Discussions on whether or not to implement a uniformed dress code in Indian River schools will continue, with overwhelming support.
Survey results
The Indian River School District sent roughly 8,100 surveys to parents of district students in last month’s report cards asking, in part, if they support continued discussions regarding the implementation of a district-wide uniformed dress code. More than 4,500 were sent back early this month. The results:
3,420: Supported continued discussions
1,111: Did not support continued discussions
Roughly 75 percent of the more than 4,500 local residents who responded to a recent district survey said they would like district officials to further consider a policy that would mandate a dress code by the 2007-08 school year.
District officials and parents of Indian River students have been studying the issue in committee since late last year. Some argue that a dress code would save parents money and improve discipline and focus in the classroom.
“By and large, I think we did pretty well,” said Dr. Donald Hattier, Indian River school board member and chair of the uniform committee. “I was overwhelmed by the response, the positive nature of it. Some people thought it was well overdue; some said, ‘I’m taking the kids out of the district,’” if the district implements a dress code, he added.
Hattier and fellow committee members plan to present the results and preliminary ideas to the board at its Feb. 27 meeting at Sussex Central High School. Some 3,420 of the 4,531 either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” to further consider discussions while 1,111 either “strongly disagreed” or “disagreed.” The survey was sent in last month’s report cards to more than 8,100 parents of district students. Officials were pleased with the response, said Dave Maull, the district’s public information official.
“That is outstanding, when you are talking about a survey,” he said, adding that district officials are still tallying answer results for the remaining survey questions. Statistics already calculated were the answers to the question, “Do you think the school board should consider a policy for 07-08?”
“We figured we’d go ahead and tally the most important question first and see where stand,” Maull said.
Early school uniform proposals call for pants — blue, black or khaki colored — with a logo-less collared shirt, and are similar to dress codes already implemented at Southern Delaware School of the Arts and in the Woodbridge School District. Officials are still discussing the code, however, officials firmly noted, and acceptable color schemes.
In Woodbridge, shorts and skirts are acceptable, as long as they adhere to a length requirement, and sweatshirts must be hood-less and accompanied by a turtleneck or collared shirt underneath.
Students interviewed by the Coastal Point in December expressed a contrast in opinion; some argued that mandating a uniformed code would strip students of creative expression while others agreed with officials that it would “level the playing field” while providing a savings for parents.
Hattier, father to three daughters, said he and fellow committee members are attempting to solicit the help of students in drafting a code but would not be surprised by disapproval.
The committee is “hoping to get some student involvement to (find out) what kinds of things they might be comfortable with. I don’t want to squash their creativity, but I don’t want them looking like bums either,” he said. But, Hattier added, perhaps realistically, “They don’t want uniforms.”