THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 18, 1994 TAG: 9412160250
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH OXHORN, HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
For most students, shopping for school clothes is enjoyable, but for private school students, it has the potential to be a nightmare.
This is because of the growing acceptance of uniforms among high school students in private schools. In fact, Joy A. Bryant, an English and speech teacher at Atlantic Shores Christian School, said that about 40 percent of the students she has talked to in her school actually prefer uniforms over trying to find clothes that conform to the dress code.
The frustration with dress codes is not necessarily because the dress code is strict but because current fashion trends usually don't measure up to it.
``I was especially frustrated this year because everything (that is in style) was so short,'' said Dannielle Hall, a senior at Atlantic Shores.
Attempting to paint a picture of what her typical school shopping trips are like, Laura Geddes, a Greenbrier Christian senior, said: ``After three days of it, I am usually frustrated. I keep saying to myself, `If only this skirt were longer and this shirt were looser.' ''
However, not everyone has the same troubles. Greenbrier senior Beth Harrison paints a more pleasant picture. ``After two or three days of school shopping, I am usually pleased,'' she said.
In addition to the challenge of finding clothes is the challenge of paying for them. The dressier an outfit is, the more it costs.
A newspaper survey of local teenagers last year found that 26 percent of local teens spend between $50 and $75 a month on clothes. Another 10 percent said they spent between $175 and $200 monthly.
``Parents spend so much money for a private school education. It would help tremendously if they didn't have to buy a huge school wardrobe,'' Bryant said.
But clothes are an important part of the social system in both public and private schools.
``The first thing I noticed on the first day of school was the new clothes other people got that I didn't have. I was still wearing last year's clothes,'' said Mike Saner, a junior at Greenbrier.
But Mike sees a drawback to having uniforms. ``If we had uniforms, a person that is a skater wouldn't be able to find other skaters to hang out with,'' Mike said.
That is exactly what supporters of uniforms want.
``I hope that when you have uniforms, students are forced to get to know someone, instead of judging them by their appearance,'' said Bryant.
Bryant's speech II class chose the issue of ``uniforms v. dress code'' for a recent symposium. Each student took a side and gave a three- to five-minute speech to support it. Opinions in the class were split equally.
Members of the faculty and administration listened to the speeches and questioned each student about his or her opinion. Although the symposium wasn't meant to bring changes to the Atlantic Shores dress code, it did put the issue in the spotlight.
The Atlantic Shores dress code calls for collared shirts and no blue jeans for guys and skirts no shorter than 2 inches above the knee for girls. The administration recently adopted a relaxed dress code for Fridays where, for example, guys don't have to wear collared shirts. Although most students take advantage of the dress code on Fridays, it is not perfect.
Hall observed a change in the attitude of her classmates in their more casual clothes.
Bryant said, ``Students are much more slack in jeans.''
Still, students fear losing their identities if uniforms are mandatory.
``You would just be another face in the crowd,'' Laura said.
Students say that they would find ways to express their individuality in a uniform.
``I would wear different tights and shoes,'' Hall said. ``I love shoes!'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Elizabeth Oxhorn
by CNB