Southwest
Our children's clothes matter. Here's what science and religion teach us
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
In the past two weeks, a quintessentially local story became news around the world. The Charles Middle School in El Paso, Texas, banned all-black clothing for the coming school year because such attire “has become more associated with depression and mental health issues and/or criminality than with happy and healthy kids ready to learn.”
The response was fast and furious. Krista Wongate, the chief of child and adolescent services at El Paso’s Emergence Health Network said: “… mental health and depression, they don’t have colors. They don’t have outfits.”
Alex Lucero, a member of the community, objected as well. He said: “The color of clothing has nothing to do with your ability to do anything or feel any emotion.”
In recent years, a new discipline has emerged at universities across the world – fashion psychology. (iStock)
The response worked. The dress code was revoked.
LIMIT OF 3 HOURS OF WEEKLY SCREEN TIME FOR KIDS HAS ‘POSITIVE EFFECT’ ON BEHAVIOR, MENTAL HEALTH: STUDY
As is always the case with social, cultural, psychological and political questions, there is one book to consult for guidance – the Torah.
Let’s start with Genesis 28, perhaps the pivotal movement in the early history of the Jewish people. Rebecca has a few hours to prevent her husband, Isaac, from making a huge mistake, and giving the blessing of eternal Jewish leadership to their impulsive, unthoughtful and undisciplined son Esau.
She has an alternative: Esau’s twin, Jacob. If Rebecca can convince Isaac that Jacob is really Esau, her husband will – mistakenly but irrevocably – give the blessing to Jacob. The future of God’s project on earth is in her hands, at that moment.
The problem: Jacob, we are told, “dwelt in tents” – indicating that he spent his time studying, apart from the difficult doings of the world. He has never done anything like the trickery she needs him to perform. How can Rebecca get Jacob to immediately become like Esau. She has the solution. She tells Jacob to put on his brother’s “favorite clothes.”
FAITH AND RELIGION PROMOTE STRONG MENTAL HEALTH SO WHY, PRAY TELL, DO ATHEISTS RUN THE INDUSTRY?
Why Esau’s “favorite clothes”? Why, for that matter, Esau’s clothes at all? Isaac is blind, and would have no idea what Jacob was wearing. The clothes were not to deceive Isaac. They were to change Jacob. Rebecca knew that we become what we wear. Sure enough, the young man who “dwelt in tents” pulls the most important ruse of all time.
Moving from the first to the last book of the Torah – Deuteronomy – there is a speech from Moses about what the Jewish people will need to emphasize in order to be a free people in the Promised Land.
Moses, amplifying a law from Leviticus, commands: “You shall not wear wool and linen together.” The ancient rabbis interpreted this commandment so strictly that they ruled that one who finds himself in public wearing wool and linen should take off those clothes rather than continue!
Why is the commandment against mixing wool and linen so important? It relates to the Torah’s idea of separation. We sanctify things by separating them. For instance, we sanctify the Sabbath by separating it from all other days. We sanctify marriage, formally under the chuppah (the marriage canopy), by separating our wife from all other women. The prohibition on mixing wool and linen has us wear the concept of separation, so that it is always a part of who we are.
SPIKE IN TEEN DEPRESSION ALIGNS WITH RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, NEW POLL SUGGESTS: ‘IT’S NOT GOING ANYWHERE’
Is the guidance throughout the Torah that we become what we wear correct?
For Pittsburgh sports,1979 was a great year. The Steelers had won the Super Bowl and the Pirates had won the World Series. But there was a problem.
The Penguins had started the season by winning less than half of their games. They made one change that was entirely within their control. They changed their uniforms – from white and blue to black and gold. There was a result, but it did not show in the win-loss column. The Penguins, after they changed their uniforms, had a 50% increase in their number of penalties.
The Cornell University professors Thomas Gilovich and Mark Frank set out to determine if this was a fluke. It wasn’t. They examined the penalty data for the NFL and the NHL from 1970 to 1986. Of the 28 teams in the NFL, five wore black uniforms. These teams had the first, third, seventh, eighth, and 12th most penalties. Of the 23 teams in the NHL, five wore black uniforms. These teams had the first, second, third, sixth and 10th most penalties.
GENDER DYSPHORIA AND EATING DISORDERS HAVE SKYROCKETED SINCE PANDEMIC, REPORT REVEALS: ‘RIPPLE EFFECTS’
Is there anything unique about sports that might explain how clothing profoundly affects performance? No. The reasons and evidence showing that we become what we wear has been demonstrated in activities from heavy metal drumming to math test-taking – and are discussed in the chapter on clothing in my forthcoming book “God was Right: How Modern Social Science Proves the Torah is True.”
A quintessential example came from Northwestern University in 2012. Professors Hajo Adam and Adam Galinsky gave the same kind of white coat to two groups of study participants. They told one group that the coat was a painter’s coat. They told the other group that it was a doctor’s coat.
The result: those who were told it was a doctor’s coat did far better on tasks that required careful attention to detail. Galinsky explained, “Clothes invade the body and brain, putting the wearer into a different psychological state.”
In recent years, a new discipline has emerged at universities across the world – fashion psychology. Degrees in fashion psychology are offered at Purdue, Pepperdine, Arizona State, the London School of Fashion and other universities. One of the leaders in this emerging field is Karen Pine of the University of Hertfordshire.
KIDS WHO CONSUME ENERGY DRINKS ARE MORE PRONE TO MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, STUDY FINDS
Professor Pine’s research has led her to conclude that it is possible to contemplate “a wardrobe of ‘happy clothes,’ as protection against ever feeling miserable again.” She recommends: distinctive jewelry, playful patterns evoking childhood, flowered prints that signify health, and bright colors that connect us with nature.
There is now a term for what Pine described: Dopamine Dressing. Dopamine Dressing is the concept that clothing choices significantly influence the release of dopamine, the “feel good” neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure, motivation, satisfaction and joy.
While Pine’s specific recommendations may be novel and helpful, the general truth she tells should resonate widely given recent lived experience. In March 2020, when COVID-19 struck, millions of people suddenly found themselves working from home. The customary workplace norms and customs quickly became obsolete. How should people working from home adapt? One guiding principle emerged, especially among those mindful of mental health.
On March 17, 2020, the BBC highlighted this as the No. 1 recommendation in their article, “Coronavirus: Five Ways to Work Well From Home”: Get dressed. A variety of studies published after the pandemic confirm that those who dress formally for work are more mentally fit, productive and successful than those who do not – whether the work is at home or in the office.
AMERICA’S WOKE EDUCATION IS FUELING THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
So the Torah, validated by modern social science and experience, does for El Paso what it always does: it illuminates the path of truth for any social, cultural, psychological or political question.
The Charles Middle School administrators were absolutely right that a student’s attitude and performance will be profoundly affected by the clothes he or she wears. They were right again in concluding that wearing all black clothing is inadvisable for a cohort of students who might be struggling with mental health issues.
They were wrong only in conceding to clearly erroneous ideas that “mental health and depression… don’t have outfits” and that “the color of clothing has nothing to do with your ability to do anything or feel any emotion.”
Within the next few weeks, our children will be back at school. We parents are preparing them in all kinds of ways – from school supplies to class selection, from organizing transportation to choosing after-school activities, from easing social anxieties to getting doctor’s appointments.
The Torah and social science converge to tell us parents: Remember what just might be the important thing – which is what your children wear. The primary function of clothing, the divine and scientific voices are telling us, has nothing to do with temperature control or aesthetics. It has everything to do with helping us to feel, think and act as we want to.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION
How might parents help our children in this back-to-school season? We could follow the wisdom of King Solomon, who told us: “Educate the child according to his way” – with, crucially, the “his” being singular. We parents who want our children to thrive in this school year should consider the specific gifts and challenges of each child – and dress them accordingly.
If we have a daughter who is struggling with depression, we should take the advice of Pine and fill her closet with bright colors and floral prints.
If we have a son who is struggling with confidence issues, we should channel our inner Rebecca and tell him to go to school in his “favorite clothes” – his jerseys of Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant or Aaron Judge.
If we have a child who gets distracted doing his homework, we should tell him to put on a button-down shirt and pressed pants – even, and perhaps especially, if he studies alone in his bedroom.
We can explain to our children, and to ourselves, that there is nothing pediatric about this advice. It is universal. We adults should, as well, think about how we want to feel and who we want to be – and dress accordingly!
MARK GERSON
Read the full article from Here
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, denied believing that Hispanic Trump voters had a “slave mentality” when asked about her past claims on Tuesday.
CNN’s Jake Tapper reminded the Texas Senate candidate of comments she made to Vanity Fair in 2024, when she compared Latinos who voted for President Donald Trump to slaves who would “hate” themselves.
“It almost reminds me of what people would talk about when they would talk about kind of like ‘slave mentality’ and the hate that some slaves would have for themselves,” she said.
“It’s almost like a slave mentality that they have. It is wild to me when I hear how anti-immigrant they are as immigrants, many of them. I’m talking about people that literally just got here and can barely vote that are having this kind of attitude.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP HITS BACK AT JASMINE CROCKETT, CALLS HER ‘A VERY LOW IQ PERSON’
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, suggested the Latino community had a “slave mentality” for having concerns over illegal immigration. (Getty Images)
Tapper asked if all Hispanic Trump voters still have a “slave mentality.”
“No, and that‘s not what that said at all, to be clear,” Crockett said. “It did not say that every Latino has that type of mentality.”
“No, no, but the ones that vote for people that believe in strong or Trump‘s immigration policy,” Tapper clarified.
JASMINE CROCKETT SAYS SHE DOESN’T NEED TO CONVERT TRUMP SUPPORTERS IN HER TEXAS SENATE BID
“So, I don‘t believe that the people that voted for Trump believe in what they‘re actually getting. That is No. 1. What Trump said is that he was going to kick out the bad guys. And that‘s what I was talking about,” Crockett said.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett insisted President Donald Trump did not fulfill his promise to Latino voters. (Fox News Digital, Getty)
Crockett reiterated that she didn’t “understand what’s happening” with Latinos who insisted that there were people who entered the country “the wrong way.”
“At the same time, I knew what Trump meant because Trump had a record. Trump had a record of locking up kids and putting them in cages. So, I knew what Trump meant. And, so, that‘s why it wasn‘t making sense to me,” Crockett said.
REP. JASMINE CROCKETT CALLS TRUMP A ‘PIECE OF S—‘ DURING LIBERAL RALLY
Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett and her campaign for comment.
In the Vanity Fair interview, Crockett also disparaged White women, claiming they “retreated” and failed Democratic candidates.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, launched her Senate bid on Monday. (John Medina/Getty Images)
“I said I don’t trust White women. I said I’m just telling you, and I think you need to have conversations with your sisters because they are the group that failed Hillary Clinton. I mean, when you go back and look at the numbers, White women were the ones that failed her. And, so, in my mind, if they failed Hillary, I don’t know that I can believe that they won’t fail Kamala,” Crockett said.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
She also accused Black men of “flaking” on former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Crockett is trying to become the first Democrat to win a U.S. Senate race in Texas since 1988. Trump carried the state easily in 2024 over Harris as he made major gains with Latino voters, and no Democratic White House candidate has won Texas since 1976.
Read the full article from Here
Southwest
Florida’s CAIR threatens lawsuit against DeSantis after he labels group a ‘foreign terrorist’ organization
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says it plans to take Gov. Ron DeSantis to court after the Republican governor issued an executive order labeling the Muslim civil rights organization a “foreign terrorist organization.”
Hiba Rahim, the chapter’s deputy executive director, said during a news conference that the order was an attack rooted in conspiracy theories and compared it to historical efforts that targeted Jewish, Irish and Italian American communities.
“We are very proud to defend the founding principles of our Constitution, to defend free speech,” Rahim said at a news conference. “We are proud to defend democracy, and we are proud to be America first.”
Rahim argued that the governor’s support for Israel played a role in the order, saying the group’s activism had caused “discomfort” to the U.S. ally. She said CAIR does not intend to back down.
FLORIDA DESIGNATES MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND CAIR AS FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS, DESANTIS SAYS
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis labeled CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as a “foreign terrorist organization.” (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)
Governor DeSantis, meanwhile, defended the move, saying his administration had sufficient grounds for the designation. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, he said he welcomed CAIR’s legal challenge and described the designation as “a long time coming.”
DeSantis’ order also lists the Muslim Brotherhood as a “foreign terrorist” organization. Last month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to begin a federal process to consider designating certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization.
The governor said he expects Florida lawmakers to pursue related legislation when the legislature reconvenes in January, calling the executive order “the beginning.”
TRUMP SIGNALS PLAN TO DESIGNATE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he welcomes CAIR’s lawsuit. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Under DeSantis’ directive, state agencies are barred from awarding contracts, employment or funds to CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood or any groups deemed to have materially supported them.
At the Tampa news conference, attorney Miranda Margolis criticized the order and argued DeSantis had exceeded his authority by unilaterally designating a nonprofit as a terrorist organization.
“This designation is without legal or factual basis and constitutes a dangerous escalation of anti-Muslim political rhetoric,” Margolis said.
Florida’s action comes after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a similar proclamation. CAIR has challenged Abbott’s designation in federal court, arguing it violates the U.S. Constitution and Texas law. Muslim and interfaith organizations have urged Abbott to rescind the order.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as “foreign terrorist organizations.” (Getty Images)
State-level designations do not carry the same legal weight as federal Foreign Terrorist Organization classifications, which can only be issued by the U.S. State Department.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
CAIR argues the Florida order violates its First Amendment rights and due-process protections and that terrorism designations fall under federal jurisdiction, not state power.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
Southwest
Fugitive repeat offender keeps walking free as courts let him loose to hurt people, experts warn
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A felon wanted in California and with over two dozen prior arrests has been repeatedly granted bond throughout Texas, raising questions about repeat offenders being released back onto the streets around the country.
In 2022, authorities charged Carlos Rusi and three other Houston men with a bank jugging case in Burbank, California, according to FOX 26.
Rusi, who was suspected of committing other similar thefts throughout the area, allegedly skipped bond in July 2023 – subsequently forcing authorities to name him as a wanted fugitive.
Prior to Rusi’s 2022 alleged California jugging spree, he reportedly spent three years in a Texas prison for engaging in organized criminal activity in what was not his first time behind bars.
CHICAGO TRAIN ATTACK SUSPECT REPEATEDLY VIOLATED CURFEW, MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS, RECORDS SHOW
Carlos Rusi received separate prison sentences in 2018, 2015, 2011, 2008, 2006 and 2005 for various convictions on felony cases stemming from charges of robbery, organized criminal activity and drug-related crimes in Texas, according to KPRC 2. (iStock; FOX 26)
His lengthy criminal record includes more than 30 arrests spanning several years and showcases 26 mugshots dating back to 2006, according to KPRC 2.
Additionally, records show he received separate prison sentences in 2018, 2015, 2011, 2008, 2006 and 2005 for various convictions on felony cases stemming from charges of robbery, organized criminal activity and drug-related crimes, the outlet reported.
Last year, Rusi was sentenced to five years of probation after accepting a plea agreement over charges of robbery and evading arrest.
In July, while on probation in Harris County, Rusi allegedly followed a 71-year-old man from his bank to a local coin dealer, where police say he shoved the man to the ground and robbed him.
CALIFORNIA JUDGE FREES SECOND MURDER SUSPECT WITHOUT BAIL AS DA WARNS ‘PEOPLE’S LIVES’ ARE AT RISK
The Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Security camera footage led investigators to Rusi’s gray Volvo, which was registered to a car rental company, KPRC 2 reported.
The vehicle’s rental agreement was reportedly registered to Rusi’s mother and returned after the alleged robbery took place – with investigators subsequently finding previous reports in which Rusi’s mother rented vehicles for her son, who would then use them to commit crimes.
One day later, police said Rusi followed another individual from a Bank of America in Fort Bend County and robbed them at gunpoint, according to KPRC 2.
Later in July, as officers were performing surveillance of the suspect’s vehicle, he allegedly returned to the same bank and followed several victims for 28 miles, KPRC 2 reported. When the individuals stopped at a gas station, Rusi allegedly broke into their vehicle and snatched the woman’s purse – which contained $5,200 cash.
BLUE CITY MAN WITH NEARLY 100 ARRESTS ACCUSED OF STABBING ELDERLY VICTIM HAS NEVER SERVED PRISON TIME
Carlos Rusi has been released on bond in multiple counties throughout Texas, despite having numerous prior convictions and a warrant for his arrest in California, according to FOX 26. (iStock)
REVOLVING DOOR OF BLUE CITY REPEAT OFFENDERS KEEP BEING RELEASED AS DA SPENT TIME PROSECUTING TRUMP
Officers reportedly arrested him shortly after and recovered the purse.
Rusi was charged with theft in Harris County following the incident, but was released on a $75,000 bond on July 21 while still on probation, according to KPRC 2.
In August, Pearland Police allege Rusi broke into a car in a Walmart parking lot and stole $100 cash after following the victim from a nearby ATM, the outlet reported.
In September 2025, Rusi was reportedly arrested in Montgomery County for a similar jugging case, but was released from jail on a $25,000 bond. He was taken into custody again in October after allegedly testing positive for drugs while out on bond in Montgomery County, but was re-released on Nov. 4.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office declined Fox News Digital’s request for comment, citing Rusi’s pending case.
BLUE STATE OFFICIAL RELEASES MAN WITH NO BAIL WHO RETURNS ONE HOUR LATER TO ASSAULT SAME WOMAN: POLICE
During the same month, while on probation, Rusi was convicted of misdemeanors for falsifying a drug test and displaying a fake handicap placard, KPRC 2 reported.
In November, he was reportedly handed a second bond in Harris County stemming from the alleged July robbery. The next day, he was also granted bond in Brazoria County.
Currently, Rusi remains out on bond, despite the various charges spanning multiple counties throughout Texas and the active warrant for his arrest in California, according to FOX 26.
“What jumps out is that this isn’t one bad call, it’s a chain of release decisions across jurisdictions,” Bobby Taghavi, Managing Partner of law firm Sweet James, which has offices in Texas, told Fox News Digital.
“When someone described by police as a repeat offender with a long history is still receiving probation and multiple bonds, and is also reported as a wanted fugitive out of California since 2023, that raises a serious red-flag question – was the full-risk picture consistently in front of every court and judge at the time those decisions were made?”
Court records indicate that various officials throughout the Texas counties were unaware Rusi was a wanted man, despite details of his alleged California crime spree appearing on Internet searches, FOX 26 reported.
BALTIMORE KILLER COMMITS THIRD MURDER AFTER BEING PAROLED TWICE FOR PRIOR SLAYINGS
However, according to Taghavi, the blame falls on government officials involved in every step of the criminal process.
“This kind of failure usually happens when critical information isn’t surfaced, confirmed and emphasized in real-time, especially out-of-state warrant status at the moment bond or probation decisions are being made,” Taghavi said.
“Responsibility is typically shared across the system. Prosecutors need to present the complete record and argue risk, judges must evaluate it, probation departments must accurately report supervision status, and law enforcement must ensure warrants and holds are properly entered and actionable.”
NEW GOP BILL TARGETS FUNDING TO STATES WITH LENIENT BAIL POLICIES
The pattern of Rusi’s habitual criminal behavior being met with only a slap on the wrist has also raised concern for community leaders in Texas.
“I’ve never in my life seen anything as absurd as this,” Andy Kahan with Houston Crime Stoppers told FOX 26. “Shame on our criminal justice system for continuing to allow this defendant to roam our community and to steal our property and to hurt people.”
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Rusi’s attorney and Texas Department of Public Safety did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
While Rusi remains on the streets pending trial, Taghavi suggests the saga could signify an overarching problem plaguing local and state authorities regarding repeat offenders being released into communities as officials remain in the dark.
“If it’s one missed check, that can be an isolated oversight,” Taghavi told Fox News Digital. “But when the same person is reportedly able to obtain probation and bonds across multiple jurisdictions, it starts to look more like a systemic breakdown in coordination and verification – not just one-off human error.”
Fox News Digital’s Olivia Palombo contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
Read Oklahoma Student Samantha Fulnecky’s Essay on Gender
Trump administration bars former EU official and anti-disinformation and hate researchers from US
Pope Leo XIV says he’s ‘very disappointed’ after Illinois approves assisted suicide law
Trump admin sues Illinois Gov. Pritzker over laws shielding migrants from courthouse arrests
New Wegovy pill offers needle-free weight loss — but may not work for everyone
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Trump admin sues Illinois Gov. Pritzker over laws shielding migrants from courthouse arrests
Europeans show solidarity with Denmark after Trump’s Greenland threat
Explosion at a Pennsylvania nursing home kills at least 2, governor says
What does Christmas look like for Ukraine? | Global News Podcast
404 | Fox News
-
Iowa1 week agoAddy Brown motivated to step up in Audi Crooks’ absence vs. UNI
-
Maine1 week agoElementary-aged student killed in school bus crash in southern Maine
-
Maryland1 week agoFrigid temperatures to start the week in Maryland
-
New Mexico7 days agoFamily clarifies why they believe missing New Mexico man is dead
-
South Dakota1 week agoNature: Snow in South Dakota
-
Detroit, MI1 week ago‘Love being a pedo’: Metro Detroit doctor, attorney, therapist accused in web of child porn chats
-
Health1 week ago‘Aggressive’ new flu variant sweeps globe as doctors warn of severe symptoms
-
Maine7 days agoFamily in Maine host food pantry for deer | Hand Off