REYNOLDSBURG
Uniforms one step closer to approval
By Charlie Roduta THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Reynoldsburg junior-high and high-school students moved closer last night to finding themselves in school uniforms this fall.
But Board of Education members and administrators want to hear more about what the Reynoldsburg community has to say.
''There are those of you who said you don?’t have a voice,?’?’ board President Cheryl Max said. ''You do have a voice. We want to make sure we hear it.?’?’
More than 200 people attended a meeting last night in which Reynoldsburg school-board members unanimously agreed to continue with a plan to require school uniforms.
The vote is not a final one yet, but gives district leaders the go-ahead to gather public input and form a plan that the board could vote on as early as April.
If uniforms are approved this spring, Reynoldsburg?’s junior high and high school would start requiring that they be worn by students next school year.
It would be the first public school district in Franklin County with a uniform policy for students in grades 7-12. Several private and parochial high schools, including all five of the local Catholic high schools, require school uniforms.
A committee of Reynoldsburg students, parents, board members and administrators has studied the idea for nearly a year.
School safety was one issue cited as a benefit to uniforms.
For instance, Reynoldsburg High School has had incidents of people coming into the school who aren?’t students there. Uniforms, officials said, would be one way to weed out strangers.
There also was talk of the school becoming safer because uniforms would eliminate gang colors from being worn, and end students?’ competitive need for more-expensive clothing.
Reynoldsburg High School Principal Diane Mankins cited other benefits.
''Reynoldsburg is changing very quickly,?’?’ Mankins said. ''There?’s no Raider pride, no sense of community in our building.?’?’ Uniforms could create unity among students, she said.
Parents, students and community members spent more than an hour sharing their thoughts on the issue.
''Uniforms would take away our individuality completely,?’?’ said Sarah McBane, a 12-year old sixth-grader at Hannah Ashton Middle School. ''Right now, clothes are the only way I can express myself, so take away that, and take the ?‘me?’ away from me.?’?’
Reynoldsburg resident Pat Ruth has started a petition against the uniform policy.
''While uniforms may help identify students and/or faculty, how far does it really go toward changing behavior??’?’ Ruth asked.
''It seems naive to think that dressing everyone alike levels the playing field of human behavior. Aggressive people will continue to be aggressive and passive people will continue to be passive.?’?’
Lena Little is a staunch advocate for uniforms, after requiring her 13-year-old daughter to wear a uniform to Reynoldsburg Junior High.
''Even if you do not pass the uniform policy, my kid will be in a uniform,?’?’ she said.
Parent Marguerite Graven suggested the board consider hiring a third-party group to organize a survey on the subject.
''I think it?’s unfair you ask people to buy a product before they know what that product is,?’?’ said Graven, who has a seventh-grader and fourth-grader in Reynoldsburg schools.
Public meetings to continue the discussion will be held March 1 and March 9.
croduta@dispatch.com
By Tiger Pride
Uniforms one step closer to approval
By Charlie Roduta THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Reynoldsburg junior-high and high-school students moved closer last night to finding themselves in school uniforms this fall.
But Board of Education members and administrators want to hear more about what the Reynoldsburg community has to say.
''There are those of you who said you don?’t have a voice,?’?’ board President Cheryl Max said. ''You do have a voice. We want to make sure we hear it.?’?’
More than 200 people attended a meeting last night in which Reynoldsburg school-board members unanimously agreed to continue with a plan to require school uniforms.
The vote is not a final one yet, but gives district leaders the go-ahead to gather public input and form a plan that the board could vote on as early as April.
If uniforms are approved this spring, Reynoldsburg?’s junior high and high school would start requiring that they be worn by students next school year.
It would be the first public school district in Franklin County with a uniform policy for students in grades 7-12. Several private and parochial high schools, including all five of the local Catholic high schools, require school uniforms.
A committee of Reynoldsburg students, parents, board members and administrators has studied the idea for nearly a year.
School safety was one issue cited as a benefit to uniforms.
For instance, Reynoldsburg High School has had incidents of people coming into the school who aren?’t students there. Uniforms, officials said, would be one way to weed out strangers.
There also was talk of the school becoming safer because uniforms would eliminate gang colors from being worn, and end students?’ competitive need for more-expensive clothing.
Reynoldsburg High School Principal Diane Mankins cited other benefits.
''Reynoldsburg is changing very quickly,?’?’ Mankins said. ''There?’s no Raider pride, no sense of community in our building.?’?’ Uniforms could create unity among students, she said.
Parents, students and community members spent more than an hour sharing their thoughts on the issue.
''Uniforms would take away our individuality completely,?’?’ said Sarah McBane, a 12-year old sixth-grader at Hannah Ashton Middle School. ''Right now, clothes are the only way I can express myself, so take away that, and take the ?‘me?’ away from me.?’?’
Reynoldsburg resident Pat Ruth has started a petition against the uniform policy.
''While uniforms may help identify students and/or faculty, how far does it really go toward changing behavior??’?’ Ruth asked.
''It seems naive to think that dressing everyone alike levels the playing field of human behavior. Aggressive people will continue to be aggressive and passive people will continue to be passive.?’?’
Lena Little is a staunch advocate for uniforms, after requiring her 13-year-old daughter to wear a uniform to Reynoldsburg Junior High.
''Even if you do not pass the uniform policy, my kid will be in a uniform,?’?’ she said.
Parent Marguerite Graven suggested the board consider hiring a third-party group to organize a survey on the subject.
''I think it?’s unfair you ask people to buy a product before they know what that product is,?’?’ said Graven, who has a seventh-grader and fourth-grader in Reynoldsburg schools.
Public meetings to continue the discussion will be held March 1 and March 9.
croduta@dispatch.com
By Tiger Pride
