Graduating high school seniors must abide by certain standards set in place by Mansfield ISD that limit regalia able to be worn while walking the stage, such as stoles, cords and medals. Allowed regalia must align with the district’s Vision 2030, demonstrate academic or civil merit and represent a consistent and sustainable organization on campus. The MISD Cabinet and Regalia Committee review requests made by campus representatives and decide what regalia to approve. The Committee should approve a broader range of regalia.

Currently, the approved regalia includes Valedictorian and Salutatorian stoles, Top 20 sashes, GPA honor cords, National Honor Society stoles, Associate’s Degree regalia and UIL state championship medals from senior year only. As of this year, the Committee approved Military Stoles for students who have committed to military service post-graduation. While these all exhibit academic and competitive honors, it excludes other important achievements students may have worked hard for. Additionally, the permitted regalia includes mainly academic honors like GPA recognition and rank. While these highlight the importance of academics, it places too much emphasis on grades over other critical parts of the high school experience that affect not only the students, but the district as well. Research shows that participation in extracurriculars and sports results in increased academic performance and college enrollment along with boosting attendance rates. These things all reflect well on the district, and representing a school’s high achievements in those activities through cords and medals display the school’s well-rounded catalog of offered activities and accomplishments. Allowing more regalia to be worn will not only benefit the students, but will boost audience opinion of the district.

Even national chapters, such as the Science National Honor Society, provide cords for graduating members, but they cannot be worn at graduation. UIL medals won prior to senior year don’t make the cut either. Students dedicate years of high school to these organizations and competitions, making it unfair to discard those years and accomplishments when the restricted cords and medals hold comparable value to approved regalia. Extracurricular activities including sports and arts prove crucial to a student’s holistic development, shaping social and emotional skills and enriching the high school experience. Participation in extracurriculars that result in state medals from any year and other notable achievements should be celebrated as they represent a student’s dedication, growth and pride in all of their high school years.

Opponents of expanding the graduation dress code argue that allowing students to wear a broader range of regalia may lead to students wearing too many cords and medals and that the lack of regulation could result in unimportant regalia being worn on stage, which would not benefit the school. However, expanding regalia to include all state-won medals, nationally recognized organizations and other accomplishments on a larger scale would satisfy the desire for a less restrictive dress code while continuing to enforce regulations.

Students work hard for four years in not just academics, but in extracurricular activities that grow their social skills and school engagement. These achievements should be recognized as they walk across the stage at graduation, leaving high school behind.