It’s ironic
– and unfortunate – but apparently there’s nothing uniform about
the uniform policies in Gilroy’s public schools.
It’s ironic – and unfortunate – but apparently there’s nothing uniform about the uniform policies in Gilroy’s public schools.
Uniforms, which were once the rage of public schools, are supposed to set an appropriate tone for the campus, increase school spirit, take pressure off of students to comply with the latest fad, lessen the battle for parents each morning over what their kids will wear to school and remove distractions from the learning environment.
That all sounds well and good, but when the uniform requirement isn’t uniformly enforced, it ends up doing more harm than good. The hit-or-miss policies at Gilroy Unified School District’s elementary schools, sadly, fit that bill.
It’s time for district officials to either strictly enforce a districtwide elementary school uniform uniform policy or to abandon the wear-it-or-don’t-wear-it uniform policy.
What’s the point of having a uniform policy that school officials ignore.
Thankfully, the administration at Gilroy High isn’t taking that approach. There’s a new emphasis on compliance with the dress code. That’s a good thing.
If district officials want a learning environment where rules and authority are respected, the rules need to be enforced.
Our photographer easily found multiple and flagrant violations of Gilroy High School’s dress code on campus last week. So, the dress code isn’t being enforced. But officials are letting the students know that’s going to change.
The sooner the better. We think the dress code requirements – no visible underwear, no inappropriate T-shirt topics, no short skirts, no low-cut tops, for example – are reasonable and conducive to a good learning environment.
The posters explaining the rules that hang all over Gilroy High School, and the miniature versions that teachers can use to report violators are great ideas.
But unless the rules are enforced, they might as well be abandoned and a hormone-fueled, trend-setting clothing free-for-all can reign on the GHS campus.
We know that educators have lots of things to worry about, and dress codes are not the most important item on that long, long list of priorities. But the way students dress does impact their learning environment, can create serious distractions, and can express disrespect for themselves, their peers and their teachers.
If GHS and GUSD want to have a uniform policy or dress code, we’ve got no beef with that – as long as it is uniformly enforced.
