Parents urge standard dress code in elementaries

Taking a cue from comments at a Wednesday morning meeting with parents, BISD Superintendent Hector Gonzales said he would "entertain the idea" of a standardized dress code for the district's 33 elementary school campuses.

Beginning last fall, Gonzales has held a series of "Coffee with the Superintendent" meetings with parents in each of the five clusters in the Brownsville Independent School District - one for each of BISD's five high schools, Hanna, Rivera, Lopez, Porter and Pace.

Wednesday was Pace's turn, and Gonzales made his usual presentation about changes in TAKS testing and requirements for promotion, the importance of preparing for college and of parental involvement in the educational process.

But when it came time to answer questions from the audience, many wanted to talk about the standardized student dress code that will take effect next year at BISD's 10 middle school campuses.

One parent asked whether similar standards could be implemented for the high schools. Gonzales said such a plan would probably meet much more resistance than the one that's being implemented for the middle schools - shirts or blouses in the school colors and denim or khaki pants, shorts or skirt.

Several parents then asked about implementing a standardized dress code for elementary schools.

Gonzales said such a proposal would have to come from parents, not the administration, noting that the idea for the middle schools originated with parents.

After the meeting he said middle school principals first approached him about the idea, then banded together, made a presentation at a board of trustees meeting and got the go-ahead to implement the code next year.

He said he would "entertain the idea" of a similar plan for the elementary schools if a similar process were followed.

Responding to a parent from Benavides Elementary, who spoke in favor of a dress code, he said, "talk to your principal. They'll welcome it."

Benavides Principal Sherry Stout said that at parents' urging she offered a standard dress code this year as an option to increase school spirit. She said a small number of parents adopted the code, which is similar to the one middle schools are implementing.

Stout said a standard dress code would be an option again next year, adding that she would see what parents think about a mandatory code.

Garden Park Principal Victor Caballero said he would put the idea before parents at his school.

"I think it's a great idea that the middle schools have started," he said.

At Russell Elementary, Principal Bill Gutierrez said a school dress code is worth talking about.

"First of all, it's coming from parents," he said. "They stood up at a public forum and wanted to discuss it. ... Then it needs to be one school, all schools. The middle schools all got together.

"I'm going to meet, probably with a small group of parents, and see what they recommend," Gutierrez said.

Gonzales said most parents favor a dress code because it "helps students focus on academics when they're not worried about how they look.

"It helps eliminate the social divisions we have in our campuses. ... I know of no serious opposition," he said.