TODAY'S ISSUE
Former public principal realizes benefit of school uniforms
By Steve Spellman
Principal, St. Pius X Catholic High School
Special to GwinnettForum.com

OCT. 15, 2004 -- Five years ago, after serving for 24 years in the Gwinnett County Public Schools, I assumed the principalship of St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta. As I run into my former colleagues, one of the first questions I am always asked is, "What's the difference between private and public schools?" That singular question prompted a great deal of thought on my part, until I realized one of the big differences: school uniforms.

Spellman

The pros and cons of school uniforms have been an oft-discussed topic in educational circles in recent years, but I had never served in a school where the students wore a uniform. In reality, as I reflect back on my previous experiences, I realize all students wore "uniforms."

As any teacher will tell you, most students want to fit into some type of group, and these groups usually will dress the same. Whether it is shorts or jeans and a t-shirt; the same brand of shoes; or a name brand backpack with a Nalgeen water bottle; students truly want to belong and fit into some type of group.

Stores and brands like The Gap, Abercrombie and Fitch, and Polo make substantial profits knowing the psychology behind their sales. As adults, we know this "group identity" has both positive and negative connotations. Think of the Columbine tragedy and you recall the two killers, dressed in the long black trench coats, which were banned at almost every school as a result of that tragedy. Clothes make groups easily identifiable.

Here's the difference between the aforementioned "uniforms" and the standard, mandated school uniform.

With standard school uniforms, you don't have any group identities; you only have a school-wide identity. The "group" becomes the "school." The mission of the school, which should be the delivery of a first-class education, is then not distracted by these various groups intent on displaying their particular identity.

As I talk about uniforms with our students, this is what they share about wearing mandated uniforms:

• "It's easier; you never have to worry about what you have to wear the next day."
  
  
• "I love it; I can take my limited money and save it for really nice clothes."
  
  
• "No one is worried about others having nicer clothes, we are all focused on our grades and classes."
  
  
• "It saves my parents money, they only have to buy a few things, we really like uniforms."
  
  
• And my favorite: "We have super-rich kids here, and super-poor kids here and with uniforms, no one knows the difference. We all want to make good grades and get into a good college and that's all we care about."

As a parent and principal, this is what I see uniforms mean to a campus:

• (1) An economic advantage: Buy a few uniforms and you're set for four years. Save your money for the college years.
  
  
• (2) An academic advantage: Instead of worrying about what another person is wearing, a student gets to focus on their grades.
  
  
• (3) A safety advantage: A stranger on your campus is noticed immediately.

Bottom Line: A uniform sets a tone for a serious academic environment, diminishes distractions that take away from the academic mission of the school, and assists in providing a safer environment: a dream for any student, parent, teacher and principal.

ELLIOTT BRACK
School uniforms are the norm over much of the world
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

OCT. 15, 2004 -- Drive by any school in England at recess, and you will see the same picture: groups of boys and girls playing, all in similar clothing.

And it's not just in England. School uniforms are the norm in most countries of the world: Japan, Singapore, South Africa, India, etc. Girls dress in similar skirts and blouses, while the boys wear similar pants, a shirt and usually a tie in warm weather, plus blazer in cooler times.

Not so in most of the United States. Perhaps it's our internal craving of independence being stamped on children at early ages. Yet for some reason, American public school parents resist seeing their children in uniforms at school.

Educators at the parochial school level have long understood the benefit of uniforms for their charges. We hear in this issue of GwinnettForum from a 24-year veteran administrator of Gwinnett public schools, Steve Spellman. In his new role as a principal at a private school, he feels the best change from his time in public schools is the use of uniforms. Other private school administrators cite similar thoughts.

Now we are beginning to hear of many more public school systems adopting the use of uniforms. The largest school system in the country, the 500,000 elementary school students in New York, now wear uniforms.

The president of the New York school board said the policy is "important to diminish peer pressure and promote school pride," but that it's not "an act of magic to transform schools overnight....It isn't going to replace good teaching, good principals, small classrooms."

No-nonsense uniforms are what many school are using as weapons in the war against gang-related violence and classroom distractions. Others cite improved discipline, decreased violence and theft, helping students resist peer pressure; better concentration school work; and an increasingly important consideration….. helping school officials recognize intruders at school.

Parents will find another reason for uniforms: it is far cheaper to outfit an offspring in a school uniform than for them to wear their current clothes. After all, uniforms are classical, not fashionable. The uniforms that schools suggest that parents buy are also sturdy and long-lasting, and don't wear out quickly, nor become out of fashion.

One person who wore a uniform as a child brings another aspect to it. He told us recently: "I was a younger brother, and therefore, I only got the hand-me-downs from my older brother. I never had new clothes of my own until I graduated from high school." (That says a lot about toughness in school uniforms!)

While mandatory uniforms have been introduced in some school districts, another way to approach the problem is a voluntary uniform. While this puts more pressure on parents, and relieves the school district of enforcement of uniform rules, voluntary uniforms have been successful in many jurisdictions. It's a partial step-but an important one-in improving conditions at schools. Where voluntary uniforms have been used, some schools report a 70-85 per cent use.

American schools face growing problems each year. By adopting a uniform policy, they could reduce some of their problems, and help students and parents at the same time.

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McLEMORE'S WORLD
10/15: Flu flasher

The latest from cartoonist Bill McLemore:

FEEDBACK
10/15: Correction

An incorrect Web address of the American Cancer Society was included in Phylecia Wilson's letter (Feedback, 10/12) in the last issue. To see the latest ACS CAN site, go to www.acscan.org, and click down to the portion which reads "America's Next Smokesperson.

10/15: Popular vote would give majority to 11 biggest states

Editor, the Forum:

You make a good point with your column regarding the candidates ignoring the "safe" states. The second part of your column, on the Electoral College, brings to mind a related thought:

If the voters want to see states ignored in the elections, just do away with the Electoral College and go to a popular vote. Under that system, the 11 largest states could elect the president and impose their will on the other 39.

Voters in the less populous states would never see or hear from the candidates, while the folks in the big states would be promised the moon.

People need to admit that our founding fathers knew what they were doing (on this and many other issues) and stop trying to change things.

-- Myles Godfrey, Winder

(Editor's note: Nicely said, Myles. And a major point to those of us who relish seeing national candidates pay some attention to all the states. While Georgia would be among the 11 largest states, such a move wouldn't be right for the nation. -eeb)

10/15: Easily recalls several mistakes of Bush Administration

Editor, the Forum:

During the second presidential debate, Bush was asked if he could recall three mistakes he had made, and after stammering and waffling, he muttered that perhaps some appointments were mistakes.

Perhaps this will jog his memory: Telling the nation Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and posed a "grave and gathering" threat to our security, despite reports from weapons inspectors Kay and Blix, and from the CIA, confirmed by the Duelfer report issued last week that there were no WMDs in Iraq, and that Saddam posed little danger to the U.S.; and including discredited information concerning Nigerian Yellow Cake in his 2003 State of the Union Address; and prancing around in a flight suit aboard the carrier, announcing that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended" -- after which over 900 of our finest have given their lives.

Also, ignoring the dire condition of the nation's employment, he stated, "outsourcing is just a new way of doing international trade." He made a big deal out of his "No Child Left Behind" Act but failed to provide necessary funding. And despite funds approved by Congress, he sent our troops to Iraq without adequate body armor or armor for their vehicles. And so on . . .

If I can think of these mistakes and many more, why can Bush not remember
them?

-- Charles Prendergast, Los Angeles, Calif.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION

• An invitation: What books have you enjoyed? Send us your best recent book along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus what you plan to read next. --eeb
  

ENCYCLOPEDIA TIDBIT
10/15: UGA stadium named for eminent 20th century educator

Sanford Stadium, the home of the Georgia Bulldogs on the campus of the University of Georgia, is the 21st century's most visible and tangible link to one of the state's greatest 20th-century educators. The stadium that bears his name was the brainchild and a favorite project of Steadman Sanford, English professor, founder of the university's School of Journalism, dean, university president, and third chancellor of the University System of Georgia.

Sanford received his undergraduate degree from Mercer University in Macon in 1890, and went on to pursue graduate studies at the University of Chicago, the University of Berlin in Germany, and Oxford University in England. He spent his early career in education in Marietta, becoming superintendent of the Marietta schools (1897-1903) before taking a position teaching English at UGA in 1903.

Early in the 1920s Sanford and important Bulldog boosters in Atlanta and around the site began to plan for the building of a modern football stadium. In October 1929 Georgia defeated the Yale University team 15-0 in the inaugural game at Sanford Stadium, a beautiful setting in a natural area engineered to handle a crowd of more than 30,000.

During his presidency Sanford oversaw the consolidation of what had been several semi-independent units into a unified university within a newly established university system. When he was promoted in 1935 to chancellor of the system, Sanford enlarged his aggressive promotion of education to include all the units of the system.

• To access the Georgia Encyclopedia, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
  

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Two qualities you can see in fanatics

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."

-- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965).

• Another invitation: What's your favorite saying? Share with others through GwinnettForum. Send to elliott@gwinnettforum.com.
  

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