Newspaper Page Text
10A
JUNE 24, 1999
Mandatory school uniforms
sets Richmond County apart
MDespite “mandatory”
policy, some students
may be permitted to
attend classes “out of
uniform.”
By Adrienne Turner
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Last week, the Richmond
County school board voted to
approve mandatory uniforms in
it’s public elementary and middle
schools. It is the only school
district of the 180 in the state of
Georgia to have a mandatory uni
form policy in the public school
system. New York City, the
nation’s largest school system, has
recently passed a unanimous vote
implementing mandatory uni
forms in it’s public elementary
schools. However, the Richmond
County policy is not entirely man
datory, as it provides for excep
tions based on financial difficul
sies.
“We have opened ourselves up
‘orridicule,” said board member
Andrew Jefferson who voted
against the motion.
Mr. Jefferson, whose middle
school-aged son wears a uniform
;0 school, says that although he
ind his constituents are in favor
»f'school uniforms, the word “man
latory” has no place in the public
school system.
“I am not anti-uniform, I am
inti-mandatory. I voted (no) to
'emove the word mandatory. We
:annot deny a child an education
rased on whether or not he can
fford to wear certain clothes,”
Ar. Jefferson said.
Richmond County superinten
ent Dr. Charles Larke said no
tudent would be denied an educa
ion because of the dress code.
“We are not going to put any
hildren out because they can not
fford uniforms,” Dr. Larke said.
Students in elementary and
liddle school, whose family can
ot afford to adhere to the uni
»rm policy (not those who arbi
rarily chose not to), will be al
»wed to opt out of the uniforms
ut must then adhere to thedress
ode.”
The word “mandatory”tiedupa
ecent school board committee
leeting for more than 30 min
tes. According to Dr. Larke, the
rord “mandatory” only applies to
ae schools, not the students.
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AUGUSTA FOCUS
“Prisoners all dress in uniforms
and they still abuse each other
and suffer from various other
mental and social problems.”
— Mary Oglesby
School board president Mary
Oglesby was originally in favor of
the uniform policy during the com
mittee meeting, but changed her
mind.
“The parents have spoken and
said this is what they want,” she
stated during the earlier debates.
A statement madein concordance
with the results of a survey con
ducted with area elementary and
middle school parents, 79% of the
elementary and 70% of the middle
ofthe 7,000 total responses noting
that they were in favor of school
uniforms.
She later voted “no”, stating
that conversations with the U. S.
Department of Education predicted
problems with mandatory uniforms
because of the opt out clause the is
usually associated with the policy
and the controversy over the defi
nition of a uniform.
However, recent studies show
that one fourth ofelementary and
middleschool studentsinthe U.S.
attend a public school where uni
forms are either already worn or
under serious consideration.
Thesuddenincreasein uniform
policy can be credited in part to
President Bill Clinton. In both his
1996 and 1997 State of the Union
Addresses, President Clinton en
courage schools to consider uni
forms as an effort toimprove safety
and discipline. He recently com
mented, “school uniforms are one
stepthat may be able tobreak this
cycle of violence, truancy and dis
order...”
Opponents of school uniforms
argue against thisline of thinking
and caution that uniforms may be
used as an easy solution to a far
more complicated problem.
Kenneth Echols understands
that it won’t solve all of the prob
lems but feels that there is a need
to start providing children with
discipline while they are younger.
Ms. Oglesby doubts the ability
of school uniforms to rid schools of
certain problems.
“Prisoners all dress in uniforms
and they still abuse each other
and suffer from various other
mental and social problems,” Ms.
Living
Oglesby said.
Still, proponents of school uni
forms argue that it will promote
better discipline, increase students
self-esteem and achievement,
improve attendance, minimize
obvious displays of gang symbols,
improve school spirit, enhance the
school’s image in the community
and help school officials identify
those who don’t belong on school
property.
Recent reports state that Long
Beach, California was the first
school district in the nation to
adopt a mandatory uniform policy.
Since this policy was implemented
in 1994, they have reported a de
creasein crime, assaults, and van
dalism and an increase in atten
dance.
While Ms. Oglesby made the
statement that test scoresin Rich
mond County haveincreased over
the past year without uniforms, a
voluntary uniform policy has been
in effect since 1996 and due to the
marked success of the exploratory
project, the number has steadily
increased every year.
Some parents are concerned
about assistance for families that
can’t afford uniforms.
“In keeping with free lunch and
the breakfast program, are schools
going to use some of the lottery
money and provide vouchers to
help offset the cost of the uni
forms for needy families,” one con
cerned parent asked.
However, Melanie Stockwell,
director of legal services at the
Georgia Department of Education,
saiditisnot possible to use lottery
for the purchase of school uni
forms.
“The designation of lottery
money has very rigid guidelines,
Ms. Stockwell said. “Pre-K, the
Hope Scholarship, technology (the
purchase of computers) and build
ing and/or improving school build
ings are the only ways in which
that money (lottery money) can
be spent. It would be up to the
county to provide funds should
they so chose.”
AccordingtoDr. Larke, although
the county is not obliged to pro-
vide financial assistance for uni
forms, heis certain that the school
PTAs and community would as
sist those in need.
“When we had the first pilot
program at Barton Chapel El
ementary, the community came
together and helped those that
were not able. I'm sure that we
canlook forward to the same thing
happeningagain,” Dr. Larke said.
Though high school students
are not included in the uniform
policy, they can look forward to
seeing comparable changes in
their dress code, as well.
Ameeting will be held this week
to revise the current.standard
dress code for all students.
“Idon’t think it (the dress code)
goes far enough,” Dr. Larke said.
Under the new dress code, neat
ness will be stressed. Changes
that Dr. Larke hopes to see are:
waistbands of pants and skirts be
required tobe around the waist as
opposed to around or below the
hips, belt loops be accompanied by
belts, longer skirts, shirts tucked
and body piercing not be allowed.
He stated that these things are
disruptive.
Dr. Larke added that any stu
dents who do not follow the dress
code will be suspended.
Next week, the Board of Educa
tion is expected to announce,
school by school, the types of uni
forms that have been selected for
the 1999-2000 school year.
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