*H.E. Charles Middle School in El Paso ISD has banned students from wearing all-black clothing.
The principal cited concerns that all-black attire is linked to mental health issues. EPISD officials explained that the decision was made in response to safety concerns raised by parents and teachers, KVIA ABC 7 reports.
“I understand that it is a concern, but keep in mind that students safety is our number one priority, and so anytime, there are concerns that are brought forward about student safety it’s important for us to take those seriously,” EPISD Executive Principal, Sarah Venegas, told ABC-7.
The school permitted black pants last year but now only khaki pants and blue jeans will be allowed.
“Wearing your uniform is a part of the school rules, at every campus, if their in uniform violations it can be a disciplinary infraction but that is up to every administrator,” Venegas said.
Some parents tell ABC-7 they have mixed feelings about the change.
Mental health expert Krista Wingate weighed in on the discussion about whether children’s clothing choices are linked to their mental well-being.
“I think there’s so much more that can be considered when were thinking about mental health struggles and challenges with adolescents and young children,” she said.
“I think they should be looking out for different signs of stress or different signs of anxiety,” Wingate added.
“A lot of times students will feel pressure. They may have difficulty because they have a change in their routine, so they might feel overwhelmed with shifting from the summer months, going back into school, and needing to organize themselves for assignments and different tasks that have to be completed academically,” she explained.
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