After a recent controversy at Tomball Memorial over the cutting of a student’s hair, AP’s and teachers have taken much more of a notice to dress code. Grooming and clothing standards are enforced more often. Ironically enough, Will Anderson, who won “best hair” in the senior superlative, was asked to get a haircut.

Dress code has long been a source of teenage angst, and increasing enforcement has not helped that. About one in five letters to the editor have been about dress code, and not a single one of them had a positive thing to say about the restrictions the school has in place.

Often times, students complain that dress code is antiquated, and that facial hair and yoga pants in no way affect their ability to learn. But impeding education is only half the reason the dress code is in place.

According to the superintendent, Huey Kinchen, part of the reason the dress code exists is to prepare students for the real world. According to Gallup, 43% of workers who are not self employed are required to dress in some kind of specific fashion.

Though some argue that the school does not have the responsibility to teach “life lessons,” and should instead be focused solely on education.

“We have a lot of things we teach that falls under the definition of ‘education’. Bullying, sexual harassment, dating violence. All required by state law,” Kinchen said. “We have a legal right to require a dress code, it’s been run through the court system before.”

Though the argument has also been made that the dress code is not meant for long hair on guys or athletic shorts, but items that might actually pose a problem for education, of which there are plenty.

For example, if someone were to come to school with items displaying blatant ideological symbols that would be offence to students, such as a swastika or confederate flag, then it would be removed as it could disrupt the learning environment.

Though dress code, as Kinchen says, reflects the “Community standards.” Tomball is one of the most conservative schools in the area in terms of dress code, and the administrators realize this and have a committee forming at the end of the year.

“Are we going to change it? I can’t answer that because I’m not the guy that makes that decision. Now ultimately though, through the campus administrators… we will make a decision. But it’s not something we will just glaze over this year,” Kinchen said.