Tuskegee ban isn’t about bonnets or durags. It’s about this…

This is an opinion column.

It is not really about the durags, brothers. It is not about the bonnets, sisters. It is not about those pajamas or those comfortable slippers that should never leave the house.

Tuskegee University recently implemented a ban on wearing these items in classrooms and the cafeteria. While some might view this as a debate over comfort, the decision is actually about one thing: standards.

Setting the Bar

The issue centers on the proverbial bar—the level of expectations we set for ourselves and those around us. It is about demanding that the students Tuskegee serves present themselves in a way that reflects their aspirations. As Tuskegee President Mark A. Brown revealed last week, this dress code update is designed to provide students with a solid foundation for their future careers.

Some might argue that clothes are just clothes, but how we carry ourselves matters. Whether it was the previous generation donning uniforms for labor-intensive jobs while maintaining personal pride, or today's students navigating a modern workforce, the lesson remains the same. Professionalism and identity are not defined by a uniform, but by the standards we hold for ourselves.

A Call for Excellence

In sports, winning teams understand that success is built on small habits. You practice how you play. The same logic applies to life: how you present yourself outside the home is a reflection of your discipline.

Tuskegee students are still learning, and they may occasionally miss the mark. However, we must be careful. Tolerating less of ourselves—including how we dress on a historic campus—can lead to accepting less of ourselves in other areas of life.

At a time when our history and culture face significant challenges, we cannot afford to settle. We must continue to push ourselves to be more, to aim higher, and to uphold the standard that defines us.