With each new school year comes new rules. Additions to the dress code, outside drinks and cellphones were made to the handbook. Alongside a new state law requiring a moment of silence every day before the Pledge of Allegiance.

In the morning teachers walk into their room, greet their class and say something along the lines of, “Now let us have our moment of silence.” Some students bow their heads and close their eyes as a brief prayer, others sit and stare around the room as the moment passes.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Debra Hobbs, passed, 79-4, to make a moment of silence mandatory for all public schools in Arkansas starting with this school year.

“I actually like it. I like that they are bringing back prayer into school, which is why they’re doing it,” sophomore Hanna Shelby said. “I’m a Christian so I like having that option available for other people too.”

Changes to the dress code include pant no more than 4 inches above knee all around, students may not wear tights with clothes that are more than four inches above the knee but, jeans can have holes in them as long as they are not above the four inches.

“I don’t ever really wear tank tops or shorter clothes anyway so it doesn’t really affect me personally but I can see how people would get upset about wanting to wear what they want to wear,” junior Becca Cario said. “Not being able to see people’s shoulders is ridicules.”

Students are now able to bring beverage containers on campus as long as they have a lid, though students cannot bring glass containers, like chilled Starbucks’ coffees. Students may also have their cellphones out in between classes and during lunch. Administrators have revoked the rule about no headphones; students may have one ear bud in while walking to and from class.