LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / May 13, 2000

LULING – Uniforms will be mandatory for all grades in St. Charles Parish publicschools in the fall.

The school board approved the school uniform policy 5-2 Wednesday.

Some members voiced their support for an “opt-out” for parents who do not want their children to participate in the program, but ultimate approval would rest with the superintendent.

The latest in a series of surveys went out April 28, with a May 5 deadline for returns. On the postcards the response options were whether parentsagreed or disagreed with the proposed policy.

Deadline for returning the cards was May 5, but surveys were accepted until the meeting time.

With 6,257 surveys mailed to each parent, 2,230 were returned, a return rate of 36 percent. The total vote in support of uniforms was 1,621, or 73percent. The total vote in opposition was 586, or 27 percent. An additional23 returned cards were ruled “unusable.”Board president Clarence “Sonny” Savoie said 73 percent approval was plenty in his book. “Most people would like to get re-elected with a 73percent vote,” he said.

However, two board members disagreed with the approval, Alfred Green and Mary Bergeron, each of whom wanted an “opt-out” included with the policy.

Green and Bergeron moved to have added to the approval motion a request for Superintendent Dr. Rodney Lafon to develop an “opt-out” procedure, butthis was voted down. Lafon voiced his support for that move, and said itwould be easier on school administrators.

Board member John L. Smith likewise urged that an “opt-out” should be partof the policy, for if it left as part of the procedure, the superintendent would be in the position of violating a board policy every time he approved an “opt- out” in procedure.

Smith also observed, “If we’re scared of the uniform business, we should get out of the uniform business.”Board member Steve Crovetto told the audience, “We’re not trying to persecute anybody. I can’t see why we as a board are being chastised fortrying to do something to help the school system. We’re just trying toimprove the school environment.”Several parents and one student likewise voiced their opposition to school uniforms. Milton Allemand Jr. of Hahnville said uniforms were “totallyunnecessary and will not have any positive effect.”John Lair of Luling said he was concerned with how parents of limited means would purchase the uniforms and added, “My children generally wear whatever Wal-Mart has on sale.”Tammy Sassin of Ama said uniforms would be more acceptable if teachers also had to wear them, and Scott Doyle of Destrehan said of his right of parental control of what his children wear – “I am imploring, don’t take that right away from me.”Caitland Lair of Luling, an elementary-school student, observed, “It costs too much and it’s a waste of money.”Richard Henning Jr. of St. Rose called the issue a matter of constitutionalrights and said selection of dress was a protected form of freedom of speech.

The boys’ uniform would be a collared white or designated school-color shirt, either a dress-Oxford or golf-style shirt. Accompanying pants or shortsmust be Navy or khaki in color, and shorts can be no more than 2 inches above the kneecap.

The girls’ uniform would be a collared white or designated school-color blouse, either a dress-Oxford or golf-style blouse. Pants, skirts, shorts orjumpers would be Navy or khaki in color, and nothing can be worn more than 2 inches above the kneecap.

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