ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / October 11, 1999

To uniform or not to uniform, that is the question facing students every day at Fifth Ward Elementary and West St. John High schools. While the rest of the St. John the Baptist Parish public schools haveadopted a mandatory uniform rule, these two schools have made uniforms optional.

The interesting thing is that over 85 percent of the student body at West St. John High wear uniforms, and a majority of children at Fifth Wardcome to school in uniform, too.

In an age when non-conformity and fashion rule the lives of teen-agers and children, it is rather unique when students want to dress in a manner that pleases parents and teachers.

Suzanne Remondet, curriculum coordinator at Fifth Ward Elementary, said most parents want the uniforms to be mandatory. In a recent survey doneat a parent-teacher meeting, parents were asked if they wanted the school to have a mandatory uniform rule, and a majority said yes. Comments fromparents showed they believe school uniforms are less of a financial burden. However, the most common theme of the comments was the ideathat uniforms would cut down on peer pressure and classroom disruptions.

Diane Wallace, a computer lab teacher at Fifth Ward Elementary, agreed.

“Uniforms keep the discipline problems down,” she said, “because the children are less worried about what kind of clothes they are wearing.”Remondet is cautiously optimistic about the effect of uniforms.

“I have no real proof, but I would like to think they helped the behavior problems.”Timela Jones, an 11-year-old student, gave another good reason for wearing a uniform.

“You can’t get lost if there is a fire drill or on a field trip,” she said. “Plus,you don’t have to spend a lot of money on clothes.”Some of the children who were not wearing a uniform at Fifth Ward gave several explanations.

Six-year-old Andrea Lightel simply stated, “Because I don’t have to wear a uniform.”Laundry and dirty clothes could also be a problem, as illustrated by 6-year old Danielle Daguinod, who shyly said, “I have a uniform at home, but my mamma told me to wear this dress today.”Because of parents’ acceptance, Remondet is hoping uniforms will be mandatory at Fifth Ward Elementary by next year.

At West St. John High School there are some students who want to expresstheir individuality by not wearing uniforms.

Thirteen-year-old Latria Boudoin doesn’t wear a school uniform, “because everybody should be able to express themselves.”This is a sentiment shared by Jessica Jackson, 18, dressed in a T-shirt and shorts.

“Everybody should be able to wear what they want,” she said flatly.

Maybe so, but the majority of students at West St. John High are wearinguniforms, and they all seem to like the idea.

Gary Watson, a 17-year-old senior, summed up the majority of students’ thoughts about uniforms when he said, “They eliminate disturbances in the classroom and put the focus back on education.”Another reason uniforms are popular at West St. John High was put forthby 16-year-old Kennetta Bardell.

“They are affordable,” she said, “and they make everybody look a lot neater.”Assistant Principal Sheila Louper sings high praises for the uniforms.

“I love them,” she said. “They are a great idea. They are affordable and keepdown peer pressure. Plus, they are great for identification. You can tellwho isn’t a student.”Louper said West St. John also did a survey of the parents, and the resultswere the same as Fifth Ward Elementary, where the parents are in favor of making uniforms mandatory.

“We hope to make uniforms mandatory very soon,” said Louper.

Of course, everybody could do like 15-year-old Renaldo Lumar at West St.

John High. The day he was interviewed he was not wearing a uniform. Hesaid it all depends on how he feels.

“Somedays I wear a uniform, and somedays I don’t,” he said.

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