- April 24, 2024
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Osceola County School Board member Jay Wheeler was present at Flagler’s final public forum on a possible school uniforms policy Wednesday, Dec. 7. He was accompanied by two guest parents, one in support of the policy and one against, and two students, both against, to discuss their views on the subject and field questions.
In 2007-era Osceola, the year before a uniforms policy was enacted, Wheeler said, his 54,000-student school district would often vote on multi-million-dollar contracts, but hardly any residents would show up to their meetings. That all changed, however, when they began looking into uniforms.
“We put school uniforms on our agenda and you would’ve thought we were giving something away,” he said, pointing out the issue’s emotional ties. It gets people’s attention.
And that has been the case in Flagler. But the Matanzas High School Pirate Theater was sparsely filled Wednesday night, for the final meeting. School Board member Andy Dance suggested that was because he and the board have been hammering away at the possibility for the greater part of the last two months.
“This is not an uproar,” board member Colleen Conklin said, in response to a comment submitted to the board that referenced public reaction as such. “Many people have been supportive.”
Still, contrasting views were showcased.
“Like it or not, our children are constantly judged on their fashion,” said Rachelle Espert, mother of three Belle Terre Elementary students, in support of uniforms. “As a parent, I have a responsibility to secure my children’s senses of self-worth.”
“How can you trust that, as individuals, we will succeed in the future if you won’t even let us choose what kind of clothes we’ll wear?” asked Wes Adams, Flagler Palm Coast High School senior and student School Board member.
For more, see next week’s print edition of the Palm Coast Observer.
The School Board will make its final vote on a mandatory districtwide uniforms policy Jan. 17
For past uniforms coverage, CLICK HERE.
