INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – Students in Indian River County could be required to wear similar shirts and pants or skirts as their classmates if the School Board decides to move forward with a possible “unified” dress code.
During a roundtable discussion amongst board members, Superintendent Dr. Harry La Cava broached the subject, telling them that he has been working on developing a new dress code. As it stands, the School District has a general dress code that students must adhere to, unless their individual school has other rules. Those rules usually come from the advisory committee at that school in a “grassroots” manner, La Cava said.
A unified dress code does not necessarily mean uniforms, the superintendent told the School Board. Instead, it would mean that students would be required to wear a certain style – or styles – of shirts, pants or skirts, which could be a certain color or part of a certain color scheme.
“I’ll tell you, I would love it,” School Board member Matt McCain said during the discussion, explaining that his wife would love – and he has to live with her.
Fellow member Carol Johnson also expressed support of the idea, explaining that “uniforms” are cheaper than trying to keep up with the latest fashions.
Debbie MacKay was also supportive, telling her fellow board members that studies have shown that uniforms help to level the social playing field at schools by eliminating the way students are defined by what they wear.
School Board Chairwoman Karen Disney-Brombach expressed skepticism that a unified dress code would be adopted by the student body.
“I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around this,” she said, adding that her “usually optimistic self” isn’t sure such an endeavor would be supported by the community.
However, Disney-Brombach said she would keep an open mind and would be willing to hear more information about it.
Johnson said that if the district were to proceed with a new dress code, they should hold a town hall meeting or workshop to gather public input and try to get public buy-in.
No decisions have been made on the issue as of yet, nor have any public meetings been scheduled to address the possibility of a unified dress code.
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What do you think? Would you support a unified dress code at your student’s school? Does your student already wear a uniform? What has your student’s experience at school been like with a uniform?
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