Committee members explain issues relating to school uniforms; enforcement of current code tough, they say

The Cape Girardeau School District's dress code committee doesn't believe their wish for a districtwide uniform policy will solve all problems in the schools, members say, but they do believe it will help.

Committee members spent the first half of a second public forum on a proposed uniform policy explaining the process. Members outlined the research, attempted to address concerns heard during the first public forum and made clarifications on the proposal as currently written.

Concerns identified by the committee include cost, enforcement of current dress codes, the proposed policy being too strict, a dress code for faculty and staff, research and data used, survey results, no PTO involvement, a lack of parent representation on the committee and legal challenges.

Superintendent Dr. Jim Welker said input from both forums will be considered by the committee as it meets today to decide whether changes are needed to the proposal before the school board votes on it in February.

Nancy Scheller, a committee member and assistant principal at Cape Girardeau Central High School, addressed enforcement of the current dress code at the high school. The committee has heard repeatedly from parents against the proposal that staff needs to better enforce current rules.

"We do enforce what we see," she said.

But the problems seen with dress at the high school are often tough for staff to address, she said, because the conversations can be difficult to have with students and parents who may not agree that certain clothes are inappropriate.

"There's a high degree of immodesty in our dress right now," she said, and therefore, uniforms are the way to go.

Clippard principal and committee member Dr. Sydney Herbst addressed the effect of dress on instructional time at the elementary level.

Using a uniform policy would be easier, Herbst said, because if teachers do not have to deal with dress issues, there is more time to teach.

Carla Fee, chairwoman of the committee and principal of the junior high school, said in order to address concerns that the proposal is too strict, people should know it is a starting point for the committee in handling a revised dress code policy.

The proposed uniform policy requires students wear a polo or oxford shirt in orange, black, gray or white, tucked in with a belt and khaki or black pants, or shorts, skirts, skorts and jumpers within certain length. Certain sweaters and leggings would be accepted. No requirements would apply to outerwear, such as coats. Students in kindergarten through fourth grade would not be required to wear belts. The school board set a tentative date of Feb. 27 for a vote on a uniform policy. If approved by the board, the policy would take effect at the start of the 2012-2013 school year.

Comments from the public during the forum ranged from questions about the proposal to accusations of the committee of using nondemocratic strategies for its process of crafting the proposal and sending it to the school board for a vote.

Sharon Anderson, a grandparent of four students in the district for whom she said she purchases school clothing, said she would consider homeschooling if the school board passed the proposal. Other commenters called for a public vote on the issue, or asked what would be done for children in the district with disabilities who could not physically or could not mentally adjust to wearing the clothing that would be required if the uniform policy was implemented as written.

Andrew Miller, a junior at the high school, spoke against the uniform policy and refuted the committee's claim that dress causes a distraction to students during instructional time.

"We've had more distraction talking about the dress code," he said.

The school board has a work session scheduled for 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the upstairs meeting room of the central district offices. During the session, school board members will discuss the proposal with committee members and ask questions, said board president Stacy Kinder. The work session is open to the public, but no public comment will be allowed.

eragan@semissourian.com

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