James A. Long's representatives will present the idea to the board on July 10. Children attending the meeting will wear examples of uniforms. Werner Hollaway, principal at James. A. Long, said the idea for uniforms came from the Westside Preparatory School in Chicago, started by Marva Collins, an acclaimed educator. It would make the school a safer place because we wouldn't have squabbles about clothing.
Uniforms have a way of equalizing things.
Last July, Collins visited the district and spoke to teachers at James A. Long, Mellon Elementary, Moseley Elementary and Jenkins Middle School. Member Joann Barber traveled to Chicago for a three-day seminar at Westside Preparatory where students wear uniforms. They brought the idea to the SAC, which approved it. A PTO meeting was scheduled to obtain opinions of parents. Hollaway said 175 parents attended the meeting, and only one expressed concern about uniforms.