Parents reject middle school uniform policy

COEUR d’ALENE — Woodland Middle School students won’t be wearing uniforms any time soon.

School administrators recently surveyed parents to see whether they would support a uniform policy, and a majority opposed the move.

“I think the most common response we received was that they want their children to have a sense of freedom of expression, and they are confident with the new dress code policy, that it should be sufficient,” said Principal Chris Hammons.

Before polling the parents, the school’s administration hosted a parent meeting last month. At the time, Hammons said they would need at least 90 percent parental support to move forward with a uniform policy.

He told The Press that 100 percent of the Woodland staff supported a switch to uniforms.

Of the 683 parents and guardians who responded, 392 (57 percent) voted against instituting mandatory uniforms.

There were 263 votes (39 percent) in favor of a new policy, and 28 voters were undecided.

“We will continue to follow the district dress code policy and we will be enforcing it daily to make sure there are no clothing distractions in our learning environment,” wrote Hammons, in a memo recently sent to parents.

The district-wide dress code and other student behavior polices were tightened last year.

The comprehensive dress policy bans revealing clothing of any kind, from pants that ride below the waistline to low-cut blouses. Pajamas and sleep wear are also against the rules.

"When either boys or girls come to school in revealing clothing, it distracts from learning," Bauman said, when the new dress code was proposed last fall.

Lake City High School administrators recently sent parents an email to help them remember the new policy. “With the warmer spring weather, we wanted to remind you about the student dress code,” the memo said. “Shorts and skirts must be mid-thigh length. Shoulders must be covered. Bellies, butts and cleavage must be covered. No bandanas. No pajama pants.”

It reminds parents that students who show up at school out of dress code will be given the option to change immediately, or parents will be contacted to bring appropriate clothing to the school, or the student will be allowed to go home and change.