
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 12, 1991                   TAG: 9102120452
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: NEAL THOMPSON EDUCATION WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

COST ONLY DRAWBACK TO UNIFORMS

Some think that making Roanoke's public school students wear uniforms would be a pretty good idea if it wasn't for one thing.

The money.

"I don't think it's a bad idea; I think it's great," said Addison Middle School Principal Beverly Burks. "But with the economy the way it is, I just don't know.

"Some of our families have five or six kids in school. Would the family be able to absorb that cost?"

By a narrow margin, the Senate passed a bill Monday that would allow school boards to require students in any or all of their schools to wear uniforms.

Mandating school uniforms is designed to reduce peer pressure and competition over clothing in schools, which should help students concentrate more on their lessons. It's also designed to save parents money - especially poorer parents in larger cities - since clothing is expensive.

Roanoke students need not fret, though, over the possibility of being forced to abandon sneakers, jeans and T-shirts for dress shoes, plaid skirts or ties.

Since the bill doesn't provide state funding for the uniforms, it's unlikely Roanoke will pay for them. And parents probably won't be asked to foot the bill.

"I don't think the bill has any significant consequences for us," said Richard Kelley, executive for business affairs. "I can't see anything in the near future."

But Burks sees some merit in the bill.

"I think it would be good for some of these kids who can't afford the fancy clothes and the tennis shoes," Burks said.

But since the bill was drawn specifically for city school districts, it is not expected to gain support in suburban and rural schools.

Roanoke County Superintendent Bayes Wilson has said his administration would not ask the School Board to consider school uniforms.

In Roanoke, the administration had considered requiring pupils at the newly opened Roanoke Academy for Math and Science to wear uniforms. But a survey of parents found them to be strongly opposed and the idea died.

Cordia Al-Qahhar, president of the school's PTA, said uniforms may have improved self-esteem and helped students concentrate more in class. But the costs were too great.

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