Dress to Express

Students would like to express themselves with jewelry and facial hair during the new year at Deer Park High School. The school year has still barely sprung into action and students have already gotten in their school routines. To prepare for the new year of learning many students go shopping for new outfits and accessories they want to express themselves with when attending school. Walking into the school doors students have noticed that they can’t fully express themselves in all the ways they’d like. The school dress code allows students to express themselves while also keeping students looking appropriate for a professional environment. The dress code policy at Deer Park High School allows a variety of options for students to show up and boost their confidence, but it doesn’t have options for everyone. Female and male students have come into conflicts with the dress code policy.

One accessory that isn’t allowed at school are nose piercings and this mainly impacts our female students. The female students use nose rings for many reasons, such as it being an addition for their outfits, boosting confidence for themselves from insecurities, or just style preferences. Whatever the reason these students don’t feel like they can fully express themselves because the dress code prevents this.

“ I like having my nose piercing and it’s an accessory to my outfits.,” Emmalee Baldwin, Sophomore, said.

Speaking for most of the female student body in our school you can see that a nose ring can be a detail to outfits and a way to express themselves. Students use their nose rings to feel good about themselves and make their self esteem very good and high.People use things such as nose rings to make their insecurities go away for them and the dress code shouldn’t be blocking them from doing that.

“Some people are insecure about their face, but it could also be a step to being comfortable.” Alona Starns, Sophomore, said.

Male students have come into problems with dress code as well. Male students attending Deer Park High School have noticed that they aren’t allowed to have their ear piercings in and have facial hair. Male students find it quite unfair that they aren’t allowed to have earrings while attending school because they would like to wear their earrings, and if females can wear earrings why can’t the males. Most students have had to deal with their ears bleeding from taking out earrings and their ears getting irritated. This is a very uncomfortable thing for students and can bother them during school because of the issues they’re having with their ears. The male half of the student body would appreciate it more if they were allowed to wear their earrings at school and not have to deal with closing holes and bleeding ears. And as for facial hair male students also find it unnecessary that boys have to shave to be able to show up to school. These students most likely have shave their facial hair just to shave again in about a weeks time period. Also the schools budget goes towards buying razors and shaving cream. The school can most likely save the money if they didn’t have to buy these materials. As long as the facial hair is kept nicely groomed and non-excessive it should be considered being allowed for male students at school. Facial hair can also most likely be a growing factor for a male student and make them feel like they are becoming a man. And shaving and not having facial hair present can make them feel uncomfortable.

“It’s like a part of them that makes them feel like a man.” Alberto Vazquez, another concerned student said.

A majority of these students can all trace their concerns back to the same problem which is being insecure without their choice of fashion and even having a lower self-esteem when not having their piercings or facial hair. Most students have even admitted to trying to avoid assistant principals so that way they are able to wear their piercings in class and during school and are more comfortable. Students shouldn’t have to feel afraid of being face to face with any administrators at the school because they should be able to go to them for anything they need. They should not have to worry about being seen with a piercing or facial hair and have an assistant principal worried about their small jewelry and facial hair more than a student having a really important situation to deal with.

“ I try to avoid [Assistant Principals], I’d rather come to school to worry about my education and not AP’s telling me to take out my nose ring.,” Baldwin, said.

Students have already started to take action for more freedom of expression at our school. One student started a petition titled “Allow nose and ear piercings for male and females in Deer Park Texas School.,” as of right now the petition has one thousand and twenty nine students and even parent signatures signing for a change for the students at Deer Park High School. Another petition has been made for the facial hair issue titled “Allow boys at Deer Park High School to grow out facial hair.,” with two hundred and sixty nine signatures male students have signed to get this rule fixed.  It’s also a large amount of people for the school to be able to notice how many people would like to see the change happen.

Students have many ways they can express themselves and feel confident and comfortable at school, wether it’s make up, colored hair, earrings, nose rings, or facial hair students still realize that school is meant and expected to be a professional environment. There might be some limitations to how the piercing rule could work if it was to change such as not having jurassic amount of piercings and having a well groomed facial hair look, but hopefully the administration can find a compromise with the student body and allow students to start feeling more comfortable at school.