THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 8, 1995 TAG: 9503070052
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SURRY LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
If a simple majority of Surry County parents of public school students vote later this month in favor of school uniforms, task force members studying the issue say they will recommend a uniform policy to the School Board.
Voting on the issue is scheduled to begin Monday.
The Surry County Uniform Committee, a group of 40 parents and educators that since November has been studying the feasibility of a school uniform policy, says it will present its findings to the community in a public hearing March 13. It is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Surry County High School auditorium and is to include a uniform fashion show.
Following the public hearing, parents will be able to vote on whether they support a uniform policy and, if so, at what grade levels it should be implemented and whether participation should be voluntary or mandatory.
Parents who don't vote that night may cast ballots at their children's schools between March 14 and 17, said Martha Rollings, assistant superintendent of instruction.
``We do expect there will be a fairly large turnout at the public hearing,'' she said.
The task force will recommend a school uniform policy to the Surry County School Board if 51 percent of the votes support uniforms, Rollings said.
The school system began looking into a uniform policy as a way to improve students' grades.
``We have been looking at anything positive that will motivate students toward higher levels of achievement,'' Rollings said. ``Studies have shown that uniforms create a difference in students' attitudes that results in higher levels of academic achievement and reduced absenteeism.
``When students come to school in uniform, they are coming for purposes other than an all-day fashion show.''
Isle of Wight County school officials say they have no plans to implement such a uniform policy. Long Beach, Calif., has the only public school system in the country with a mandatory uniform policy, Rollings said.
Over the past four months, task force members have heard student and parent opinion on a uniform policy and have visited schools that have similar dress codes. by CNB