Cape parents, teachers split on dress code

Parents and teachers apparently disagree about the effectiveness of uniforms on student morale and concentration, according to survey results released Monday.

Parents and faculty were asked to complete online surveys concerning a possible dress code in the Cape Girardeau School District. Respondents for both surveys were asked to answer questions about their perceptions of students' experiences related to discipline, distraction, peer pressure and bullying, and whether uniforms would increase self-esteem, dignity and professionalism of students.

The survey asked faculty members whether student uniforms would increase academic performance; whether there should be consistent guidelines for dress codes throughout the district and whether a uniform policy should allow for exemptions such as school spirit days and fundraising. Both surveys also gauged interest in a dress code for faculty. The survey for parents included a comment section.

There were 571 respondents in the parent survey and 359 respondents in the faculty survey.

Results of the questions related to distraction, peer pressure and bullying varied widely between parents and faculty.

Twenty-five percent of parents said their child had been distracted by what other students were wearing to school, while 70 percent of faculty responded they have witnessed students being distracted by student dress.

Twenty-two percent of parents answered that their child had felt anxiety as a result of peer pressure to wear certain clothing, while 44 percent of faculty answered that they have witnessed the same student anxiety.

Twelve percent of parents indicated their child has experienced bullying related to a dress issue. Thirty-three percent of faculty answered that they have witnessed bullying due to student dress.

The faculty survey asked if student uniforms would decrease discipline problems and increase academic performance. Respondents answered yes 68 percent and 59 percent of the time, respectively.

The survey for parents was posted to the district's website Nov. 21 and closed Friday. Respondents submitted their answers online. Faculty were asked to take a similar exclusive survey. The committee mailed letters to parents with notification of the survey and a document containing statistics and information about dress codes. Paper copies were also available at the district office.

District superintendent Dr. Jim Welker said he believes there are likely some people responding to the parent survey who are not parents.

"We can't really control who responds to it, necessarily," he said. Welker said there was a control on the number of times a survey could be taken from one IP address.

He said the survey's purpose was not to take a vote on whether to implement a dress code, or uniform policy, but for the committee to gather information.

The difference between parents' and faculty members' answers may be due to the differences in the way questions were worded or how much parents versus faculty are in the buildings to experience effects of the current dress codes, said Misty Clifton, the district's chief financial officer. Clifton also serves on the dress code committee.

On Monday, Clifton was readying a summary of responses from the comment section of the parent survey for presentation to the dress code committee. She said parents who support a change to a stricter dress code or uniform policy were generally responding that uniforms would be less expensive, that faculty and students should have the same dress code, that they have seen positive effects from when their children attended other schools with stricter dress codes, that students should have plenty of color options with a dress code and that a stricter dress code would increase self-esteem.

Responses that do not support a change include opinions that research does not show benefits, that making students wear uniforms takes away self-expression and individualism, that the district should better enforce current dress codes and that a switch would be too expensive, Clifton said.

She said there were also a number of neutral responses that overwhelmingly questioned how a change to a stricter dress code or uniforms could be made affordable.

That issue is something the committee is looking at, Clifton said, and an answer to it will be presented as part of the proposal to amend the current dress codes the committee will make to the school board. The tentative date for the proposal to be presented to the school board is during the board's work session Dec. 19.

That does not mean the board will vote on the proposal at that meeting, Clifton said.

eragan@semissourian.com

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301 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO