Emotional parents showed up in force at meeting Tuesday night, firing off a barrage of criticism at , especially a version that's circulated via email over the past week.
While not officially on the agenda, the issue dominated public comment, as about two dozen members of the public showed up at the normally sparsely-attended meeting, generating nearly an hours' worth of debate on the subject.
And at the heart of much of the discussion was enforceability.
“What's wrong with the old one?” questioned Bill Connelly.
School board President Christopher Strano said it's a matter of the current dress code being too loose and too difficult to enforce.
“The whole essence of this is...it starts at home,” Strano said. “It came down to interpretation.”
But several parents, including Connelly, blasted that as punishing the majority who stick to the rules for a minority who violate the current code.
“It's not appropriate for a public school system to take that responsibility away from us as parents,” Connelly said.
freshman Meghan Garvin said she doesn't see much in the way of dress code violations at school—mostly the sagging-pants variety—and said she and her friends have talked about the issue.
“I don't think a lot of them want this,” she said.
Other parents critiqued it as shifting an unnecessary burden on to families. As Strano acknowledged, the board isn't responsible for picking up any of the costs for a shift to a standardized dress code, rather than going to uniforms—a semantic difference, perhaps, but one not lost on those in attendance.
“You've now essentially doubled my school budget,” said Tracy Hastings. “I'm sorry, I think you're wrong on this.”
While many parents pointed to printouts of one version of the dress code—one that mandates polo shirts and khaki pants and bans jeans—that had been forwarded around in various circles in the last week, policy committee chair Peter Guzzetti said the committee has gone through multiple versions since the idea was first broached last year.
“We've been revising as we go,” he said.
A finalized version of that code should be up on the school district's website in the coming weeks, though, Guzzetti said. Parents will be able to offer comments and criticism on that policy, before the board goes to a phone survey of all parents in the district, to find out if there's support for the amended version.
Until that's done, Guzzetti said, there won't be any action.
“There has been no recommendation to the board to go forward with this,” he said.
That wasn't enough to convince everyone in attendance, however.
Several parents brought up the decision to go to grade-level schools as it related to the dress code debate, claiming the board railroaded through that idea after the 2009 budget crisis.
“How can we trust you?” Cheryl Reeve said.
As Strano and other board members pointed out, the decision to go to grade-level schools came about at least in part because of the defeated budget that year, which was gutted to the point where neighborhood schools were too expensive to remain.
But, like that decision, Strano said the final call on the dress code will come down to whether it improves the learning environment.
“We have a great school system,” he said. “We're trying to make it better.”
Reeve and other parents disagreed with that notion.
“I can't see my child being a straight-A student by wearing khakis and a polo,” she said.
It's funny actually, if you look at the numbers from that year. The budget was defeated, and the township committee suggested they put back ~$300,000 in activities and cut $1.2M from the budget, for a net savings of $900,000. The BOE put all $300,000 back in that the committee suggested, and then put in grade level schools, and called it done. So on the surface, that would account for $1.2M. But the following year, they claimed a savings of $400,000 by going to grade level schools. The board doesn't do things based on statistical information. They follow an agenda. Grade level schools was part of that agenda. If the new dress code goes in, it won't be because the parents want it, but rather that it is also part of the agenda. Time will tell.
You want your kids to fit in & not be teased, so you buy $20 tee shirts & $40 jeans, they need @ least 7- 8 of these shirts, & 5 pair of jeans having you spend upwards of $200 a year, not to mention the upgrades & change in styles. With the uniform/dress code, you pass the clothes on to the next kid, neighbor or back to the school for a less fortunate family. Argue all you want that it will be a hardship for some families, & maybe initially it will, but I know that once this goes through, & is set in motion, my kids will change after school without a battle. No, your kids won't make a wild transformation & become straight A students, but their teachers will spend less time correcting other kids for what they are wearing & calling parents. People will focus on what needs to be focused on. Sit outside the school & look at the kids wearing flip flops, mini skirts, pants below the belt, cami's & short shorts. The weather is changing & the kids are sure to be attending school with less clothes on. Even if you have to look at it that teen boys will be less tempted & girls will be harassed less, then do that, but it seems to me that what is actually being said is, "We are mad at you for what you did with the schools, so we're going to fight you on everything else!"
As a high school teacher in a district with a dress code similar to what WD is proposing, I totally agree with your reasons and know firsthand that it works for us. What some of these kids wear to school is inappropriate to say the least. Kudos, Carrie.
The entire debate stems back to the home. We, as parents, need to teach our children modesty and self respect in what they wear. We need to teach our children financial responsibility and priorities and that $60 may be better spent on college savings or food on the table then a fashionable pair of jeans. It is not the responsibility of the BOE to set policy for us parents to do our job at home.
Adults have the freedom to choose their occupations. Adults selected to be nurses, doctors, police officers and etc. Hopefully adults chose to be parents. As parents, it is their responsibility to help select the child’s clothing. Parents should be responsible for their children because parents chose to be just that PARENTS. If the parent is unhappy with the other students, the parent has the right to send their child to a school with a uniform dress code.
Another concern would be children that will be unable to wear school uniforms. In our district we have wheel chair bound students, students with special needs and children with Autism. Children with these characteristics may need special clothing or may be especially sensitive to certain clothing. I have to agree, we, as parents have to enforce the dress code.
Second, how exactly does it "level the playing field"? Is a poor student wearing jeans and a t-shirt bought at WalMart of Target now suddenly on the same playing field as another student who bought his or her regulation clothing at Hollister or Aero? No, they aren't. Third, when you send your child to any parochial school you understand going in that uniforms are part of the equation. When you send your child to a public school it is YOUR responsibility as the parent to make sure they are dressed appropriately. And further, it is YOUR responsibility to teach your child about dressing properly for school as it will foster proper behavior patterns when they get out in to the real world and won't have someone telling them what to wear and attempting to level some imaginary playing field for them. Lastly, part of growing up and becoming good citizens is learning what is appropriate and what isn't. Forcing kids to wear a prescribed set of clothing removes that aspect and makes them believe that all is fair in this world. Let me clue you in, this world ain't fair. Teach them that simple fact now and save them a lot of heartache later.
Do you even know what you are talking about?
And I'm sorry you don't understand my fourth paragraph. It's a fairly simple point about teaching your children what is and isn't appropriate and how that helps them become good citizens. That you didn't get that is on you, not me. Have a nice day.
This issue will never pass. I lived here my whole life. This issue has been brought up & dealt w/ many times, since I was my children's age. This issue has never gone thru in over 30 years. Children like mine who don't violate the dress code that's there now, shouldn't have to be punished & wear uniforms, b/c other children can't follow the rules. In addition b/c the schools aren't being strict enough w/ the code. The schools just need to crack down more on those children, & really enforce the code that's already there. If a child violates the code, make them change their clothes, or send them home for the day. Too bad for them & their parents. A child chooses that behavior that child & their family, must deal w/ the consequences of that behavior. Also if children are going to bullied & teased, it doesn't matter what children wear to school. The bully will find anything to bully & tease children about. If this did pass, children would then be bullied & teased for something else besides the clothes.
Are my children really going to get straight A's, b/c of wearing uniforms or wearing regular clothing? No they aren't. Also what you're referring to, is what adults have to wear w/ their professions. These are children. Not adults. We should also let them be children, & not dictate or tell them what to wear. If the children would just follow the rules, & the schools would crack down harder on the ones that don't, this wouldn't be up for discussion. My children go to school, & concerntrate just fine. It has nothing to do w/ their attire either.
This all begins in the children's homes. Parents gave to set the correct examples, & children must follow the examples & rules that are set & given to them. Why do my children go to school wearing what they should everyday? Why can't all children in the schools do the same thing? Also just b/c it may be inexpensive to you or to others, doesn't mean that every parent, can put out that extra money. It isn't even about that. People of this township shouldn't have to put that extra money out. Whether they can or not, isn't the issue. Administrators, prinicpals, teachers, & other such staff members, aren't doing their entire jobs. If they were, the "dress code" that's already in place now would be getting enforced in the proper manner. Then this issue would cease to exist. If the staff has to call parents, write letters, send children home, even suspend children, etc. in order to enforce the dress code then fine. It needs to be done. That's what they have to do. More importantly it's what they should do. That is ALL part of their jobs.
I couldn't agree w/ you more. This whole uniform dress code issue is totally ridiculous. Does anyone not think that this new dress won't be violated too? The dress code now is being violated. It isn't about what clothing children wear anyway. That won't make any difference in my children's abilty, to perform any better academically. Also where does a panel of strangers get to dictate to me, what my children or any other children in this township can wear to school? That's OUR choice to make as their parents, guardians, etc. My children go to school wearing what they're supposed to wear. Everyone's child should do the same. That should be the topic. Just have the schools enforce the dress code that's already in place. Not make dramatic changes b/c ppl, don't wish or don't want to do something that may cause other problems.