Police credit school uniform policy for decrease in calls
By Katie Pizza
Argus Observer
Thursday, August 7, 2008 10:20 AM PDT
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| Ontario Middle School secretaries Sarah Garner (left) and Nelli Douglas (middle) show parent Theresa Chamberlin (right) uniform shirts donated to and purchased with donations to Ontario Middle School in order to help her make her purchases for the school year, which begins Aug. 22. The school implemented a school uniform policy at the beginning of the 2007 school year and has seen a decrease in behavioral issues since then, according to OPD Chief Mike Kee. |
Ontario — The Ontario Police Department officials credit a year-old mandatory school uniform policy as the reason for a decrease in fights and other destructive behaviors at Ontario Middle School.
“The biggest decrease had to do with behavior,” OPD Chief Mike Kee said.
However, Kee could not say if the overall 21 percent downturn in incident reports was here to stay.
“With only a year, it’s anecdotal,” he said.
In a report presented to the Ontario School Board in July, Kee illustrated a decrease in incident reports during the 2007 to 2008 school year compared with the previous year. He said weapons incidents decreased from two to one, and behavioral problems dropped from 45 incidents to 35.
“If kids are fighting, raising heck in the classroom and are out of control,” he said constitutes behavioral problems.
Kee also cited a decrease in theft, which dropped from 13 incidents to six. Vandalism incidents also fell from eight incidents to two, which included crimes suspected of being committed by students during the school day.
However, not every change at the middle school was positive.
Since mandatory uniforms were required in fall of 2007 violations of Oregon State Compulsory Attendance laws increased, from eight to 11 incidents reported. OPD also reports an increase from four to six trespassing incidents, which includes students who returned to campus after having been prohibited by staff to be there.
One incident of minor in possession of alcohol or tobacco, up from zero incidents in fall 2006, was reported. In his report, Kee said these increases were small.
“Kids are behaving better,” school resource officer George Tolman said.
Tolman said clothing affects how students interact with those around them.
“Any job that requires professional dress, it improves overall behavior,” he said. “I think Mrs. Cornwell (former OMS Principal LaVelle Cornwell) said ‘dress for success.’ As they dress for success, their behavior improves.”
OMS secretary Nelli Douglas shared that opinion.
“They come to school dressed to learn,” she said of the students. “They don’t come to school dressed for the beach or dressed for the movies. They come to school dressed to learn, and it is awesome.”
The uniforms consist of polo shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, vests and outerwear in the school colors: burgundy and yellow or neutral colors: white, khaki, gray and black. Students can also wear pants, capris, skirts and shorts, provided they are khaki or black and are no more than one size too large.
Tolman praised the uniforms because he said he believed it made gang members more noticeable. Before uniforms were enacted, he said, gang members were able to wear current fashions, which made gang affiliations harder for teachers to recognize.
“As they push the gang attire, we’re able to discipline them because of school rules,” Tolman said.
Tolman said the contrast between uniforms and street attire has made it easier to enforce those rules.
“It’s like night and day,” he said. “You’re either in the uniform or you’re not.”
However, Tolman said he believed uniforms may not have been the only cause for the reported decrease in behavioral issues.
He cited a disciplinary point system enacted by former Associate Principal Jonathan Zwemke as another potential cause for the decrease.
Ontario parent Theresa Chamberlin said she approved of the uniforms because they allowed students to dress the same regardless of their financial background. Douglas agreed, citing the prohibition of non-OMS logos as a reason for the uniform’s unity.
“You can look at a uniform and can’t tell if it came from a thrift store or Saks Fifth Avenue,” Douglas said.
Tolman said he supported the uniforms because they increased security, stating passers-by walking through the campus stand out, and are easy to recognize.
He said some students originally complained about the change, but the dissension has since died down.
“There are a few students who try to push the envelope throughout the year, but they are the students who would push the envelope anyway,” Tolman said.
