“Urkel Initiative” Fights Sagging Pants in Memphis School

The principal of a Memphis middle school has thought up a decidedly creative way to combat the “epidemic” of sagging pants, as much a part of youth style today as skin-tight jeans were 30 years ago or puffy MC Hammer pants were 20 years ago. Bobby White, who runs Westside Middle School, calls himself “old school with new ideas,” has come up with a real winner. Students caught with sagging pants are “Urkelized,” or forced to wear their pants pulled high above their waists and fastened with plastic zip-ties. The “Urkel Initiative,” named after the nerdy ’90s TV character of the same name, is working. There used to be 70-80 kids a day roaming Westside’s halls with their jeans halfway down to their knees. No more. The consequences are too embarrassing. Now maybe school administrators can focus on real problems, like those test scores…

Tagged Bobby White, Memphis, principal, sagging pants, Urkel Initiative, Urkelized, Westside Middle School