As the weather turns colder, many students enjoy wearing pajama pants to school. Students often wear plaid pajama pants and those featuring other wintery designs as we begin to get in the festive holiday spirit. On chilly days, pajama pants are a fun, comfortable alternative to wearing sweatpants for lots of students.

Recently Mrs. Brill and the front office have been strictly banning students from wearing pajama pants to school. Every morning on the announcements, they remind students that pajama pants are not allowed. The front office has stated that this rule has been in the dress code for years. This is true, as the Fauquier County Public Schools Student Code of Conduct states that pajamas and other sleepwear are considered “unacceptable dress”. Despite this, the rule had rarely been enforced. I am a junior at Kettle Run, and I recall students, including myself, wearing pajama pants throughout the past two years with no repercussions. 

As a student, I personally do not see the issue with wearing pajama pants to school. So long as it’s not a full pajama set, onesie, bathrobe, or nightgown, and the pants/shorts don’t break any other aspect of the dress code, then it should be allowed. Furthermore, pajama pants are just the same as wearing sweatpants to school. They’re made out of similar materials and allow students to be comfortable and warm. If the dress code was put in place to teach kids appropriate formal wear, then you would think sweatpants would be banned as well. 

Some teachers claim pajama pants create a bad environment that fosters laziness in the classroom. I feel that is unfair, because a teacher can’t judge how well a student will do in class each day just based on their outfit choice. As a student, some days I feel low energy at school and “lazy”. It doesn’t matter what clothes I’m wearing, but sometimes I’m just tired from everything else I have going on besides school. I know firsthand that this happens with most students. An outfit doesn’t define how you act. 

Junior, Santiago Chavarria, said, “I don’t really understand why they would ban them. It doesn’t make sense, because if they say kids act lazy when they wear pajama pants, then they would ban sweatpants too.” Most students I talked to shared this opinion and not one agreed with the ban, even if they personally wouldn’t wear pajama pants to school. 

I think pajama pants are such a small issue and the last thing the school should be worried about. Allowing students to be comfortable and express themselves is something Kettle Run should be encouraging. Considering we have to be at school eight hours a day, 5 days a week, comfortable clothing shouldn’t be frowned upon. Free the pajama pants!