In 2005, West High reimplemented a standardized uniform policy that some students had experienced before due to increased gang violence from T-Shirts and other clothing items. Students at the time, tired of the uniforms and unjust actions from the Administration organized a sit in. During one class students would meet in the cafeteria and wouldn’t leave to send a message and voice their thoughts to Administrators.
Gary Bohannon, a Senior at West High at this time participated in this protest.
“Pretty much I think they wanted to express their freedom not of speech but just their freedom to wear what they want to wear. Students were going to keep it tasteful. But students just wanted to wear what they want to wear and just show their character, which you can’t show wearing a standardized uniform while attending school, so and some students were just wanting to know like they wanted to wear certain stuff to be comfortable in…”. Bohannon said when asked about student initial reactions to the re-implementation of this uniform policy.
After the students had this sit in, they got the attention of Administrators and eventually the uniform policy was removed. “…students were ecstatic, ust being able to have a voice and opinion even though were like 14 to 18 years old. Students, were just showing others that its okay to stand up for yourself and what you want to believe in. And the worst they can say is no, so that was like our main goal was just voicing our opinion…”. Bohannon stated.
This event boosted the morale of students and parents of students at the time, and brought them all closer together as a community in school and outside. “It affected the community inside the school it boosted the moral with what they wanted to wear and like outside of the community because it boosted the morale because a lot of parents did not want their students having standardized uniforms some of them did, it really brought the community together inside and outside of the school”. Said Bohannon about the community of West High after the sit in.