A+ for School Uniforms

Thursday 09th of April 2009 09:43:49 PM

Public schools across the United States are instituting school uniform policies for the 2009-2010 school year. Flyers went out this week in several Florida school districts announcing the upcoming uniform policy and have been met with cheers and jeers.

One Florida school district held several town hall meetings prior to making their decision on school uniforms . When the flyers in this district went out the majority of parents were receptive. Why?

School Board representative Arnold Akers told the Orlando Sentinel that educating the parents made the new policies more attractive to parents. “We addressed the parents’ fears before making school uniforms a policy. We listened to what they had to say and incorporated their ideas into our plans.”

One of the most insistent cries from parents was that the uniforms be cost effective. Some schools in Akers district have a large low income population and parents were concerned about expensive shirts, jackets, and pants. Akers and the board solved this problem by making the school uniform cost efficient.

“We designed a very basic uniform that takes into account comfort, price, and durability. The uniform for the 2009 school year consists of a blue t-shirt with individual school logos, khaki slacks, a belt, and matching socks. For girls we added the option of skirts.” Akers says there are extras that parents can buy like sweatshirts and sweaters but the basic uniform is very affordable at around $30.

Akers hopes other school districts will follow their lead. “Cost effective school uniforms get an A+ in our book. Parents do not have to spend untold amounts of cash on high end fashion, jealousies will hopefully be lessened, and the uniforms will give students a sense of pride and school spirit.’

It seems that many schools are following Akers lead. Manufacturers of promotional clothing say orders for printed t-shirts to be incorporated into school uniforms are on the rise.