Tuskegee president Dr. Mark Brown explains university’s viral bonnet and durag dress code policy

After backlash over new dress code, Tuskegee University’s president says the policy is focused on “student success” and workforce preperation.

Last month, social media timelines exploded with discourse after Tuskegee University announced new expectations governing student attire, attendance, and cellphone use ahead of the upcoming academic year. The Alabama HBCU’s new policy was shared in a message addressed to parents of incoming students, explaining that students are prohibited from wearing revealing clothing, bedroom shoes, bonnets, and durags in classrooms and the university cafeteria. 

“The goal here is not meant to restrict students from enjoying the Tuskegee Experience, but to prepare them with a solid foundation for the workforce they will enter once they leave Tuskegee,” Brown wrote in the announcement.  

The policy sparked waves of debate across social media as users questioned its fairness and the role of respectability politics. And recently, Dr. Brown doubled down on the university’s rationale for the new rule during an HBCU panel discussion on Martha’s Vineyard. 

“We know that our children are brilliant,” he said in a video posted by Giselle Phelps. “We know that, we know that we’ve invested in them, but they need to show up on day one ready for any space. Not just the space that they think is relegated to us, but professionally and ready to go in any space.” 

He continued: “That is a part of, in my opinion, HBCU culture, but I think we need to remind our children that they can practice that in college and show up and be ready on day one. So that’s exactly what that policy involved. They say dress code, [but] the word is student success. It’s about how you manage your students’ success.” 

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And just as social media users were divided at the height of the discourse a few weeks ago, they were equally as divided under the post. 

“I don’t get the continued controversy. If you don’t agree with the policy, don’t go to Tuskegee, period! He’s right at the end of the day,” one user responded. 

Meanwhile, another noted, “Still calling bulls—t. If you know they’re brilliant then you should know that they can get dressed when the time calls for it. Let the respectability politics go!!” 

Regardless of whether the HBCU’s policy was approved by the court of public opinion, it will reportedly take effect for students this fall.