- April 18, 2024
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The School Board agreed to issue a districtwide parent survey to gather input on uniforms.
Four years after the School Board decided against the implementation of mandatory uniforms in Flagler County schools, the board reopened the issue Tuesday, Oct. 18, and decided to conduct a survey to measure parent support for the policy.
The survey will ask: “Do you support a school-uniform policy that requires a specific color or style of clothes for students, yes or no?”
Further, it may specify policies for K-12, and K-8.
In opening the workshop — which was initiated Oct. 4 by School Board member John Fischer — Chairwoman Sue Dickinson asked for consensus from her colleagues, in whether moving forward with discussions would be worth the time. A past board put weeks, maybe months, of work into uniforms, she said, only to reverse its initial policy approval.
“If we’re really, really, really wanting this, then let’s move forward,” Dickinson said. “But if we’re not, let’s nip it in the bud.”
School Board member Andy Dance, who spoke first, was a bud-nipper.
“Right now, it’s not a good time to move forward,” he said. In the down economy, and the fifth consecutive year of budget cuts, he felt it wouldn’t be fair to require families to invest in uniforms.
“I think the school district would be required to assist those families, and we just don’t have the resources for that,” he said.
He was also concerned about the time investment.
“What I don’t want to see … is (us) spending huge amounts of our human capital on something that’s not going to go forward.”
But he was outnumbered.
Although School Board member Trevor Tucker echoed some of Dance’s concerns, stating that the board had “bigger, more important” things to be working on — like trimming next year’s budget — he admitted not feeling strongly either way and was open to continue talks.
“We started backwards last time,” School Board member Colleen Conklin said, citing a poll she posted on Facebook and conversations she’s had around town, yielding “pretty overwhelmingly” supportive responses.
She also said that, after the initial year’s investment, uniforms could save money for parents, who could be aided by grants, the Education Foundation and other organizations, as well as trade in uniforms for larger sizes when their children grow out of the prior year’s outfits.
“There seems to be support for it, and whether I like it or not, or think it’s convenient or not, that’s who I’m representing,” she said.
According to Superintendent Janet Valentine, parental involvement is the No. 1 factor in deciding the success or failure of the initiative.
“We know we’re probably going to have a group of parents who are very unhappy about this (prospect),” she said. To gauge support, she will issue the survey.
Fischer, who prompted the workshop and is the policy’s most vehement supporter, said that, in order to combat any waste of “human capital,” he would hold all of the town hall meetings, conduct all the surveys and do whatever other legwork would be required.
“I do believe uniforms make a difference,” he said, adding that uniforms promote the three D’s: discipline, decorum and demeanor. “Project an image,” he said. “Dress for success.”
