By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Although things will remain the same for now as far as school uniforms for students in Escambia County Schools, county education officials are working and reworking several proposed amendments to the policy.
Superintendent of Education Dr. Michele Collier admitted during a March 20 workshop that preceded the Escambia County Board of Education’s regular meeting that the current policy isn’t being followed very closely. She said no real effort has been made to ensure that students follow the rules about clothing that fits the uniform policy.
“We’ve been very lax, almost to the point of not wearing uniforms,” Dr. Collier told board members. “It’s not something that’s been looked at, but our policy is not being enforced by teachers. We also realize it’s a cost burden for some, and it differs from school to school.”
Most county schools require khaki trousers or skirts, with a designated color for shirts or blouses, depending upon the school. One of the biggest problems is that khakis come in numerous shades, and it is common for students to wear those that don’t match each other and don’t exactly meet provisions of the current policy.
There is also a problem with khaki skirts, and it’s not the color.
“Students are wearing all different shades of khaki pants and skirts, and the skirts are shorter than the policy requires,” said the superintendent, who also pointed out that “spirit shirts” worn by students at various schools are technically violations of the uniform code.
Dr. Collier said 2,701 individuals — including parents, students and teachers — responded to a survey about the current policy, and 62.8 percent said they did not want the current uniform policy to remain in effect. Most expressed their desire for a general dress code instead, she said.
BOE President Coleman Wallace said he understands the non-compliance to some degree.
“In the rural (school) districts, like ours, I can better understand (students) not being uniform-compliant,” Wallace said. “I’d like to see some kind of progress before we amend the policy, see how it works.”
Dr. Collier and the BOE discussed some of the possible amendments to the policy, and the superintendent provided board members with a rough draft of the proposed new uniform policy, which could possibly be implemented at some schools before the end of the current term.
“It’s drafty, drafty, drafty,” Dr. Collier admitted about the rough proposal. “I’d like to give it to the principals and see what their thoughts are, and I’d like for us to have more conversation about it before we send it to the board for your approval. When it’s ready and approved by the board, it will be implemented districtwide. We may even phase in some grades and some schools to test it.”