Parents, students, teachers in unison over uniforms

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BY CAROLYN THOMPSON
cthompson@nwitimes.com | Wednesday, August 09, 2006 | (13 comment(s))

HAMMOND | Judy Robak and her two daughters may have differences, but they agree school uniforms help keep the peace at school and at home.

"Before uniforms, there was a lot of disagreements in the mornings," the elder Robak said. "Now, you just get dressed with no arguing."

Schools' adoption of standardized dress codes has been tagged as an equalizer for social status and economics, safety and academic improvement, according to administrators, parents and their children.

St. John Bosco sixth-grader Alexis Robak said she would like to express herself and pick out her own kind of clothes, and her sister, Rebecca, 7, agreed, but they see the merits in uniforms.

"They're good," said Alexis, 12. "No one can be judged by what they're wearing."

While private school students have worn uniforms for years, an increasing number of Gary and Hammond schools are following suit.

"The uniformity of colors have shown a vast difference in student behavior overall," said Robin Payne, Hammond's director of secondary education and student services. "One student told me that it's kind of hard to act like a thug when you're dressed like that."

Changes in how Portage Township students dress is being discussed, but the new principal wants to give students a chance to be a part of the decision-making process.

"I'd like to have a little more variety of voices," Caren Swickard said. "A lot of the other kids felt they didn't have a chance to voice their opinion about the dress code."

At Bishop Noll Institute, a private school, Principal Scott Fech said at graduations, students have told him their experiences with school uniforms helped them learn to appreciate the need to dress appropriately for occasions outside the school.

"Students find it easy in the morning (and) don't like dress-down days such as jean days because they spend the night before trying to figure out what to wear or about buying something new," Fech said.

And one Steger parent who has a fifth- and an eighth-grader, is all in favor.

"Kids who can't afford what the trends are don't have to worry or get picked on if they don't have on the right kind of jeans," John Todd said.

Payne said she believes uniforms allow students to be seen for who they are.

The code frees students to say, "I'm a student recognized for my work, my personality and my achievements rather than how I am dressed," Payne said.

She added the dress code was examined from the angle of cost and parents have found the uniformity of colors to be less expensive than shopping for street clothing.

"Uniforms take out a lot of the outside issues that shouldn't be involved in the school so that administrators and teachers can concentrate on teaching and learning," Payne said.

Fech said parents also tell him they prefer uniforms because they don't get the calls from school about their children's inappropriate attire or having to pay extra money for school clothes.

Pam DeWolf is a manager at Dennis School Uniform Supply in Highland and the mother of four. She said parents could spend as little as $100 to $150 to get the uniform basics of shorts, pants, a polo shirt, blouse and sweater.

Hammond's 'Uniformity of Color' code:
Tops: Red, white or navy. No print except for a Hammond school logo, all shirts must be tucked in (no mid-drift shirts), no mesh or tank tops, no hooded sweat shirts, sweaters, no sleeveless shirts, etc. No layering of clothing that is not red, white, or navy.
Bottoms: Khaki or navy - No baggy pants, no pajama bottoms, no sweat pants, no blue jeans, and no athletic-type nylon pants. Skirts and shorts must be below the fingertips - mid thigh. No short shorts. Belts must be worn with pants having belt loops and must be dark in color.
Shoes: No flip-flops, slippers or open-toed shoes or sandals. Shoes cannot display any logo except recognized company (Nike, Converse, etc.) and must adhere to the color code. Shoestrings must be red, white or navy and must be of matching color.
Jewelry cannot display any gang symbol or be deemed dangerous in nature or be used as a weapon or be disruptive to the educational process.
School apparel with the logo of the respective school will be allowed either on designated days or game days.

Effective 2005-2006 at Clark Middle/High, Irving Elementary and Maywood Elementary
Effective 2006-2007 at elementary schools: Columbia , Edison , Franklin, Irving, Kenwood, Lafayette, Maywood and O'Bannon plus Clark Middle/High School.
Jefferson Elementary is anticipated to be approved at the Aug. 14 School Board meeting.

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lizze wrote on Dec 17, 2008 3:42 PM:

" I think it is a bad idea because it will cost schools more money. When we should be using that money on school supplies. That is what i think.
~lizze
7th grade student "

Heather wrote on Nov 14, 2008 3:48 PM:

" Wearing a uniform shouldn't effect your personality. I worked with people in a resturante, and we wore uniforms. This one kid was always so outgoing, another was a snot, another was a clean freak. Just because you all look the same doesn't mean you act the same.

It is up to the person in the uniform to express themselves. "

Lindsay wrote on Jul 7, 2008 8:02 PM:

" Forcing all kids too look the same is sick.This is about Walmart and big lobbying groups getting contracts through our government.Terroisum too!! alot of our enemys across the world want to see all Americans IN UNIFORMS AND THE SCHOOL Boards are getting Kickbacks,to do so!It makes me sick that Our Education department is selling us out and our rights to Walmart& Saudia Arabia. I will homeschool my child if this is what they are teaching and forcing people to do. Where is the leadership? this is Communisum! Parents stop letting other people play with your fears and your emotions!! Gangs have been around since the birth of man Teach you kid Self Defence not, a stupid Utopian Belief Structure that beleves Uniforms will be the answer! "

Raeven Stewart wrote on Mar 3, 2008 4:34 PM:

" uniforms demonstrate edicate and mannerism "

Mia wrote on Feb 20, 2008 10:44 AM:

" I hate uniforms becauseevery one has different personality's and everyone is not the same and they have different aspects "

JOSE ORTIZ wrote on Nov 26, 2007 2:44 PM:

" I THINK IS A BAD IDEA OF USING A UNIFORM BUT I DO NOT NOW REALLY. "

JOSE ORTIZ wrote on Nov 26, 2007 2:42 PM:

" I THINK IS NOT A GOOD IDEA FIRST BUT NOW I LOVE WEARING IT! "

ashley blue wrote on Nov 26, 2007 1:16 PM:

" i think wearing uniforms are not such a great idea because it want help you if you still got a bully after you or if you get in fights. "

Jamie wrote on Nov 20, 2007 12:58 PM:

" I think standardized dress is a gret idea! "

jose f wrote on Nov 8, 2007 8:20 PM:

" im just an 8th grade student and i believe that public schools should require students to wear uniforms. students wont get hurt there would be less assaults, battery cases and there would be 1/2 fights then they had before do you want your child or sis or brother to come home one of these days with a black eye, some bruises and some blood??? no so think about it and the safty of your chirldren and friends "

Gabriela Sanchez wrote on Nov 2, 2007 11:31 AM:

" I support the school uniform as much as I hated wearing one when I was in a private school. I think wearing uniform accomplishes that students will be seen equally, they will have less distractions,and thus do better in school.Students can still show their individuality by wearing different style shoes, or wear a different backpack.Wearing uniforms will take students' mind of how "cool" they look or who is wearing what and instead focus on their learning. "

Gabriela Sanchez wrote on Nov 2, 2007 10:18 AM:

" This article explains why wearing uniforms to school is a good thing. In the schools' perspective, wearing uniform helps alleviate problems such as discipline, it boosts academic achievement and in the long run it is cost effective. "

Lexie wrote on Sep 23, 2007 9:11 PM:

" Hey, I would just ilke to say that I found this article very useful to me in writing a report on school uniforms. Everything that is written in this article is so true and i would jsut like to say keep up the good work! -thank you "

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