Editorial: Pajama Pants Should Not Be Banned
Every year, Fairfax County Public Schools reviews and updates it’s SR&R (Student Rights and Responsibilities) and for the 2023-24 school year the school board is supposedly focusing on changes to several topics including dress code, harassment, substance abuse, and bullying.
According to Scott Gelman, reporting for WTOP News, the school board is proposing some controversial changes to the SR&R including one that would prohibit students from wearing pajama pants to class. Here at the Jagwire, we feel as though wearing pajama pants to school has an insignificant impact on learning.
As well as the banning of wearing pajama pants or any form of sleepwear, students would not be allowed to wear their hoodies up in school hallways or in classes if this proposal becomes the official dress code for next year.
According to the drafted dress code, students will only be able to wear pajamas or sleepwear on days that are a part of a Spirit Week or Pajama Day. The proposed changes don’t elaborate on what is considered sleepwear or pajamas and the current dress code doesn’t mention pajamas by name. The lack of elaboration leads one to wonder, what constitutes pajama pants? Baggy pants with loose fitting cloth? Plaid pants?
Michelle Boyd, Assistant Superintendent of Fairfax County said “If it’s clearly pajama bottoms, pajamas are prohibited, except for on Spirit Day.”
But what does this mean? If a student was to wear black pajamas with stripes and an Adidas logo on them, would they be considered pajama pants or loose-fitting track pants?
The current dress code says that those who don’t comply with the dress code have the potential to be removed from class or face disciplinary action.
A final decision will be made in May and we encourage Falls Church students to speak up against the issue and hopefully help the cause of not dress-coding pajama pants, a comfortable and affordable clothing option for students.
Our Mason District School Board Representative is Ricardy Anderson. Submit a question or comment to Representative Anderson here:
