LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / November 10, 1999

LULING – It could only be a matter of time before public school students in St. Charles Parish join the growing trend of wearing school uniforms,according to a spokesperson for the school system.

Regina Benoit, public information officer, said two St. Charles SchoolBoard members, Wayne Roussel and Steve Crovetto, urged a survey of students, parents and administrators in recent meetings.

The results of the local survey are being tabulated and results should be announced at one of the next two school board meetings.

Benoit said she first checked with other school systems in the region on how surveys were conducted and the type of questions used. Most parishesin the region already have school uniform policies in place.

In St. Tammany and Jefferson parishes, for instance, uniforms wereadopted on a school-by-school basis, by a two-thirds vote. In LafourcheParish, Benoit continued, uniforms were instituted districtwide following an “overwhelming” approval.

In St. Charles Parish, survey forms were sent to students, parents,teachers and administrators. Friday was the deadline for parents andstudents to return the forms, while teachers and administrators had until Monday.

Parents were asked six questions: should all students at each school wear uniforms; should the daily wearing of uniforms be mandatory; should the uniforms be identical for all schools; should punishment or other disciplinary action be used if uniforms are not worn; are parents willing to require their child to wear uniforms; and are parents willing to buy uniforms? Students, grades four to 12, were asked four questions: should all students at each school wear uniforms; should the daily wearing of uniforms be mandatory; should the uniforms be identical for all schools; should punishment or other disciplinary action be used if uniforms are not worn? Those forms were due Friday at each child’s homeroom.

Teachers and administrators were asked the identical questions asked of each student. All returned forms are being delivered to the InformationTechnology Department in the central office for calculation of the results.

After the results are announced, Benoit said the board is free to take whatever action it desires at that point – to adopt a policy, send it back for further study,

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