrings. Girls may wear earrings in ears only. [Why aren't earrings permissible for males?]

3) Boy's hair length may not extend below the eyebrows, below the bottom of the earlobe, or the base of the neck. [Why is a strictly personal matter such as hair length specified at all, much less for males and not for females?]

The AISD has presented absolutely no evidence that females wearing walking shorts or males wearing earrings or long hair is disruptive to the learning environment. It's one thing to be conservative, but quite another to cling to views which are both antequated and sexist.

The Houston Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union was contacted regarding these sections but declined to get involved at this time (see Message #1).

This Yahoo Group is intended to serve as a site where parents, students, citizens of Athens, and even civil libertarians outside of Athens who oppose this standardized dress code can organize to both protest and attempt to overturn this ill-advised policy. Potential strategies and plans of action can be introduced, considered, and debated.

Only one thing is certain -- if we do nothing, nothing will change. At an absolute minimum, we can let the AISD know the community is not in lockstep with its poorly conceived dress code policy.