Inman Uniform Dress Code Proposed To PSSD By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director Paris, Tenn.-Inman School parents will have the opportunity to provide feedback on a proposal that would drastically change the school’s dress code to a strict uniform code, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. The proposal was presented by Inman Principal Jason Scarbrough--who was accompanied by a large contingent of Inman teachers--at Tuesday night’s lenghty meeting of the Paris Special Schools District (PSSD) board of education. The PSSD is looking to act on the proposed dress code at its April meeting. Director of Schools Mike Brown said the board had previously explored a uniform dress code 10 or 11 years ago, but decided not to go in that direction at that time. It has been discussed periodically over the years, he said, but the board was waiting for a proposal to come from the schools to them. Under the proposal, students would wear solid colored khaki pants of different colors, either slacks or knee-length shorts, belts of the correct size, polo shirts of any solid color with no commercial logo, solid-color long-sleeved t-shirts under their polo shirts or solid color dress shirts with collars. Students also would wear tennis shoes, loafers, shoes that tie and sandals that snap or buckle. No outerwear would be allowed in the classrooms, including hooded sweatshirts, sweatshirts, etc. Unacceptable would be sagging pants, head coverings and sunglasses, unnatural hair color and body piercing, sweatpants, leggins, tights, flip flops and dresses. Scarbrough said the draft “is by no means the finished product. We’re presenting it to you to ponder” for action later. According to the draft presented to the board, “The intent of this proposal is in the best interests of our students. We love our students and want them to receive the best education possible. Uniforms will help to create an environment of learning. So by wearing uniforms, students appear to belong to a single community, they require less time to spend on deciding what to wear and it prevents wrong conduct. All of our students will be on an evenn playing field regardless of their socio-economic status.” The draft had proposed a ‘casual Friday’ days where students could wear school t-shirts and jeans, but Board Member Kim Foster and Board President Richard Edwards viewed that negatively. “In the business environment, you lose so much production on casual Fridays,” Foster said. Scarbrough said he will present the proposal to parents in his next Monday email to them and will ask for feedback from them, which will be incorporated in the final version that he brings to the board at its next meeting. “I think we’re on the right track”, Edwards said, “but we’ll see what the people say and go from there.” Everyone agreed that time is of the essence since parents would need warning soon to plan for the next school year. Photo: Inman Principal Jason Scarbrough presents the dress code proposal to the board, while Director of Schools Mike Brown, Secretary Dian Edwards and Business Manager Mandy Hudgins listen. (Shannon McFarlin photo).
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 14:06:00 +0000
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