School Board Express Concerns Over Illing's Uniform Policy

Arthur H. Illing Principal Troy Monroe appeared before the Board of Education Monday to express his approval of the school's pilot , and hoping that the program would be extended for another year. But Monroe discovered that several board members had questions or concerns about the policy, and the school board decided to table consideration of its renewal until those could be addressed. 

Monroe told the Board of Education as part of its meeting Monday that the pilot program, which with certain prescribed pants and dress shirts, has contributed to "a positive climate and tone" at Illing in its first seven months since adoption. He said that the program has led to a decrease in students late to class, a decrease in harassing behavior and an overall decrease in "disruptive behavior" by about 40 percent. 

"As the principal, I have seen significant changes with respect to climate," Monroe said. "I would support extending this program." 

But when Monroe told the school board that 129 of Illing's 826 in-school suspension incidents this year, or about 15 percent, were a result of dress code violations, school board members began to express concerns with the thought of extending the program another year. 

"I struggle hearing that kids are kept out of their seats and from receiving an education based on what they're wearing," said Sarah Walton, a Democratic member of the school board. "I don't think that it's okay to keep 129 kids out of class." 

Neal Leon, a Democratic member of the school board, said that as a parent of a seventh grade student at Illing he personally liked the uniform program because it cut down on stress and tension about what his daughter wore to school each day, but that he had problems supporting the program due to the fact that only Illing staff and administrators seemed to be championing it. 

"I'm surprised there's not 13 other principals standing behind you saying 'sign me up," and that concerns me, because you're lobbying for yourself and your own school," Leon told Monroe. "I'm not sure if we should continue going forward with this pilot if the other schools aren't going to be onboard." 

But Michael Crockett, a Republican member of the Board of Education who first opposed the program, said he thought it should be extended another year to adequately gauge its effectiveness. 

"I'm not really a fan of dress codes, but I support the pilot," Crockett said. "I do think we need to give the pilot another year to see if it's working." 

Board of Education Chairmen Chris Pattacini said he would have liked to hear more data about the positive effects the uniform program was having on students at the school. 

"In my mind, that is what makes the program sing," Pattacini said said. "I think it would be really powerful to see the data on the reductions." 

Monroe noted that although most surveys of parents and administrators favored the program, Illing students surveyed were wildly opposed to the idea of uniforms. 

"There were some students that were in favor, but the vast majority of them were opposite," Monroe told the school board. 

Interim Superintendent Richard Kisiel recommended that a vote on a decision to extend the pilot uniform program at Illing be continued until Monroe could provide the school board with more of the data and examples it had asked for. 

"I think it would be useful for Dr. Monroe and I to talk about this further and delay any action tonight," Kisiel said.