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18
In The News
Jumping on the Bandwagon: School Uniforms
A bill in the West Virginia state legislature
to put all state students in uniforms, sponsored
by state senator Truman Chafin,
passed in the senate and has moved onto
the House of Delegates, according to a
report in the March 3 Register Herald. The
several years old bill is what Chafin hopes
will be the beginning of a statewide policy.
If adopted, the bill will include a
$10,000 incentive to help subsidize the
costs of the uniforms.
Powell Junior High School in Mesa,
Arizona, became the first full-size junior
high school in the Mesa district to require
its students to wear uniforms, according
to an article in the May 23 Arizona
Republic. Parental approval was
acquired through a vote on school uniforms,
which showed that 83 percent of
parents were in favor of them. According
to Powell Principal Nancy Guerra
Roberts, other schools in the district are
going to require an 80 percent majority of
parents in favor of school uniforms in
order to instate a uniform policy. The uniform
standards put in place in Powell
Junior High required that students wear
khaki bottoms (either pants, capris,
skirts, or skirts) and a polo shirt in either
red, white, or blue.
The Journal Times of Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, reported June 20 mixed reviews of
the McKinley Middle School’s newly
implemented school uniform policy. The
policy prohibits students from wearing
jeans, sweat pants, outside pockets,
stripes, and hoods and requires students
to wear school-approved uniforms. Some
parents are against the idea because they
believe it will take the teacher’s focus
away from teaching. In addition, those
against the policy feel that public schools
should not have such requirements.
Others fully support the school’s decision
and believe that uniforms are in the best
interest of their children.
Helping students avoid bullying and
teasing are major reasons to support
Reported by Gina Goldblatt
school uniform dress codes according to
an editorial in the November 1 Asheville
Citizen-Times, in North Carolina.
Columnist Susan Reinhardt in her piece
advocated school uniforms, claiming that
much of the emotional and physical abuse
that is sometimes found in schools stems
from those being picked on not being up
on the new fashion trends. Reinhardt referenced
a Wall Street Journal study and
other writings on the efficacy of school
uniforms. With movies such as "Mean
Girls," exemplifying the realities of fashion-based
cliques and harassment, the
issue has moved to the forefront in the
debate over school uniforms in public
schools. Reinhardt believes that school
clothes should be geared towards the
school experience, an environment in
which learning is the top priority. Fashion
can be a priority on the weekend, when it
does not interfere with school.
Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
announced the donation of $10,000
worth of cold-weather school uniforms for
students at Ralph Bunche Elementary,
Duffield Elementary/Middle School and
Burns Elementary/Middle School, according
to a November 8 article in the
Detroit News. Ninety percent of the students
at Ralph Bunche are poor enough to
qualify for free or reduced lunches, and
therefore have difficulties in paying for
the required uniforms. The money came
from Kilpatrick’s staff, businesses and
outside individuals. Kilpatrick and the
superintendent of Detroit public schools,
Connie Calloway, plan to meet more frequently
in the near future to come up
with ways to help the students get the
most out of their education.
Georgia’s News 3 reported November
8 that the Sumter County school district
put forth a measure to require all students
to wear uniforms at all of the schools in
the district. It was hoped that the uniforms
would help keep students out of
trouble, and reduce unhealthy fashion
competition. Students at Sumter
Elementary found the uniforms beneficial
as they saw uniforms as a way of representing
their school. In addition, the students
found that the uniforms helped promote
feelings of collectivity and pride.
According to the new school uniform
guidelines, students are to wear khaki,
navy or black pants, with skirt and dress
options for girls. Tops are white, khaki or
navy. Doug Becton a parent who lives in
the school district said, "I've been for it
the whole time; I like uniformity, it helps
to take away from the style aspect of
everybody and focuses more on their
character." The school has seen a significant
decrease in discipline referrals since
the installation of the new dress code,
according to counselor Sharron Marcus.
The one complaint some parents have had
is about the lack of choices. In response to
this, Sumter County officials have introduced
a spirit day once a week. On these
days, students are allowed to wear school
colors or clothes with their mascot on
them, other than uniform clothing.
School uniforms may help students to
avoid having put up with the pressures
created by fashionable clothes, or the lack
thereof, especially teenage females
according to a November 11 report in
The Morning News, out of Cleveland,
Ohio. Uniforms save teenagers and their
parents money, as well as contribute to an
atmosphere and school community devoid
of the unnecessary pressures associated
with students’ clothing choices. In addition,
school uniforms keep principals
from having to set cumbersome dress
codes, which takes time away from education
enrichment initiatives and projects
on which faculty members could otherwise
focus more intently. According to the
article, the emphasis on student creativity
and personal expression becomes a part of
their academic work, rather than their
clothing. SU
In respect to the earlier issues mentioned
pertaining to the expansion of uniforms
encompassing more fashionable or trendy
apparel, only so many of these products
are beneficial to the company. It really is
a very delicate balance that must be
struck between providing customers with
the products they want, and keeping the
News Briefs
(Continued from page 10)
revamped its line with new styles and
sizes. Sixty percent of this year’s back-toschool
offerings were brand new.
Most requested this season were updated
plaid options and Lands’ End responded
with nine new prints.
“Kids will be able to choose from several
styles that pack the plaid punch,” said
Kira Gutknecht of Lands’ End’s Public
Relations Department. The company is
now offering popular school plaids in colors
such as navy and yellow, green and red
and blue and gray. Styles available include
skirts, skorts and jumpers. Other updates
include improved durability and style
selection.
“Typically, parents will be sent to one
retailer for basic polos and oxfords, another
for jumpers and skirts and yet another
for shoes and socks,” said Gutknecht.
Added features include stain and wrinkleresistance,
adjustable waistbands and free
hemming. “Outfits not only survive until
the last day of school but also can be
passed down from one child to the next,”
she added.
Land’s End has also made purchasing
school uniforms easy and efficient. The
company has added the Dress Code Finder
tool to its web as well as expanded its
school uniform offerings at Sears for those
who line to shop in-store. To learn more
visit, www.landsend.com/school. SU
— L.D
(Continued from page 11)
best interests of the company as a whole in
mind.
In essence, School Apparel strives to control
special orders, educate sales personnel
about every aspect of sales, including
wholesale concerns, and keep in mind the
bigger picture while each intricate detail is
being attended to. None of this is an easy
Event Profile
During the August market,
more than 120,000
people from 80 countries
gathered in Las Vegas for
the MAGIC Marketplace.
Manufacturers and dis-
Roundtable
task, as there is not just one issue, on the
contrary there are many issues that all of
us in the industry are constantly striving
to address.”
“However, the increase in school uniform
use in public sectors, as well as our strong
existing customer base encourages us.” SU
Cherokee in Vegas
tributors from all ends of
the apparel industry
came together to show off
their latest and greatest
products. School
Uniforms magazine
Reported by Libby Dowd
and Ted Vayos
stopped by the Strategic
Partners booth to meet
with company executives
and find out the latest
from one of the industry’s
largest suppliers.
Above, Andy Beattie, senior Vice President, with Bill Bosch, Vice
President of Sales and Marketing, both for Classroom Apparel.