Friday, July 13, 2007
Flagler Schools Parents & Teachers: Save This Date!
More information from the school board town hall meeting on Wednesday will be posted later today.
In the meantime I would like to request that all parents of Flagler Schools students (and teachers as well) please plan on attending the Tuesday, July 24th, 2007 school board meeting at 6pm at the Government Services building in Bunnell. Whether you are for or against the uniform policy, if you are a parent of a Flagler Schools student, or a teacher, I would ask that you please attend that meeting to help request that the school board turn the decision about uniforms over to the parents through a parent survey and vote.
The school board's process up to this point has been severely lacking in public - and specifically parent - input on this matter. They voted on the issue before hearing from parents and staff about it at the town hall meeting. Even at the town hall meeting, about half of the input the board listened to in favor of their uniform policy was from people who are not Flagler Schools parents or staff, people whose lives it will not affect in any way.
Most districts that have started using uniforms have done so only after a parent survey/vote, and I don't believe that the parents of Flagler county should be denied our right to decide what we want for our children in this case.
Representatives of the ACLU will be at the school board meeting again on July 24th to assist Flagler Schools parents in getting back our rights to determine what is best for our kids. It is time to stop playing politics with our kids' education. Please come out to the meeting to show your support for a parent survey, whether you support uniforms or not. Tell the board we want to decide what is right for our kids ourselves.
In the meantime I would like to request that all parents of Flagler Schools students (and teachers as well) please plan on attending the Tuesday, July 24th, 2007 school board meeting at 6pm at the Government Services building in Bunnell. Whether you are for or against the uniform policy, if you are a parent of a Flagler Schools student, or a teacher, I would ask that you please attend that meeting to help request that the school board turn the decision about uniforms over to the parents through a parent survey and vote.
The school board's process up to this point has been severely lacking in public - and specifically parent - input on this matter. They voted on the issue before hearing from parents and staff about it at the town hall meeting. Even at the town hall meeting, about half of the input the board listened to in favor of their uniform policy was from people who are not Flagler Schools parents or staff, people whose lives it will not affect in any way.
Most districts that have started using uniforms have done so only after a parent survey/vote, and I don't believe that the parents of Flagler county should be denied our right to decide what we want for our children in this case.
Representatives of the ACLU will be at the school board meeting again on July 24th to assist Flagler Schools parents in getting back our rights to determine what is best for our kids. It is time to stop playing politics with our kids' education. Please come out to the meeting to show your support for a parent survey, whether you support uniforms or not. Tell the board we want to decide what is right for our kids ourselves.
Tuesday, July 24th, 2007
6pm - 8pm
Board Room, Government Services Building, Bunnell
6pm - 8pm
Board Room, Government Services Building, Bunnell
Thursday, July 12, 2007
The Latest Daytona Beach News-Journal Article
Here is the latest article from the News-Journal covering the school board town hall meeting on uniforms last night: School Board: Uniform coming; what kind is the question
A reporter from the Flagler Times was also present so watch for coverage from them as well later this week.
Extensive coverage of last night's events will be posted here later today! It was an eventful evening.
A reporter from the Flagler Times was also present so watch for coverage from them as well later this week.
Extensive coverage of last night's events will be posted here later today! It was an eventful evening.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Why does the Chamber of Commerce care about uniforms?
According to an article in today's Flagler Times, School Superintendent Bill Delbrugge is anticipating receiving a letter of support for a uniform policy in Flagler Schools from the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce.
Since support for business is usually their concern (and not local educational issues), I am curious why the Chamber of Commerce cares about whether there are uniforms in the local school system. Shouldn't that be left up to the parents and educational professionals to decide?
Superintendent Delbrugge says the Chamber of Commerce's interest is because they represent local employers who are concerned about potential employees being taught how to dress appropriately. He says employers want students to learn the difference between "appropriate dress versus beach dress."
It seems to me that forcing students to wear the same thing every day doesn't do anything to teach them judgment and decision-making skills about deciding what is appropriate to wear for a specific situation. It doesn't teach future employees how to determine what is appropriate dress for their place of employment and to follow that guideline. Instead it only teaches them how to obediently wear a uniform. Students learn no "real life" skills from wearing a uniform, other than how to wear a uniform.
Research shows that it costs parents an extra $200-$400 per year per child in clothing expenses when schools have uniforms. With over 11,000 students currently enrolled in Flagler County Schools, that could total at least $2-$4 million in extra clothing expenditures per school year for Flagler County students.
I wonder if that has something to do with the Chamber of Commerce's enthusiastic support of uniforms in Flagler County Schools?
Since support for business is usually their concern (and not local educational issues), I am curious why the Chamber of Commerce cares about whether there are uniforms in the local school system. Shouldn't that be left up to the parents and educational professionals to decide?
Superintendent Delbrugge says the Chamber of Commerce's interest is because they represent local employers who are concerned about potential employees being taught how to dress appropriately. He says employers want students to learn the difference between "appropriate dress versus beach dress."
It seems to me that forcing students to wear the same thing every day doesn't do anything to teach them judgment and decision-making skills about deciding what is appropriate to wear for a specific situation. It doesn't teach future employees how to determine what is appropriate dress for their place of employment and to follow that guideline. Instead it only teaches them how to obediently wear a uniform. Students learn no "real life" skills from wearing a uniform, other than how to wear a uniform.
Research shows that it costs parents an extra $200-$400 per year per child in clothing expenses when schools have uniforms. With over 11,000 students currently enrolled in Flagler County Schools, that could total at least $2-$4 million in extra clothing expenditures per school year for Flagler County students.
I wonder if that has something to do with the Chamber of Commerce's enthusiastic support of uniforms in Flagler County Schools?
Monday, July 9, 2007
Don't forget the school board town hall meeting on uniforms!
The school board is holding a town hall meeting on school uniforms this Wednesday evening at 7pm in the Board Room at the Government Services building in Bunnell.
The Government Services Building is at 1769 East Moody Boulevard, a mile west of the intersection of Belle Terre and S.R.100.
The Government Services Building is at 1769 East Moody Boulevard, a mile west of the intersection of Belle Terre and S.R.100.
Uniform debate hits News-Journal, "Lookism" in schools
The school uniform debate in Flagler Schools once again made the Daytona Beach News-Journal today, complete with pro-con on uniforms: Town Hall Meeting on Uniforms Slated
The "Today" show ran a piece this morning on the latest research on "lookism" among young people. Children as young as 6 years old have been shown to make character judgments based on a person's physical appearance. Research also says that even teachers are guilty of basing judgments of students on how that child looks. Good looking children were assumed to be more intelligent and more personable than less attractive students, even when the teachers were given identical statistics other than photographs to evaluate them by!
Anyone who has ever been to a restaurant or store where a uniform is required to be worn by the staff knows that uniforms just simply look better on some people than on others. Uniforms don't create equality. They actually enforce the social standard of who looks good, since certain people just simply look good in anything. Everyone else, who are encouraged by fashion stylists to "dress to flatter your bodies" are stuck in things that not only don't flatter them but can actually be actively unflattering. The self-esteem blow to a person of being stuck in an unflattering look instead of being able to dress to their best potential can be harsh.
Educating our kids is supposed to be about teaching them self-worth and about teaching them to fulfill their potential. So why then should we limit their potential and tell them they can only look good during school hours if they were born looking a certain way?
The "Today" show ran a piece this morning on the latest research on "lookism" among young people. Children as young as 6 years old have been shown to make character judgments based on a person's physical appearance. Research also says that even teachers are guilty of basing judgments of students on how that child looks. Good looking children were assumed to be more intelligent and more personable than less attractive students, even when the teachers were given identical statistics other than photographs to evaluate them by!
Anyone who has ever been to a restaurant or store where a uniform is required to be worn by the staff knows that uniforms just simply look better on some people than on others. Uniforms don't create equality. They actually enforce the social standard of who looks good, since certain people just simply look good in anything. Everyone else, who are encouraged by fashion stylists to "dress to flatter your bodies" are stuck in things that not only don't flatter them but can actually be actively unflattering. The self-esteem blow to a person of being stuck in an unflattering look instead of being able to dress to their best potential can be harsh.
Educating our kids is supposed to be about teaching them self-worth and about teaching them to fulfill their potential. So why then should we limit their potential and tell them they can only look good during school hours if they were born looking a certain way?
Friday, July 6, 2007
School Board votes on tougher dress code for 2007-2008
The Flagler school board has voted to enact what they describe as a "tougher" dress code for the 2007-2008 school year while they are waiting to put in place the uniform policy during 2008-2009.
The details can be found in the News-Journal's story on the board meeting, but according to the News-Journal "changes" coming include:
It doesn't seem much different from the previous dress code, quoted here from the student manual for last year posted on the district's website:
I'm all for the dress code. Enforce that instead of forcing kids into uniforms that don't actually solve any problems and cause even more expense and work for parents.
The details can be found in the News-Journal's story on the board meeting, but according to the News-Journal "changes" coming include:
· Miniskirts, short shorts or dresses must be 4 inches above the knee.
· No underwear should be seen at any time.
· Shirts must reach the belt line of pants or be long enough to get tucked in.
· Footwear that is a safety hazard will not be allowed (this includes those with wheels and possibly flip flops).
· All pants must be properly sized and worn secured at the waist level.
It doesn't seem much different from the previous dress code, quoted here from the student manual for last year posted on the district's website:
1. Short shorts/micro-mini skirts or dresses must be no shorter than the length of the student's longest finger with their arms relaxed at their side.Looks like the only real change is the definition of how the skirts are measured and the inclusion of footwear in the code. The real question is - will there be actual enforcement of the dress code now? The uniform debate wouldn't even be happening if the existing code had been enforced.
2. Hats, headgear, or any head covering (bandanas, sweatbands, du-rags) are not allowed.
3. Tops must be long enough to clearly overlap the belt line or stay tucked in during the course of the normal movement throughout the school day.
4. Bare midriff tops, halters, revealing tops, tank tops, muscle shirts, mesh clothing, see-through clothing, blouses or shirts with string straps are not allowed.
5. Underwear, including bra straps or boxer shorts that show is not allowed.
6. Underwear and sleepwear as outer clothing are not allowed.
7. Tight fitting clothing or spandex-type material that is not covered by other clothing is not allowed.
8. Clothes or tattoos that show profanity, violence, sexually suggestive phrases or pictures, gang related symbols, alcohol, tobacco, drugs or advertisements for such products or other phrases or symbols deemed inappropriate by the administration will not be allowed.
9. Wearing apparel, which tends to identify association with secret societies or gangs as prohibited in Florida Statues are not allowed.
10. No sunglasses can be worn inside buildings.
11. Wallet chains or dog collars are not allowed.
12. Chains in excess of 12” that hang outside clothing are not allowed.
13. Jewelry that presents a safety or health hazard or causes a major disruption to the educational process is not allowed.
14. Footwear that is a safety hazard will not be allowed. (i.e. footwear with wheels, including but not limited to Healy’s)
15. Clothing which is not worn appropriately, is not properly fastened, or has tears that are indecent will not be permitted.
16. All trousers, including oversized or low-hanging trousers, must be worn and secured at waist level.
17. Clothing must be free of intentional holes or rips that are 4” above knee. This can cause a distraction to the educational environment.
Students who are considered to be dressed inappropriately or who violate above guidelines will be sent to the office. The administration/designee shall determine whether a mode of dress is in violation of the district Dress Code Policy. In cases where a student is inappropriately dressed, arrangements will be made with the parents for an appropriate change of clothing. In the case of high school students, with parent authorization, the child may be sent home for a change of clothing.
Students who are sent to the office more than one time for Dress Code violations will be subject to disciplinary measures.
I'm all for the dress code. Enforce that instead of forcing kids into uniforms that don't actually solve any problems and cause even more expense and work for parents.
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