School uniforms,constitutional rights!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MandyJay on September 2, 2011 at 3:23pm

In my memory, the only time in the standard (non-charter/ non-magnet) PCSB schools that students are required to wear a belt is if their shorts have belt loops.  No belt loops, no belt required (of course, for this to be acceptable the shorts must also fit around the child's natural waist with no belt, not sag).

 

My sons' elementary encouraged parents to just cut off the belt loops of the children's shorts when they were little to help take care of potential restroom issues.  Again, no belt loops, no belt required.

 

I really haven't had a problem with the uniform policy.  Perhaps some schools take it to an extreme; that hasn't been my experience, though.

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Permalink Reply by messitt on September 5, 2011 at 12:13pm

Hi Jmarr - can you tell me what school your son attends? If you have to purchase from a specific supplier/vendor, how much do uniforms cost?

I'm also interested in hearing about the secondhand uniform shop - have any POLK MOMS heard of other schools with second hand uniform shops or programs to help families-in-need access uniforms?

Jmarr said:

Yeah, the charter/magnet schools are a bit stricter about uniforms. My son's school requires that you buy from a specific supplier. The school has a second hand shop as well to ease some of the costs, because the brand new uniforms are pricey.

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Permalink Reply by WitchMom on September 5, 2011 at 12:31pm

All of the three schools my daughter went to (2 for K and 1 for 1st grade) gave her uniforms for free. The only time I started having issues was with the first two schools when she started to out grow then and I had to take them back and exchange them.  

 

All I did was tell them that I can't afford them and if they want her to wear them then they will have to supply them.  And that was it they gave her 5 shirts and 5 shorts/skirts.  Then during the colder months I took the bottoms back and got pants. 

 

I have been told by her Public online school (connections academy) that this year their numbers are up by 300% so I think since they passed that law that online school is available to everyone a lot of people are doing that instead.  It is way easy and way cheaper

messitt said:

Hi Jmarr - can you tell me what school your son attends? If you have to purchase from a specific supplier/vendor, how much do uniforms cost?

I'm also interested in hearing about the secondhand uniform shop - have any POLK MOMS heard of other schools with second hand uniform shops or programs to help families-in-need access uniforms?

Jmarr said:

Yeah, the charter/magnet schools are a bit stricter about uniforms. My son's school requires that you buy from a specific supplier. The school has a second hand shop as well to ease some of the costs, because the brand new uniforms are pricey.

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Permalink Reply by Tabby on September 5, 2011 at 8:29pm

Most schools around here are pretty good with uniforms. We stuck with denim shorts and jeans rather than the traditional blue or khaki colors. Find denim more durable. If belts are an issue, you can cut the hoops off the shorts/pants. Shirts must be tucked in, but they don't make a big issue. They'll just keep reminding them to tuck it in. We also didn't bother with the colored polo shirts. We got the school tee shirts. You can usually find them at a consignment store here. I went to the consignment store in July just to look and I bought 4 (basically brand new condition) for $16 (paid about $17 for all 4 shirts with tax). I've never seen or heard of any punishment for the kids or the parents and I've been here 18 yrs and my son has been in school for 5 yrs. Not sure what she's been reading or what part of FL this has happened at. I wouldn't stress about it.

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Permalink Reply by WitchMom on September 5, 2011 at 8:38pm

I was told my my daughters second school (pinewood elementary in Eagle Lake) that if the teacher didn't care that it didn't matter.  So since her teacher cared that she didn't have a belt or that she forgot to tuck her shirt in. she was sent to the office tons of times.  And since she was considered out of uniform she could play at PE. which is just ridicules. Im so glad we are in public home school now. 

Tabby said:

Most schools around here are pretty good with uniforms. We stuck with denim shorts and jeans rather than the traditional blue or khaki colors. Find denim more durable. If belts are an issue, you can cut the hoops off the shorts/pants. Shirts must be tucked in, but they don't make a big issue. They'll just keep reminding them to tuck it in. We also didn't bother with the colored polo shirts. We got the school tee shirts. You can usually find them at a consignment store here. I went to the consignment store in July just to look and I bought 4 (basically brand new condition) for $16 (paid about $17 for all 4 shirts with tax). I've never seen or heard of any punishment for the kids or the parents and I've been here 18 yrs and my son has been in school for 5 yrs. Not sure what she's been reading or what part of FL this has happened at. I wouldn't stress about it.

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Permalink Reply by Lynn Fulton on October 15, 2011 at 9:45pm

ok, a little extreme response....It is a school uniform....I believe it takes away some of the stigma for some children for one. We just moved here and I actually am happy to not argue with my oldest about what she is going to wear anymore. Mornings are much smoother. While you may call it tucking tail and conforming....Conforming is sometimes necessary. It isn't wrong to teach our children to follow rules that are set...When they grow up they will have to conform as you put it in many ways...Most places of work have dress codes or uniforms....It is what we do....

Renee Johnson said:

Here's the info I've been reading about a lawsuit against Polk County school uniform that apparently gained so much publicity that it can now be used as a classroom exercise in debate classes and has web sites featuring the lawsuit as an educational guide for classroom debate on 1st ammendment rights! 

http://www.gate.net/~rwms/UniformIntro.html

http://www.gate.net/~rwms/PacIntro.html

Here's some parts of the website:

"My son was sent to principal because denim shorts were not correct shade of blue. The  principal said they were too old and when I explained to her that I had just removed the tags off those "old" jeans, she still didn't care what I had to say. They were then just simply "the wrong shade of blue". But I agree with you that even dark blue jeans will lighten with several washings. Then we'll have to go buy more! So when they this uniform policy is economical----they are wrong!!!! [Lewis Elementary, Ft. Meade]"

 

A Winston Elementary parent was told at the end of last year to buy solid color shirts. She bought white shirts with no collar. Because the shirt did not meet the uniform requirements, the child was made to wear a loaner. When the parent came to pick the  child up early (at 2:25 P.M. - school did not let out until 2:50), she was told by a school employee that she had no parental authority until 2:50!

My daughter (at Boone Middle School) was told today to remove a scrunchy from her arm or it would be thrown in the garbage. Has your daughter ever removed a scrunchy from her hair and put it on her wrist? I'm guilty of breaking that law. My daughter was told that the scrunchy could give the wrong person the wrong idea and it could get her shot. I guess her teacher was referring to gang symbols. So, let's now ban the scrunchies from school. They may put our children's lives in jeopardy!

A parent of an elementary schooler sent notice in writing and told the school staff in person that if her son's shirt did not meet the uniform requirements, to call her.  Her child was prohibited from doing so and bullied into changing his clothes.  He was up vomiting all night due to stress.  She has withdrawn him and will home school.

A young child was forced to change in a dark closet.  When the mother went to the school they refused to show her where her child had changed clothes. The reason they gave was that they knew she would tell the media

A kindergartner was re-dressed in front of all office staff and visitors.

AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, HERE'S WHAT THE SUPERINTENDANT THINKS SHOULD HAPPEN TO PARENTS WHO DON'T CONFORM (This is from the St. Petersburg Times):http://www.sptimes.com/News/72399/Opinion/Uniform_policy_goes_t.shtml

Polk County Schools Superintendent Glenn Reynolds is so anxious to force students into uniforms that he suggested jailing parents who fail to comply. "We believe it's contributing to the delinquency of a child," Reynolds told the Lakeland Ledger before later backing away from the comment.

 

Polk County schools' new mandatory uniform policy is one of the strictest in the country. It applies to students in kindergarten through eighth grade and will affect about 50,000 of the district's 77,000 students. The only exception will be for religious reasons.

 

............ OK, so I don't get it.  I just was looking for any sort of "opt out" policy but instead found that they had removed the ability to opt out and I found all this but no one claims to know about it?  and thinks Polk county is lenient in their uniform policy because you don't have to buy from a specific supplier???!!!   I thought this was the United States of America where men and women have lost their LIVES to protect our FREEDOM!!!!   And yes, as trivial as it may seem to some, that includes our freedom to dress our children as we see fit as parents! 

So, was all that I listed so old that the school board has had a change of heart, thrown out the superintendant that insisted we should be thrown in jail if we don't conform to his ideas (that's defining a dictator for those of you who don't realize it) and quit torturing children (and switched to torturing the teachers from what I've read in recent news reports! LOL) or was all this long enough ago that the conformity is just another part of life to Polk County residents and no one even realizes that their freedoms have been taken away? 

I moved away from Florida in 1998, the year before all this happened.  I just can't believe U.S. citizens would tolerate this!  Yes, the subject of school uniforms has come up in the school system we're in but between the protests of the parents AND school staff, we defeated it!  Some school's parents did want uniforms and they were given the right to dress their children in uniforms if they thought it appropriate with an opt out but for the schools where the parents didn't want it, our freedom was not removed, our childrens freedom was not stripped away and our rights as parents to chose for our own offspring remained in tact.   

So, as eager as I am to move back "home", to be near my family and enjoy the wonderful things the state of Florida has to offer, this issue really concerns me. 

If anyone remembers the chaos when uniforms were first initiated, please tell me, did the school board calm down or did the parents just tuck tail and conform?  If you don't remember these events, then you just came into the situation and accepted it as I fear we will have to do but I want to hear from the moms (and dads) who remember this. 

Come on guys!  It's on the world wide web as a major political debate centered in Polk County, Florida... the government vs your 1st ammendment rights!  SOMEONE who lived there must remember.     

 

 

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Permalink Reply by GeneJ on February 10, 2013 at 8:54pm

Hey,

 We decided to move to Daytona Beach,Volusia.  No school uniforms needed but a very strong dress code of what they can and can't wear.  We finally sold our home in Virginia and moved to Florida on november 5th. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Shawn Spivey on February 11, 2013 at 9:02am

Thank you for the update, Gene, and good luck in your new home.   :)

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Permalink Reply by GeneJ on February 11, 2013 at 6:35pm

Thanks Shawn,

  When we were back in Va. planning to move to Florida Auburndale/Lakeland Area was our first choice but it didn't work out but we are so glad we ended up in Volusia County.

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Permalink Reply by Terra Gouge on March 17, 2013 at 3:15pm

ETA:  Didn't realize this was an old thread!  Sorry. 
Well this is going to sound harsh, but honestly...homeschool.  I'm sorry but the links, while it has 'some' good info, it sounds like people with nothing better to do than pick on things that need to be in place.
Tardiness as unexcused absences for example.  Sorry, but we have children who are late every.single.day with out any good excuse except "I just didn't want to get up."  Or "Mom didn't want to get up."  Sorry, be a real parent, take responsibility and get your child to school on time!
What if I started a movement in the work place saying that basically the same thing.  Who cares if I'm late as long as I show up.

Sorry, but some of those cases seem too extreme to be real. 
I teach, I support uniforms, AND I have a special needs child and clothing issues, like a PP said, are addressed in the IEP. 

Renee Johnson said:

Here's the info I've been reading about a lawsuit against Polk County school uniform that apparently gained so much publicity that it can now be used as a classroom exercise in debate classes and has web sites featuring the lawsuit as an educational guide for classroom debate on 1st ammendment rights! 

http://www.gate.net/~rwms/UniformIntro.html

http://www.gate.net/~rwms/PacIntro.html

Here's some parts of the website:

"My son was sent to principal because denim shorts were not correct shade of blue. The  principal said they were too old and when I explained to her that I had just removed the tags off those "old" jeans, she still didn't care what I had to say. They were then just simply "the wrong shade of blue". But I agree with you that even dark blue jeans will lighten with several washings. Then we'll have to go buy more! So when they this uniform policy is economical----they are wrong!!!! [Lewis Elementary, Ft. Meade]"

 

A Winston Elementary parent was told at the end of last year to buy solid color shirts. She bought white shirts with no collar. Because the shirt did not meet the uniform requirements, the child was made to wear a loaner. When the parent came to pick the  child up early (at 2:25 P.M. - school did not let out until 2:50), she was told by a school employee that she had no parental authority until 2:50!

My daughter (at Boone Middle School) was told today to remove a scrunchy from her arm or it would be thrown in the garbage. Has your daughter ever removed a scrunchy from her hair and put it on her wrist? I'm guilty of breaking that law. My daughter was told that the scrunchy could give the wrong person the wrong idea and it could get her shot. I guess her teacher was referring to gang symbols. So, let's now ban the scrunchies from school. They may put our children's lives in jeopardy!

A parent of an elementary schooler sent notice in writing and told the school staff in person that if her son's shirt did not meet the uniform requirements, to call her.  Her child was prohibited from doing so and bullied into changing his clothes.  He was up vomiting all night due to stress.  She has withdrawn him and will home school.

A young child was forced to change in a dark closet.  When the mother went to the school they refused to show her where her child had changed clothes. The reason they gave was that they knew she would tell the media

A kindergartner was re-dressed in front of all office staff and visitors.

AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, HERE'S WHAT THE SUPERINTENDANT THINKS SHOULD HAPPEN TO PARENTS WHO DON'T CONFORM (This is from the St. Petersburg Times):http://www.sptimes.com/News/72399/Opinion/Uniform_policy_goes_t.shtml

Polk County Schools Superintendent Glenn Reynolds is so anxious to force students into uniforms that he suggested jailing parents who fail to comply. "We believe it's contributing to the delinquency of a child," Reynolds told the Lakeland Ledger before later backing away from the comment.

 

Polk County schools' new mandatory uniform policy is one of the strictest in the country. It applies to students in kindergarten through eighth grade and will affect about 50,000 of the district's 77,000 students. The only exception will be for religious reasons.

 

............ OK, so I don't get it.  I just was looking for any sort of "opt out" policy but instead found that they had removed the ability to opt out and I found all this but no one claims to know about it?  and thinks Polk county is lenient in their uniform policy because you don't have to buy from a specific supplier???!!!   I thought this was the United States of America where men and women have lost their LIVES to protect our FREEDOM!!!!   And yes, as trivial as it may seem to some, that includes our freedom to dress our children as we see fit as parents! 

So, was all that I listed so old that the school board has had a change of heart, thrown out the superintendant that insisted we should be thrown in jail if we don't conform to his ideas (that's defining a dictator for those of you who don't realize it) and quit torturing children (and switched to torturing the teachers from what I've read in recent news reports! LOL) or was all this long enough ago that the conformity is just another part of life to Polk County residents and no one even realizes that their freedoms have been taken away? 

I moved away from Florida in 1998, the year before all this happened.  I just can't believe U.S. citizens would tolerate this!  Yes, the subject of school uniforms has come up in the school system we're in but between the protests of the parents AND school staff, we defeated it!  Some school's parents did want uniforms and they were given the right to dress their children in uniforms if they thought it appropriate with an opt out but for the schools where the parents didn't want it, our freedom was not removed, our childrens freedom was not stripped away and our rights as parents to chose for our own offspring remained in tact.   

So, as eager as I am to move back "home", to be near my family and enjoy the wonderful things the state of Florida has to offer, this issue really concerns me. 

If anyone remembers the chaos when uniforms were first initiated, please tell me, did the school board calm down or did the parents just tuck tail and conform?  If you don't remember these events, then you just came into the situation and accepted it as I fear we will have to do but I want to hear from the moms (and dads) who remember this. 

Come on guys!  It's on the world wide web as a major political debate centered in Polk County, Florida... the government vs your 1st ammendment rights!  SOMEONE who lived there must remember.     

 

 

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