ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Dress codes are nothing new to school districts. The policies have been around for years, such as not wearing ripped jeans or facial piercings. As the years go by, the rules change or are updated to fit modern times.

Wylie Independent School District father Chance Ferguson and his high school senior son Caden recently went to the district board meeting to address some concerns surrounding the dress code. After Caden was told to shave his facial hair, he refused because he has seen other students at Wylie High School who are able to bend the dress code rules. Ferguson told board members he doesn’t see why facial hair is a distraction in the classroom.

“I just don’t understand what is disruptive about his appearance,” said Ferguson.

The Wylie student handbook clearly states no facial hair is permitted on male students or they will face disciplinary action, but Caden said he feels discriminated against because he has seen other students bend the dress code rules and express themselves as they wish.

“There are several students at Wylie high school with red hair, green hair, yellow hair, all sorts of colors and no one gets in trouble for it,” shared Caden.

The Wylie senior said he understands facial hair is against the dress code but wants to be able to express himself as God intended him to be and look like.

“But what I’m asking is for them to be able to change the rules and not discriminate between two groups of people who want to express themselves,” Caden expressed.

Ferguson said although there is no rule against it in the handbook, he wonders why other boys can wear makeup to class or use certain clothing to present themselves but doesn’t understand why his son can’t do the same with facial hair.

“If you’re going to allow a male student to not look like a male student, why are you not allowing male students to look like a male student? So basically, we have students that can alter their appearance by adding something… They’re wanting my son to alter his appearance by taking away something God designed in his DNA to be,” Ferguson added.

He also added that his son doesn’t plan on shaving anytime soon.

“He’s not going to shave, I mean we believe in this adamantly enough, he is not going to shave,” said Chance.

Wylie ISD shared this statement with KTAB/KRBC in response to the facial hair policy:

“The Wylie ISD dress code is reviewed and established annually before the upcoming school year. Administrators and WISD School Board Members hear the concerns about our facial hair policy and will review and discuss this policy as well as all of our student handbook policies this summer.”

In addition, Wylie ISD does not have student handbook policies regarding makeup or painted nails.

The Fergusons said they aren’t asking for the district to punish all students breaking the dress code, but to address their concerns about the facial hair policy sooner rather than later. Ferguson said although his son graduates this year, this policy is something that impacts current and incoming students to Wylie High School. Ferguson said the rule needs to change to abide by this current day and age.