posted July 23, 2009 09:19 PM               

July 23, 2009

From: Gene Johns (email: genejohns.net@gmail.com)

To: Members of the Lake County School Board

No to Public School Uniforms

The Lake County School Board is now considering a county wide mandatory school uniform policy for the students in Lake County Public Schools. I am adamantly opposed to mandatory school uniforms in our public schools.

Every benefit claimed to justify implementing school uniforms has either been or can be invalidated or proved to be insignificant. In fact, an academic study published in The Journal of Education Research (Volume 92, Number 1, Sep/Oct 1998, pp. 53-62) by David L. Brunsma (Univ. of Alabama) and Kerry A. Rockquemore (Notre Dame) found school uniforms fail to achieve any of the benefits linked to school uniforms.

However, I am not going to debate the mythical merits used by those who support a public school uniform. Even if the case could be made that school uniforms in public (government) school would benefit students, there are three reasons more important in opposing public school uniforms than opposing the mythical merits advocated for public school uniforms. They are: 1) Constitutional rights; 2) traditions and values of our American heritage; 3) violation of Florida’s Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession.

Many of those who support a mandatory public school uniform policy do so in the belief that it is necessary to improve our education environment. Please consider this: "Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human liberty; it is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." ~ Willliam Pitt

First reason to oppose school uniforms in public school – Constitutional Rights:

"The Fourteenth Amendment, as now applied to the States, protects the citizen [students are citizens too] against the State itself and all of its creatures -- Boards of Education not excepted. That they are educating the young for citizenship is reason for scrupulous protection of Constitutional freedoms of the individual, if we are not to strangle the free mind at its source and teach youth to discount important principles of our government as mere platitudes." Those are not my words, but the words of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas.

It is my view that the Fourteenth Amendment prevents a State and the public (government) schools within a State from dictating which colors of clothing a student (citizen) may or may not wear. I am sure that Justice Fortas and current members of the US Supreme Court would concur. It is unbelievable to me, that in the United States, American citizens are willing to allow a government entity (our public school system) to dictate to citizens (students) which color of clothing a student may or may not wear.

Second reason to oppose school uniforms in public school – our American Heritage:

Within our Declaration of Independence there is a statement we are all familiar with, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Liberty (freedom) is part of our American Heritage; it is one of the basic principles on which our nation was founded upon. Our Founding Fathers wanted us to be free from tyranny, free from government control of individual freedom. As such, our children have the inherent right to wear any color, mix of colors and even a Winnie the Pooh top while attending a public (government) school. That is reinforced by the Bill of Rights’ First and Fourteenth Amendment to our Constitution.

Third reason to oppose school uniforms in public school – Violates Florida’s Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession:

In Section 6B-1.006(e)(3)(g) of Florida’s Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession, the State acknowledges that the obligation to the student requires the educational professional not to harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family background and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination.

It seems to me that a public school uniform policy incorporates an ideology that harasses students and discriminates against many family backgrounds and political beliefs. That is exactly what the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession prohibits. This provision should also apply to any school board policy that violates the spirit of that provision.

Many families have conservative political beliefs and believe in our traditional American values. As such, we believe in our Founding Fathers' desire for limited government, individual liberty and responsibility. Mandatory school uniform policies that apply to students (citizens) attending public (government) schools are in direct conflict with our beliefs and values as Americans; not-to-mention the violation of our rights as Parents and Students (citizens) as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.

In Conclusion

The Lake County School Board's publicly stated vision is to have a dynamic, progressive, and collaborative learning community embracing change and diversity where every student has the opportunity to succeed. A school uniform policy which restricts colors to a limited number of colors and does not allow the wear of stripes, plaids and other designs (including pictures and words) contradicts the School Board's own stated vision. Where is the diversity (cultural diversity included) in restricting clothing to only a few select colors? A school uniform policy stifles diversity.

I understand and appreciate the School Board's desire to provide the best environment possible for the education of the children in Lake County. However, a school uniform policy takes away from the students ability and experience in learning how to dress responsibly. It will teach our children that government, not the individual, must decide on what is responsible and/or appropriate. In America, that is the wrong message to send.

The Parents of children attending Lake County Public Schools have placed in your hands the education of our children. Educate them on the values and traditions of our American Heritage and our Constitution. As Supreme Court Justice Fortas stated students should not be taught to discount important principles of government as mere platitudes and I strongly agree. Allow our children to enjoy the simple freedom and liberty to wear whatever colors and designs (of course, within moral and common decency standards) they choose. Implementing a school uniform policy for students (citizens) in American Public Schools is simply wrong!