THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 24, 1996 TAG: 9603230093
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VANEE VINES, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
ROBERTSON Elementary is experimenting with a well-worn idea that's catching fire in public schools across the nation: school uniforms.
But while uniform policies typically target students, Robertson staffers have decided to first try them out themselves.
Principal Bill Krupp and the Robertson faculty arrived for work Monday donned in navy and white. Women wore white tops with navy jumpers. Men wore blue sweaters, white shirts, gold ties and blue slacks.
Most of the kids stared in awe. A few asked their teachers when they would get to wear uniforms, too.
``I think it shows the children that we're all working together and that there's pride and unity among us,'' said first-grade teacher Katherine O. Kelley, who led a school committee that began investigating the idea last year.
``I think it will help get the students used to the idea of working together,'' she said.
Krupp, Robertson's principal for the past seven years, said the uniforms weren't just a fad.
``It shows that we're serious about what we're doing,'' he said.
``I wanted to see what kind of effect it would have on the children and the parents - and whether they would like it enough to start talking about considering uniforms for students.''
Whether parents will buy into that part of the idea remains to be seen. And Krupp said he wanted to take it slow.
But several parents said they saw advantages in what the staff has done.
``It relays the message to kids that teachers are united and working together,'' said parent Wanda Boyce, whom teachers paid to make the jumpers.
The idea wasn't imposed on staffers. They voted in favor of uniforms for themselves - to be worn every Monday. They also paid for them out of their own pockets.
Earlier this year, President Bill Clinton endorsed the use of student uniforms during his State of the Union address, and he recently instructed the U.S. Department of Education to issue student uniform guidelines.
The federal department's manual touts the potential benefits as reducing violence, keeping gang colors and insignias out of schools, improving discipline, focusing students on their studies and helping school officials spot intruders.
But even most supporters say the measure can't cure everything that ails many public schools.
Still, the idea - in one form or another - is worth a shot, Principal Krupp said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
William Krupp, right, principal of Robertson Elementary School, mans
the hallway to watch reactions from students as teachers sport
uniforms for the first time on Monday. The staff will wear the
uniforms every Monday on a trial basis.
by CNB