Students and parents again weigh in on uniforms and busing

Mar 20, 2014

Students and parents once again used the “public participation” portion of Wednesday’s School Committee meeting to take issue with the possible reduction of school busing and the concept of school uniforms.

G. Allen Perry, a junior at Wareham High School and member of the School Council, told the committee that he had weighed the pros and cons of uniforms and came to the conclusion that uniforms have no place in school because they would prevent freedom of expression.

“I think that a lot of people express themselves through their clothes,” he said. “We should all be individuals.”

The idea of uniforms was raised by Superintendent Kimberly Shaver-Hood earlier this school year. Suggesting that a uniform could be as simple as khakis and a polo shirt and might “level the playing field” for students in an economically diverse community, Shaver-Hood has been soliciting community input on the concept.

On Wednesday, Perry suggested that the committee retool the current school dress code, limiting certain clothing styles – but not imposing a uniform.

“Conformity is something I am totally against,” Perry said. “There shouldn’t be a school system that endorses conformity.” The student referenced Rosa Parks of the civil rights movement in talking about being true to oneself. “It would be a beautiful world,” he said, when everyone has the freedom to express who they are.

Speaking to the argument that uniforms would prevent bullying of students who cannot afford expensive, trendy clothing, Perry said uniforms would not “automatically stop the bullying.”

Parent Jane Barbosa agreed. But, she added, “Regardless whether it’s the dress code or not, bullying needs to be addressed.”

Barbosa then switched gears and spoke to the possibility of eliminating all busing for high school students – a proposal made earlier this month by Shaver-Hood as one way to achieve needed budget cuts for the next school year.

“It’s going to hurt our students. It’s going to hurt our community,” said a passionate Barbosa. She said it was the School Committee’s responsibility to prevent busing from being cut. “It’s up to you,” she said.

Earlier this week, Shaver-Hood said that high school busing would remain in the budget. It is not yet clear what will be cut to save the $163,000 that eliminating high school busing would have saved.

Chair Rhonda Veugen, noting that Wareham has seen “devastating” cuts in the school budget the last three to four years, told the parents, “The committee is finding more solutions to finding money for the budget.”