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Uniforms required at two more schools
By ROBERT KING, Times Staff Writer BROOKSVILLE -- Moton Elementary and Pine Grove Elementary will join the ranks of schools that require student uniforms next year. The School Board voted unanimously late Tuesday night to grant both schools' requests for mandatory uniforms. Five other elementary schools in the county -- Brooksville, Chocachatti, Eastside, J.D. Floyd and Spring Hill -- already require uniforms. The new additions mean seven of the county's 10 elementary schools will have uniforms next fall. The School Board has encouraged the proliferation of uniforms. And board member Jim Malcolm said Tuesday night that Hernando County's experiment with uniforms has so far gone well. "It seems to have eased in with excellent results at every school that's tried it," Malcolm said. School uniforms in recent years have become increasingly popular in public schools around the country. Locally, principals have billed uniforms as a social equalizer, since both rich and poor kids will dress alike. They say it should help with dress code enforcement and reduce teasing that occurs with kids who can't afford nice clothes. They say uniforms are cheaper than other clothes and that parents like the simplification of dressing kids in the morning. But critics, including some parents, have said schools don't need to resort to uniforms to stop dress code infractions or teasing and that clothes are a form of expression for children. A few have been critical, too, that uniforms are a school-mandated expense that some families can't afford. Moton's uniform is: Polo-type shirts in green, blue, white, burgundy, purple and gold with bottoms (pants, shorts, skirts, or skirt/short hybrids known as "skorts") that are blue, khaki or black. Pine Grove's uniform is: Polo-type shirts in red, white or navy blue with bottoms (pants, shorts, skirts, jumpers or skorts) in navy blue or khaki. Pine Grove will also allow students the option of wearing a Pine Grove T-shirt on Fridays. Both schools surveyed parents about uniforms and found a majority -- 70 percent at Moton, 58 percent at Pine Grove -- favored them. School Board member Sandra Nicholson questioned Pine Grove principal Dave Dannemiller about the slimmer margin of approval for uniforms at his school. "I do not have a crystal ball," Dannemiller said, "but I do not predict it will be a major problem." A group of Moton parents in the audience at Tuesday night's board meeting burst into applause when the board voted 5-0 to grant their uniform request. -- Times staff writer Robert King covers education in Hernando County and can be reached at 754-6127. Send e-mail to rking@sptimes.com.
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From today's Hernando Times |
