Angry parents claim the school district is forcing elementary students to adopt the school uniform policy and forcing parents to purchase packages of clothing that do not meet the needs of the students.
"What's the rush?" said Sharon Metro, who received notice that she would have to get her son and daughter measured for uniforms within a week in order to have the uniforms by September.
Metro, like many other parents interviewed, said the school district is pushing parents to make decisions and that the clothing choices do not meet the needs of her students.
"They've given me a week to have an $80 down payment for the clothing, and then we're supposed to get my daughter measured in June for clothing she will be wearing in September. Will the company give me back the money if the clothing doesn't fit?"
Although the Bayonne school district set aside a portion of the June 19 Board of Education meeting to provide parents with information and the public with a chance to respond, many parents felt no one on the board or the administration listened to their objections.
"Some parents wanted to take back their approval," said Debby Boyle, who is also outraged by the rush and what she said are inconsistencies with promises made when the program was first presented. "But the board wouldn't listen. They voted for this anyway."
Policy was rushed, some parents say
While state law allows the school district to require school uniforms upon "the request of principal, staff and parents," a policy must be adopted after a public hearing and cannot be implemented with less than three months notice. The district must also adopt a provision that would provide uniforms to disadvantaged students. Since the policy was adopted by the school board on June 19, and notices issued to parents during the following week, the board may not meet the state regulation for a three-month notice.
Parents interviewed for this article said the school district had promised that students would be measured at their own elementary schools for uniforms, but that notices came a week before the deadline saying parents and students had to travel to Midtown Community School, and must provide down payment at that time.
Many parents interviewed said the week's notice was not enough time. Some parents also raised questions about the limited choices in each of the package. The selected vendor for the uniforms, Uniformity of Newark, which also has an office in Manahawkin, offered two package choices - a standard package for $89 and a deluxe package for $139, but did not provide pricing if parents wanted to purchase items individually.
"I think this is ridiculous," Metro said. "I think this is extremely rushed. I don't like the choice of clothing in the package."
Another parent, who asked not to be named, questioned how much the uniform items would cost if parents chose to purchase them individually. She noted that parents are being forced to purchase uniforms from a single vendor when at least one local merchant - Herbert's Clothing on Broadway - said that store could also provide the uniforms. Several other national vendors such as Lands End also offer uniform packages for local school districts as alternatives.
"Worse than that, we're being charged a shipping and handling charge as well," she said.
While state law requires the district to provide uniform relief to parents with low incomes, the company has offered a mixture of discounts on cost and some free uniforms.
"So some parents pay for the uniforms, and some don't, and some get a break on the price," said one parent. "They call that fair?"
A poll claimed most parents wanted uniforms
School officials said a survey was made through various parent-teacher organizations in February with a positive response from most parents.
But several parents said they disliked the idea of having so little choice as to vendor to purchase the product and the selection of items.
"We were told that the clothing would be made by Dickies, but there is nothing on these forms that say that's what we're getting," one parent said.
Some parents were concerned about the mixed blends of materials used in the proposed uniforms, saying they preferred all cotton.
Under state law, selecting the uniform and the logo must be conducted among parents and school officials. But some parents interviewed said they were left out of the process or felt that the school district steered them in a particular direction.
The policy change passed by the school board on June 19 requires boys and girls from pre-k to eighth grade to wear uniforms, or about 6,500 students.
Dr. Patricia McGeehan, superintendent of the Bayonne School District, said district legal opinion said the district did not have to seek bids for the uniforms because no school funds were being expended. But officials from the New Jersey School Boards Association, however, said the steering of purchases to a particular vendor may fall under the state's commodities regulations and could require bidding if over the state limit of $25,000.
While the district did seek several proposals from vendors, the question could leave the district open for a legal challenge and a possible lawsuit, the School Boards Association said.
Stiff penalties for offenders
Boys will be required to wear uniform shirt with the district logo and khaki pants for academic classes. Girls will be required to wear uniform shirt with logo, khaki pants or skort for academic classes.
For physical education, students may wear the uniform or sweatpants and a T-shirt with the district logo. Jeans are prohibited. So are hats.
Although the district said students who failed comply with the uniform policy would not be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities, the policy as adopted is much more stringent, threatening to issue letters of warning, documenting violations in a students file and in the event of repeated offences, suspension from school.
Al Sullivan can be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com
Post a Comment