Texas student suspended for wearing nail polish

Sam Vance - Sophomore | News

Trevor Wilkinson, an openly gay teenager at Clyde High School in West Texas, was given in-school suspension for wearing nail polish on November 30.

Wilkinson said he had received the suspension after having his nails painted over Thanksgiving break and was stopped by high school staff the following Monday. In response, he went home and created a Change.org petition that demanded men be allowed to wear nail polish and, at press time, has garnered approximately 250,000 signatures.

Wilkinson views the dress code -- which allows women to paint their nails -- as discriminatory, sexist, and a violation of freedom of expression.

“I have been doing this to express who I am,” Wilkinson said. “I love my nails… I’m definitely using it to express myself and feel everyone should have that freedom of expression.”

District Superintendent Kenny Berry did not comment on the incident with Wilkinson and instead delivered a prepared statement.

"The district conducts a diligent and thoughtful review of the dress code on an annual basis. That review process results in the development of a final dress code that is consistently implemented and enforced during the next school year," said Berry. "Questions or concerns with the dress code are reviewed individually, and the district cannot share any information regarding a specific student.”