Taking a swipe at potential bullying, the Dallas School Board recently altered the district's dress code to accommodate overweight kids.
Reports the Dallas Observer, the board was concerned its policy requiring students tuck in their shirts didn't accomodate children who aren't slim enough to tuck them properly, thus opening them up to ridicule and bullying.
The paper quoted Board President Lew Blackburn, who explained the situation, using "healthiness" as a euphemism for being overweight:
Now, I am always one to say tuck in your shirts, but it was brought to my attention that if you are, uh healthy, tucking in your shirt shows your healthiness. ... For a middle-school student, it could be a self-esteem issue if they are made to tuck in their shirt, because if they wear it loose, their healthiness might not show as much.
DISDBlog, a website that covers the Dallas Independent School District, quoted another board member who seemed to agree with Blackburn and who used the term "fluffy" instead of "healthy." According to NBC local affiliate WOAI, none of the members used the term "fat" or "obese" in the discussion.
Nevertheless, tucked-shirt dress code appears to have been rarely enforced prior to the board's recent decision. In a segment produced by ABC affiliate WFAA, none of the students interviewed about the policy had their shirts tucked in, and none appeared to have any physical reason to leave them un-tucked.
"The tucked-in shirt makes the muffin top a little more accentuated,” student Ruth Blaker explained to the station. Added another student, Jake Whitten, "It’s embarrassing for some kids who are heavier-set."
What do you think? How should the school board have handled this issue? Tell us in the comments.