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Read comments (24)That's because of agenda item III.D., labeled "School Dress Code."
The issue of school attire has been a hot item for months. School board members began discussing and debating it a year ago, but it didn't become a hot topic among the public until a draft standardized school attire (SSA) policy was released in October, with public hearings on the topic in November, December, January and last week.
Since that time, the school board has loosened a few aspects of the proposal and begin calling it a "dress code" instead of SSA.
The revised plan, released earlier this month, loosens some aspects of SSA -- applying it only to grades 6 and up, for example, and allowing plain, unadorned blue jeans as well as the khakis which had been required by the first draft. But it still prohibits T-shirts in favor of solid-colored, collared shirts.
Defenders of a strict dress code -- whether calling it SSA or something else -- say it promotes a calm, more professional atmosphere for learning and helps minimize class distinctions. Some rules are also said to have safety benefits, such as discouraging gang colors and making it harder to smuggle a weapon.
Opponents dispute those benefits and say the plan unfairly infringes on student and parent rights.
Because of the expected heavy interest in the issue, school board members will hold their meeting in the Harris library instead of their normal location, the conference room at the school system offices on Madison Street. The library wil make additional spectator seating available compared to the normal setting.
This will be a business meeting, however, not a public hearing, and there is nothing on the published agenda to indicate any formal opportunity for the public to speak Thursday night. School officials have solicited public input for months through the public hearings, by attending civic club and PTO meetings, and by publicizing their own individual contact information. On Thursday, it's the school board's turn to process that input, along with their own best judgment, and decide whether to approve, reject or revise the existing proposal.
Other items on Thursday night's agenda include an update on the school building program, the naming of the new elementary school to be built on Learning Way, and approval of the student delegation to attend SCOPE, a mock school board exercise.
I attended the SCOPE convention [mentioned in the article] and it was a very enlightening experience that allowed students to see what it's like being a school board member/engaging in debates, etc.
At the same time, school uniforms weren't even on the agenda in Bedford County. Obviously, I have since graduated and am about to graduate college as well... I never wore a uniform and there were never problems with gangs at my school. There are ways of dealing with the individual trouble makers without punishing the innocent. I believe, if this resolution is passed, then not only should students abide by these rules, but so too should the teachers, administration, bus drivers, and anyone else affiliated with the school process in Bedford County... Everyone of the people on this school board have obviously been successful in life. And I guarantee you that wearing standard attire that causes you to blend in never got you the success you now enjoy.
Whatever the pros for such an unnecessary waste of time, there are equal to if not more cons. I simply wished our school board would ask themselves, is is worth it? Are unfunded mandates like No Child Left Behind, which expects the same tailored results from every student any worse than this ridiculous policy to now dress them all alike as well. What will it lead to besides continuting to dumb down society and hope that children don't respectfully question authority. Isn't it funny how adults who seemingly had wonderful childhoods and teenage years suddenly forget that others have a right to one as well... Children aren't professionals, they aren't employees, and they aren't soldiers, so quit treating them as such and let them be children. Try instilling respect, responsibility, and individuality rather than conformity. If the schools have failed at the outgoing dress code policy, what makes the new one any more enforcable? Oh, except now you will have parents to deal with too!
ok I am a nerdie parent! cause I do the back pack check every morn. and did you brush your teeth, what is the plan for this evening,ball practies etc.
I even email and check in behind my kids with thier teachers, and my kids are 17 and 13. I do not give them an inch! They do not have ipods and that kind of junk! They do have c-phones and they are prepaid. They have to manage their time and buy the minutes if they run out in a certian time frame. We give our kids to much, just because we did not have it when we where kids do not mean we have to ruin ours by over indulging them. I make mine work for every privialge the get, because that is what the world is going to do when I turn them lose!
They aren't allowed, but I guarantee you on any given day, if they would search backpacks, the schools would have an overwhelming surplus of all the hand held game systems and the Ipods.
It may be on a school by school basis, but I thought electronic devices such as games and music devices weren't supposed to be brought to school.
Here is a concern expressed by the teachers of the county that my sister went to school at when they were considering "School Uniforms".....
IF all the kids are dressed alike (khaki jeans or skirts, plain colored shirt and brown or black shoes)then GOD FORBID, how would you describe a child if he/she was abducted from school, walking to or from school, from the bus stop, or they ran away on their own?
All you could say is "yeah officer he/she is {insert age here), with brown hair and wearing khakis and a blue shirt. Yep, that narrows it down to about 500 kids in that county. I memorize every morining what my kids are wearing, just in case. But if they all look alike, identifying them or finding them would be so hard. I would like to be able to say "Jeans with designs, a t-shirt with a certain band on it, black converses, necklace, and 4 bracelets and 1 ring (describing the designs of each)
As soon as the teachers expressed this concern, the school dress code that was already in place was strictly inforced yet allowed for individualism. No profanity or drug signs on shirts, no holes in jeans and no flip flops and it made it easier on the teachers because they weren't having to measure everything and the kids still could be who they are.
And I keep hearing about "eliminating" gangs. You people do realize that the gangs are that prevelant in Shelbyville and if they are, they can still wear their gang colors as solid collared shirts.
We teach our kids to be individuals and what others think don't matter while showing them the complete opposite by making them be like everybody else. This will not cut down on class distinction, people will still buy the Tommy Hilfiger/Gap/Guess/Old Navy Khakis and Jeans while some kids will wear Wal-Mart brand and make no mistake about it, kids know the difference, The tags are on the jeans. You can't eliminate kids being made fun of, you just have to teach your kids to not be the ones bragging and making fun of others and teach them that we are all the same no matter where you buy your clothes. I blame the parents that put the emphasis on the almighty dollar and make little Billy feel like he is so much better than everybody else.
I would much rather them outlaw bringing PSP's and Nintendo DS's to school. I have not purchased my child these systems, he has 3 that he can play at home, but he gets laughed at on the bus cause his friends say he is poor because he doesn't have one to play on the trips to and from school. He does have an IPod, that I have let him start taking on the bus, just so he can drown out the taunts from the cruelty of other kids that was obviously learned from their parents, kids don't get that "better than you" demeanor on their own. That is a learned process
JMHO
Dr. Philbilly,
I agree with everything you said, however the only way we are going to vote them out is to have someone to step up and run.
I am not against a dress code, I am against what it stands for. I like most parents want a safe school for our children and this disguise the problem method is not going to cut it with me. Bottom line, when this is all said and done the thugs will still be in our schools and not being dealt with, reasonable people understand that. I have lost all confidence in our elected officials and its clear the only real change that needs to be made is for them to be voted out of office. We should send a message that this county will not tolerate incompetency any longer.
Anybody going to attend the meeting @ Harris this Thurs. night 2-21 ? We need to be there, just because we do not get to speak, does not mean that we need to stay at home. We need to be there! If you stand up for something, you need to go all the way!
A standard uniform hasn't been discuss. If the school board implimented a uniform they would have to pay for nearly half the school system to wear them that is the whole reason behind SSA. The kids that are on free and reduced lunch (which is probably close to 50 %)would be entitled to free uniforms as well as lunch.
blue jay,
Why would it work? Has it worked anywhere else? Memphis has a uniform, 2 shootings in 8 days. Nashville has a uniform policy, a gun brought into school a week before the last. What good does a uniform prove, with the exception of preparing students to work in fast food and factories.
We don't have a uniform, how many guns have you heard of brought into school this year? Oh wait, just a teacher with a fetish for shooting mail-stealing coyotes...
Has a standard uniform been considered? Why would this not work?
A dress code is not going to keep the gangs or drug dealers out of the schools. All a dress code is going to do is make them look like everyone else. Where did common sense go? Quit trying to dress them like everyone else and take care of the problem. Whether they are dressed the same or not, there will still be bullies, rich, poor, gangs and drug dealers. I still stand by, MY OPPINION, and think that parents also need to be more responsible and pay attention to what their kids are wearing. I am not at all for the dress code but I would hate to see teachers spending all of their time deciding if what the kids are wearing is ok. If the school board wants to provide a uniform service and pay for it, then I am all for it. Ohterwise leave me alone and let me spend my money the way I want!
"This will be a business meeting, however, not a public hearing, and there is nothing on the published agenda to indicate any formal opportunity for the public to speak Thursday night."
That is the main reason most people don't see the need to attend ANY board meeting.
grandpat,
Agreed, this last meeting went very well and I think we accomplished alot there. The board were very good at speaking up and listening, so we shall see what comes from it.
BE SURE TO BE "CIVIL",AS OPPOSING THE "AUTHORITY"OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THEIR"WISDOM",IS "UNCIVIL".REMEMBER THAT OUR LEADERS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT,AND YOU NEVER QUESTION THEIR AUTHORITY.....HOPE THAT NO MORE STUDENT KIN FOLKS OF BOARD MEMBERS SHOW UP TO PROMOTE THE SOCALLED DRESS CODE.HEY,ENFORCE SCHOOL DRESS CODES THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.
Please remember we keep saying the school board has the "right". They were elected to office by us, the tax payers! Which means they need to listen to us, for or agaisnt!
It should not be what "they want"!
As far as free and reduced lunchs, heck lets just give to all of them and we will not have to worry about the ones who, don't pay!
Most of the ones that don't pay, sure seem to be able to afford everything else!
I am scraping up money everymorning (no joke)to give my kids lunch money, if we do not have it, and sometimes we don't we find something to make and take. My husband and I both work and our kids are sent in the best they have, they do not go to school hungry, and we are not standing in the welfare line asking for a handout, we just try to work a little harder and do better come next week, and I really do not think we are the only family out there living this way. Those who act like they have it all normally do, a mail box full of debt! And those who pretend to need all this help just drag things down and make it hard on those of us who truly try!
Being that 67% of the kids that attend Bedford County Schools are on the free or reduced lunch program, I think the school board has the right to set guidelines as to what can and cannot be worn...and yes Im sure the taxpayers will be paying for 67% of the clothes also.
In all honesty, the only way to really make sure no weapons are introduced into the schools is everyone that walks in, must wear nipple pasties and codpieces. That would solve all the problems we are having. And make them pink. No gang colors then.
-- Posted by Evil Monkey on Tue, Feb 19, 2008, at 10:45 AM
ROFFLES @ EM!!! ;p
I understand that the board feels they need to have a set of rules for the teachers to go by to control the learning enviroment, and I agree, however I do not see that they have to pick colors, patterns, brands, etc.
There should be nothing wrong with a solid colored t-shirt and jeans any day of the week. not just chosen days (10 day allowance)
as long as there skin/body parts are not shinning.
There should be nothing wrong with any collard solid/stripes/patterns of anykind
not just chosen days (10 day allowance)
as long as there skin/body parts are not shinning.
There should be nothing wrong with any school t-shirt any day of the week.not just chosen days (10 day allowance)
as long as there skin/body parts are not shinning.
Tuck or untuck should not matter. If untucked a simple tucked in undershirt of any color should be fine.
Regular jeans,kahiks whatever, as long as they are not dragging the floor or fit at the wasit not sagging.
Sometimes, the probelms is not always the student.
Sometimes it is the ones in charge passing judge on others, because they simple do not like, what they have on.
I have a question. If the "dress code" that is already in effect now cannot be enforced then who is going to have time to enforce this one??? I think teachers have more important things to take care of then making sure someones pants do not have sequins or that their shirt is tucked in and the correct color. I think my childrens education is much more important then that. Also what about the kids that their parents cannot afford to go out and buy all new clothes?? Will the county have to supply them with clothes or will they not be allowed to come to school? I think there are much more important issue then this that our educators should be taking care of.
Just wondering....Has the school board questioned the administration staff as to why the current dress code is not being enforced? Do teachers not feel supported if they send a kid to the office for dress code? If principals and assistants aren't going to back up the teachers now, what's to say they will once this code is put into place?
(I am not for or against, just wondering outloud..)
I am neither for or against the "DRESS CODE". The board is going to do what the board wants to do. Reguardless of how the public feels. I would be more for the "DRESS CODE" if in fact teachers and staff had to follow the SAME set of guidlines. I have seen some teachers where my kids go to school that look like bums. Teachers are there to set an example for the kids. Be kind of like a roll model. If the teachers can wear whatever and not follow the rules, then how do you expect a child to follow the rules.
In all honesty, the only way to really make sure no weapons are introduced into the schools is everyone that walks in, must wear nipple pasties and codpieces. That would solve all the problems we are having. And make them pink. No gang colors then.
I would like for the school board to go to the shopping stores here in Bedford County and look at "ALL" The clothes that are available to buy for our school age children; and see if they honestly think their is going to be enough of the "TYPE OF CLOTHES" they are demanding us parents to buy for all the schools that must participate in the Dress Code change on a regular basis.
Everyone does not have drivers license, or transportation other than "TAXI", WALKING, or ASKING a friend or relative to drive them some where, let alone going out of town to SHOP for hours.
Shelbyville Tn. DOES NOT have as many shopping stores for clothes, that Nashville Tn or even Murfreesboro Tn. has. And trying to find these shirts with collards, no designs, and of solid colors, and of certain colors narrows it's availability EVEN MORE. We are not a big city, nor are we a private school.
Are we going to have METAL DETECTORS at all the schools at every school entrance? Because regardless of school clothes, if a child wants to bring in a gun or knife or drugs to school they can still bring it in inside of their Book-bags. We did have a teacher accidently bring a gun into school in her purse this school year. Perhaps our TEACHERS or STAFF needs to have a NEW school attire too.