A Texas middle school has sparked controversy after it made a change to their dress code policy ahead of the new school year. Students who attend  H.E. Charles Middle School, which is part of the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD), will not be allowed to wear all-black clothing starting this school year. According to a letter sent to parents by the school’s principal, Nick DeSantis, the color black is “associated with depression and mental health issues,” as well as “criminality.” Norma De La Rosa, the president of El Paso Teachers Association explained their reasoning for the new policy. “What they are not allowing for students to wear clothing that is black from top to bottom,” said De La Rosa. “They can wear black shorts to go to PE. And they can wear it on free dress day, but they just cannot wear it from top to bottom.”

According to the student handbook that is published on their website, the school’s dress code last year said students could wear solid polo shirts in the school colors of green, gray and black, and black or khaki approved bottoms, with blue jeans allowed on certain days. One parent spoke with a local news outlet, KFOX, saying “We already bought the black pants, so we have to buy again, the pants. They should ask. They [should] do like a ‘Hey, what do you think?’ Like, ‘We’re thinking about it!’” Another parent said, “The color of clothing has nothing to do with your ability to do anything or feel any emotion.” Many people argue that this rule could be unfair for students who may not be able to afford different clothing. Charles Middle School has a student population of around 600, where 87 percent of them are considered “economically disadvantaged.”

The school district’s superintendent, Diana Sayavedra, said “We see this as a valuable opportunity to foster a healthy engagement with the community in an effort to land on the values we share about safety and the success of students. We are committed to continuing this dialogue to strengthen our collaboration.”