By Neil Hopwood
editor

The School Improvement Council of Darlington High School has sent parents a letter polling them about the possibility of mandating school uniforms. The letter expresses support for school uniforms, and asks that the poll be returned by March 20.

The letter, at right, seeks to make Darlington High School the fifth school in the district to mandate school uniforms of some type. Currently Brockington Elementary Magnet School, Rosenwald Elementary/Middle School, Thornwell School for the Arts, the Darlington County Intervention School and Spaulding Middle School mandate some type of school uniform. But Darlington High would become the first high school to introduce uniforms.

Darlington County School Board member Tom Henson said that any movement to bring uniforms in at DHS should have significant support from parents before it went forward. He said that uniforms at the high school level are far more rare than at the lower levels, and pointed out that DHS already had a strict dress code policy.

“If you have a good, quality dress code, you can allow children to be themselves,” Henson said. “I think we're tougher than other school districts. Any given day it will fail here and there, but I think we do a good job of enforcing it.”

He suggested that school uniforms were perhaps more suitable for private or parochial schools.

But he said he would study the issue further. He hadn't yet seen the letter sent home to parents. He restated that any move toward uniforms would need to be led by parents.

Some officials connected to the matter were unavailable for comment heading into Spring Break, but Darlington County Public Information Officer Audrey Childers agreed that the effort would need to be parent-driven.

The decision to implement school uniforms is left up to individual schools. The poll sent home to DHS parents will not decide whether uniforms are implemented; the purpose is to gauge interest with parents, Childers verified.

“If it comes back that there is an interest, then there’s a lot of research that has to be done,” she said. “There’s still a ways to go.”
So far the implementation of uniforms at the elementary and middle schools that have chosen that route have gone well, she said.

Each school has slightly different school uniform policies, with some schools changing colors based on grade level, which helps teachers and administrators identify students easier.

The uniforms cut down on distractions caused by regular clothing, and also eliminate the expression of economic disparities through clothing choices (two ideas touted in the poll sent to DHS parents).
School uniforms leave room for students to exercise the freedom of expression, she added.

“We want students to express themselves through their academics and through channels made available to them at school,” she said.
School uniforms should be a lead topic for parents. Student input will be part of the equation as well.
Once the results of the parent poll are received, they will be made public.

Read one opinion column on the issue of uniforms here.
A rebuttal will be printed in the April 3 edition.
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What’s your opinion?
Vote in our online poll on our blog here.

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Letter sent to DHS parents about school uniforms

Dear Parent/Guardian,
The faculty, administration, and School Improvement Council of Darlington High School are considering the option of going to a school-wide mandatory school uniform. It has been determined that attire worn by students often distracts them from academic achievement, the primary purpose of attending school. Adoption of this uniform dress code policy will reduce distractions and disruptions caused by clothing, make economic disparities between students less obvious, promote student achievement, and create an orderly learning environment.

The uniform dress code policy will also enhance school safety and security. Please complete this short survey and return it with your child by Thursday, March 20.

1. Would you like to see our school go to a mandatory uniform requirement?
0 Yes
0 No
0 Does not matter

2. I would like students to have a dress down day as outlined in policy…
0 Biweekly (twice a month on Fridays only)
0 Once a month
0 Once a quarter
0 I prefer not having a dress down day. All uniforms, all the time.

Parent Name:
Student Name Grade:
Phone Number:
Date: