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School board approves A.L. Brown dress code revisions
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Published: July 22, 2009
KANNAPOLIS — The band would play the same if they wore ordinary clothes, but they would not make the same impression as when they have uniforms, said Doris Buchanan.
She and other school board members decided on Monday that A.L. Brown High School students would make such an impression with their new uniforms and approved the new dress code that prohibits wearing jeans and cargo pants, beginning this school year.
The vote was unanimous, despite objections and concerns raised by a room full of parents and students.
More than five students and parents spoke during the public comment portion of the Kannapolis City Schools Board of Education meeting on Monday and asked to keep the dress code the way it is.
There was also a petition that about 100 people signed in opposition of the new dress code.
"Uniforms will not fix the behavior issues in the classrooms, and any dress code works only if it is enforced," said Dakota Palacio, a rising sophomore at A.L. Brown. "If the goal is quality education, I don't feel this is the answer."
Most of the concerns among parents and students were that families would have to buy additional clothing in tough economic times.
Families were also upset that they did not have more advance notice about the new policy with the school year beginning soon.
Last week, Kannapolis City Schools announced through letters and a Connect-Ed message that A.L. Brown would possibly switch to a new dress code.
Kevin Garay, A.L. Brown's new principal, also said the school would try to help families who had a hard time affording items for the new dress code.
Since 2006, the students have been required to wear a collared shirt of white, gray, navy blue or green. Now, students will have to wear pants, shorts, skirts or skorts of a twill-like material that are black, navy blue or khaki.
Students must also wear a belt when their clothing has loops for it and are prohibited from wearing bedroom shoes, flip-flops and athletic sandals.
Many students and parents said they felt it would be difficult for families to afford new clothing required by the code.
"When free breakfast programs can no longer be free and books become harder to budget for, I strongly doubt that we can afford the resources to aid every student in need of new clothing," said Hannah Love, a rising sophomore at A.L. Brown.
Love and other students also said that, with more restrictions, teachers would spend even more class time making sure the dress code is enforced than they already do.
"It feels like class time is wasted," Palacio said.
After the students and parents spoke, Garay provided some additional information, saying that the full uniform policy had been discussed in the past and that he had seen the difference since the first implementation of it three years ago.
"Almost every teacher wants this because of dealing with issues of enforcement," Garay said.
He also said many parents supported it, because it would be more affordable in the long run.
Board members Charles Mitchell and Todd Adams agreed.
"For our family, uniforms have saved us money," Adams said. "My daughter has not become brand-conscious."
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