OKLAHOMA CITY -
Oklahoma City Public Schools will soon decide if all students
should wear school uniforms.
A new dress code
for the entire district has been in the works ever since a kindergartner
was told to turn his Michigan t-shirt inside out. It violated a
policy banning sports team clothing.
Now the school
board is deciding whether to enact a new uniform policy for all 40,000 students
in the district.
It's hard to
forget about 5-year-old Cooper Barton. He's the Wilson
Elementary student who was told he couldn't wear his Michigan T-shirt to
school. After our story
aired in September, the superintendent lifted the ban against sports team
clothing.
"Yeah, that
was the beginning," OKCPS Deputy Superintendent Sandra Park says. "That was
what caused us to really take a close look at our current policy, to review it,
to see if we need to make changes."
A task force
formed by the district is recommending uniforms for all 40,000 students in
Oklahoma City Public Schools.
"The families learn early on what the uniform is. There's not a
discussion at home or at school," Park said.
Kaitlyn Nielsen
goes to Hayes Elementary and doesn't want to wear a uniform.
"Because I
can't wear things I like to wear and show my creativity," Nielsen said.
But some parents
are in favor of the recommendation.
"It'd
probably make it easier. That way you know what they're wearing the next
day," Amanda Ritter said.
"If we go
district-wide uniform, then each school site will choose what their uniform will
be," Park says. "We will require there be one standard uniform in the
district."
District leaders
say uniforms are also important for safety. If someone on
campus is out of uniform, they're easy to recognize.
Out of 74 Oklahoma
City Public Schools, only 17 of them don't have a uniform policy right now. Families can give
their feedback on the district website.
The board will
vote on the new policy in February. Changes would go into effect next school year.
A new dress code for the entire district has been in the works ever since a kindergartner was told to turn his Michigan t-shirt inside out.
