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Few pupils run afoul of dress code
By ROBERT KING, Times Staff Writer BROOKSVILLE -- At Parrott Middle School, the tough new dress code is serious business. Karen Treharn found that out when her son, Christopher Phillips, came home from school Monday and told her he had spent the day in in-school suspension. His offense: forgetting to wear a belt. Christopher, a seventh-grader, was one of about 30 Parrott students who served time Monday in in-school suspension for dress code violations. On Tuesday, another 20 were confined there. It is all part of Parrott's no-nonsense approach to dress code enforcement that goes along with new rules requiring belts, solid-colored shirts and solid-colored pants, among other things. Students not in compliance may call home and have code-friendly clothes brought to them. But if no one comes, they get to spend the day in in-school suspension. "I called the school and told them I thought it was pathetically stupid that they would send him to (in-school suspension) for the entire day," said Treharn, who like her husband, Bill, was at work when the call came Monday. "You would think they would give him at least one day to get it right." Parrott principal Marvin Gordon said only about 10 students were missing belts on opening day. The other 20 offenders were wearing the wrong type of shirts. Still, over the first two days, more than 97 percent of Parrott's students have been in proper attire, he said. Gordon said that is because his school has taken great efforts to inform parents. Letters were sent home in the spring and in July. In recent weeks, automated phone messages were left at the homes of returning students. The school's Web site lists the rules, and callers who get put on hold while calling the school hear a recitation of the dress code in their ear. "There is no excuse," Gordon said. Treharn, whose son had the right shirt and pants, supports the dress code. But the letter she recalls said nothing about belts and only that pants should be "worn securely at the waist." Christopher's pants were secure at the waist Monday, she said. But the boy did not own a belt. At least not until Monday night. Schools around the county have been adopting stricter dress codes in recent years. Some have gone so far as to call their requirements a "uniform." Typically, they involve collared shirts in a few specific solid colors. More often than not, pants or shorts must be in khaki, navy or black. At present, eight of the county's 17 schools have tight dress restrictions. All but Parrott are elementary schools. At Moton Elementary, which enacted a stricter dress code Monday, only nine or 10 students were out of compliance on Monday; only about three on Tuesday, according to principal Donnie Moen. Those students were given proper shirts to wear. Repeat offenders will have to come in for a conference. And, ultimately, the children could visit in-school suspension. But Moen does not expect it to go that far. His school's Parent-Teacher Organization spent $3,500 to buy every child in the school a "starter" shirt. There is also a small clothes closet, similar to one at Parrott, for those struggling to buy clothes. At Pine Grove Elementary, which had a strict dress code debut Monday, compliance was nearly universal. Only about four of 1,007 students were not in proper attire Tuesday, said principal Dave Dannemiller. School officials talked with students who were out of compliance on opening day. On Tuesday, letters were to go home with those out of compliance. Starting today, students will be pulled out of class until proper clothing is brought to them, Dannemiller said. At Parrott, Gordon and his faculty members sat down last week and decided for an immediate trip to in-school suspension. Parents of two-time offenders must come in for a conference. Gordon said the first two days of school are primarily for getting organized. He said he is not overly concerned about what the students stuck in in-school suspension have missed. Already, he senses a change in attitudes and behavior at Parrott. And Gordon says the new dress code -- intended to negate clothing competition and help kids focus -- may be the reason. "You should take a look at the kids, really," Gordon said. "They look good." -- 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 Letters |
