City school system’s uniforms
delayed at least one year

By FULLER ROYAL
Staff Writer

There will be no uniforms for city students next year.

With dozens of parents looking on, the Whiteville City Schools Board of Education voted to give itself – and the community – more time to evaluate and plan for eventual uniforms.

On a motion by Board Member Jim DiMuzio, the board unanimously delayed action on the proposal until October.

Because of the number of people in attendance were primarily there for the uniform vote, Board Chairman Carlton Prince moved it to the top of the business portion of the agenda.

Prince said that the proposal had been presented at its March meeting and that Monday night’s was the second reading.

“Between those we have had four forums,” he said. “Many parents have spoken. The newspaper has provided a very good report of those forums.”

Prince asked for any comments from the board.

DiMuzio said that since the entire board was not in 100 percent agreement with the policy as written, he would like to see it tabled until October. That would give the board six months to work out the details and offer a more comprehensive plan.

“We have gotten a lot of good input from the forums,” he said. “I think it’s a big change but a necessary change. I think for now we have to be a little tougher with the dress code we have with students and faculty. I think we need to iron out the details between now and October meeting.”

He said a vote at that time would be for the 2009-10 school year.

DiMuzio turned his comments into a motion. Board member Larry Hewett seconded.

Prince promised that the board would keep the public informed of the developments in the uniform process policy.

Board member Greg Merritt said that the policy, as written, had two tings he couldn’t vote for.

“I would hope that we could take a look at it before we bring it before this board again,” he said. “I hope that we will allow our young ladies to be able to wear skirts or other appropriate clothing.

“I look out and I see a lot of lovely ladies with dresses and skirts on. It was probably because you were raised that way to wear skirts and dresses to a nice function.

“I don’t want to to take that away from the future of our ladies in this community,” he said.

Merritt said that because of the extreme heat and humidity in August and September, he wants to see appropriate length short pants available as an option for males and females.

Board member Dave Flowers said he would like to see more color options for the tops.

“We need a little more variety in this,” he said.

Hewett commended the staff for putting together the policy on such short notice at the board’s request.

“This is an important issue for the schools,” he said. “There is a lot to be gained by taking the issue of dress out of education.

“There are several things I understand the rationale for. I would like for us to study it and do the best job we can to make this the best policy for our school system.”

DiMuzio said that the process needs to be done correctly and called for work sessions to work out the details.

Flowers said preference needs to be given to local merchants in providing the uniforms.

Merritt said he was concerned that so many of the system’s students felt like they had no say in the process and didn’t feel their voices would be heard if they spoke up at the forums.

“They didn’t think we would listen to them,” he said, “This issue before us is one where we should listen somewhat to our children.

“We need to consider the thought and feelings of our children. There are a lot of things that we need to decide for our children. But what they wear at school? I don’t know if they are the problem. I think it’s that a few don’t abide by the policy. We don’t enforce the policies we have.”

Superintendent Randy Shaver said, “I want to make sure as an administration team, we know exactly what this board wants.”

He said the board needs to frame the policy and that he was placing the responsibility for that squarely on the board. He said it would not be fair to put his administration and the principals out on a limb without board support.

“We did ask our superintendent and his staff to come up with a beginning point,” Prince said. “They did that. The first draft and reading was from a legalistic point of view that does have some merit.

“There are good things in that policy. It’s just that we did not take the time to get the feedback and input and do it as well as I am sure this board wants to do it.”

Prince assured the audience that many of the ideas shared at the forums were also ideas the board had expressed. He said there will be one or more work sessions to “hammer out those things we feel should be in this policy.”