Published: June 17, 2009 02:02 pm      

New Albany-Floyd County Schools board decides to have a committee investigate pros, cons of uniforms

Dressed for success?

Uniforms may become a reality as early as fall 2010 for some of New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. schools.

That’s if a committee that has yet to be set up makes the recommendation to move forward with the idea to the board and it passes.

The board talked about the issue at a work session Tuesday afternoon. Previously, the board discussed the issue at an April meeting and asked Superintendent Dennis Brooks to come back with more information on how Indianapolis Public Schools handles its strict dress code.

On Tuesday, each board member was given a copy of Indianapolis Public Schools’ policy — which even names the color of socks that students can wear — as well as a copy of the corporation’s dress policy.

Brooks said he talked to administrators at the various schools. He found that middle school principals are very interested in uniforms, high school principals show some interest and elementary school principals do not seem interested in making the change.

Brooks made the recommendation that he go forward with creating a committee to study the pros and cons of a dress code and how it can affect student achievement and discipline issues. However, he said if a change is wanted, he told the board that it should allow each school to decide on its own whether to make the move.

“I think you’d want buy-in from that school and huge support from that parent group for it to work,” Brooks said.

Some board members expressed concern over implementing uniforms, saying that administrators don’t have time to enforce the dress codes they have now.

Roger Whaley, board member, said he wants to see what the committee finds before making up his mind.

“If we could expect it to do something of value to the schools, then I’ll be all for it,” he said, adding that if it helps raise student achievement or lower discipline referrals. “But just to do it because others are doing it — I’m not in favor of.”

Lee Ann Wiseheart, board member, said it would help with safety, making it so that people who don’t belong in the school stand out since they do not match what the students are wearing. She also said she felt it would help students achieve because if students are in the office less for problems, they will be in the classroom more.

“To me, it’s the great equalizer,” said Neal Smith, president of the board, adding that it stops schools from becoming fashion shows. “It probably does become a bit of a distraction, but one of the things we try to teach kids is to be creative and this is one of the ways they do it.”

Brooks said the issue seems worthy of some research and the board agreed. He said he will meet with administrators to determine who should be on the committee, but expects it to include administrators, teachers, parents and students.

Brooks said he expects that committee to bring a recommendation to the board on whether to implement uniforms sometime in December or January. He said that would allow time for it to be voted on and, if passed, put into effect for the following fall.



TIMELINE FOR DRESS CODES

• Brooks said he expects that committee to bring a recommendation to the board on whether to implement uniforms sometime in December or January. He said that would allow time for it to be voted on and, if passed, put into effect for the following fall.