Parents to vote on school uniforms

DANETTE GOULET

NEWPORT BEACH -- Parents at two Newport Beach elementary schools are

poised to decide whether their children will wear uniforms to school.

The question of uniforms has been brewing at Andersen Elementary School,

where parents two weeks ago cast their votes on a new dress code policy.

However, the original ballots were set aside after some parents called

for a revote. The second ballots are due Friday and the results will be

tallied at the end of the school day.

Mariners Elementary School will hold a meeting Thursday in preparation

for a similar vote next week. The meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m., is

intended to inform parents about the possible uniform policy and perhaps

even offer fashion tips.

“We will have a little bit of a fashion show followed by comments and

questions, where [parents] can speak to the subject, but mostly we would

open it up to questions,” said Chris Wilkinson, the Mariners PTA

president.

Both schools conducted surveys in November to gauge parent interest in

uniforms for their children. Survey organizers from both schools said

there was overwhelming support for the idea.

A notice sent home to Mariners parents last week alerted parents to the

meeting and also reported that parents were in favor of uniforms by a

two-to-one margin.

“It was an interest survey that all parents in [kindergarten through

fifth grade] had sent home to them,” Wilkinson said. “It had them just

let us know in writing, were they interested in putting their children in

uniforms. Response was overwhelming that yes, they wanted us to pursue

this.”

The study results do not guarantee passage of a uniform policy at

Mariners, Wilkinson said. Ballots will be sent home for a vote following

Thursday’s meeting and collected next week.

Principals at Andersen and Mariners could not be reached for comment

Tuesday.

Although discussion of school uniforms has sometimes turned into heated

debates, parents at Andersen said they don’t anticipate too many

problems.

“I think people are more interested in finding a happy compromise,” said

Ann Ramser, a parent advocate for uniforms.

State law allows parents who are not in favor of uniforms to sign a

waiver for their children.

As for her children, Ramser said she would love to see them in uniforms

-- and spend a lot less on clothes each year.

“I have one son and three daughters, so I think uniforms would help

simplify things in getting them ready in the morning,” she said. “And I’m

fed up and tired with the whole designer label thing. I don’t think they

need to be worrying about those things at their age. It’s just

distracting and I think that it would be good overall for the student

body.”

Some parents disagreed, saying uniforms are more trouble than regular

clothes.

Thom McElroy, who moved to Newport Beach from Tustin, said he and his

family went through the hassle of uniforms at their old district, where

parents voted to start a new dress code policy.

“You always have to have a clean uniform and the kids go through them

more quickly,” McElroy said. “My wife found it was more of a hassle than

it was worth.”

FYI

* WHO: Mariners Elementary School parents

* WHAT: Meeting to discuss the possibility of a uniform policy

* WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday

* WHERE: Mariners Elementary School, 2100 Mariners Drive, in the Penne

Ferrell Theater. Child care will be provided.