By a vote of 3-2, the Osceola County School Board voted to implement a mandatory uniform policy in all public schools K-12. Fearing the impact on an already overworked administration facing severe budget cuts, several board members pushed for a compromise position of only requiring uniforms for K-8, but Jay Wheeler refused to compromise. Tom Greer and David Stone voted against the uniform policy.
There were 35 speakers at the meeting (maybe 60% against uniforms and 40% pro). Most impressive were several groups of students (including my own 9-year old
) who spoke very well and made good arguments. Of course, all the students who spoke were against uniforms.
Keep an eye out here for more details of the meeting, and where we go from here. (Hint: we will not go quietly into the night!)
1 comment:
Hi Steve,
I see you guys are still fighting the Good Fight out there. Good luck to you. I'm a NJ mom. Two kids, 12 & 13. This issue has reared its ugly head (again) here recently. Successfully vanquished the Beast in 2002, but this time around we might be fighting a losing battle.
Our stacked deck consists of three district PTO's (Otherwise known as The Momfia), along with the entire Board of Ed. All are avowed advocates of the New Regime. Though preliminary "surveys" found the idea of a mandatory school uniform less popular than its proponents might have hoped, the fliers disclosing the results assured district parents that we could anticipate significant "revisions" in the school dress code next year. Is there a Standardized Mode of Dress in our future? A uniform by any other name...
I've done a great deal of writing on this subject-letters to the BOE (admittedly pointless), as well as the Superintendent. I don't expect my present efforts to have much impact, but at this point if I can compel them to bear witness to the folly of this insipid, sorry little crusade, I will at least feel that I have been marginally successful. Beyond that, I'll likely petition for exemptions for my children. May even threaten/pursue litigation. Who Knows? Moving far away from this tragic burb would be my first choice, but the current housing market makes that an impossible dream.
Want angry letters? Manifestos? I just happen to have a few to spare & I'd be happy to pass them along. Always a pleasure to share with like-minded folk.
Very Sincerely Opposed,
Susan T
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