JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A local parent sent his daughter off to class Wednesday morning at Westside High School ready to “finish out strong” in her senior year.
An hour later, he got a call, telling him she had been pulled from class and sent to the auditorium with nearly 100 other students.
Their transgression?
They’re not wearing the right clothes.
Three days into a new school year, there has been confusion over the uniform policy at Westside High School and varying information about how it’s being enforced.
“There was more in the auditorium than what they could handle, so they started to overflow them into the cafeteria,” said Ray, a parent to a Westside High School senior. “They’re not getting what they’re at school to do. They’re literally being punished for wearing different pants.”
Ray said his daughter has been wearing black denim with her uniform shirt for three years, but this year, the school opted for a more stringent uniform policy, requiring black or khaki slacks.
“They can’t wear denim. They can’t wear leggings, jeggings, cargo pants, anything like that,” Ray said. “And the mailer that they sent out to the parents made it seem as though it had to be the specific brand from the school uniform store. They were actually lifting children’s shirts and checking the back to see if the logo was there.”
Other parents have also expressed concern over the requirements of the strict uniform policy at a public high school. Parents say some students are being pulled from class simply because their shirts are missing the school logo — even if the rest of the outfit meets the guidelines.
The school says the policy is mandatory, with no opt-out option.
Ray said he’s concerned that the policy wasn’t communicated better, particularly if the school wasn’t planning on a grace period for the start of the school year.
“I was in the office with a few other parents at the same time who were just as mixed up and crazy about the whole thing as I was. And instead of giving a grace period of, ‘OK, we’re going to be enforcing this. This is what we need you to do.’ They gave a very obfuscated idea of what they were after, and then they’re putting the kids into the cafeteria and into the auditorium and keeping them away from their learning,” Ray said. “It’s not like they’re doing teaching or anything in there. For some reason, this uniform is so important to them that they are segregating the kids off into a side room and just having them sit out the day.”
The uniform policy for Westside High School was posted to the school’s website less than 24 hours ago.
According to the policy, students are required to wear gray, black, or red polo shirts with the school logo. Khaki or black pants, shorts, or skirts are allowed—but no jeans, leggings, or cargo pants.
One mother told News4JAX her son spent two full days in the auditorium— and her daughter, an honor student, was also pulled from class just because her pants had pockets.
“They sent her in the auditorium to sit there. I had to call up there and ask them why. I understand that if all of the kids are out of uniforms, yes, but it’s the first week of school,” Tiffany Kendrick said. “Some of these students haven’t seen their teachers yet. It’s ridiculous. How are they ever going to get an education if you’re putting them in just one room and making them sit there for hours?”
In response to the backlash, the principal apologized for the confusion in a message to parents, saying the new policy is about improving school culture, safety and accountability.
Dear Westside High School Parents and Guardians,
I would like to first apologize for any confusion or frustration that may have been caused by the enforcement of the Westside High School Uniform policy. This correspondence will hopefully clarify the communications previously sent and that are posted on our website.
In our ongoing effort to increase student accountability, promote integrity, and maintain a safe, comfortable learning environment for all students, Westside High School will implement a mandatory school uniform policy for the 2025-2026 school year. All students will be required to wear uniforms and will not have the option to opt out. Research shows that school uniforms improve safety, boost self-esteem, and reduce anxiety about appearance. Uniforms also improve discipline, raise academic performance, and contribute to a stronger school culture. By adopting this policy, we aim to strengthen our Career and Technical Education Academies and better prepare students for success beyond high school.
Uniform Requirements
Shirts:
• Grey, black, or red polo shirts with the school logo.
• Button-up shirts and jackets with the school logo are also available for purchase.
Vendor Information:
R C Uniforms
11153 Beach Boulevard
Jacksonville, Florida 32246
904-646-0493
Bottoms:
• Full-length khaki or black uniform pants, shorts, or skirts.
• No jeans, cargo pants, spandex leggings, jeggings.
• No Distressed (rips, tears, cuts) pants.
Additional Guidelines:
• All shoes must fully cover the feet. Backless shoes are not permitted.
• Hoodies/jackets with hoods, hats, and non-religious head coverings are not permitted on campus.
We are committed to creating an environment where all students can thrive academically and socially. Thank you for your cooperation and support in ensuring the success of our students.
If you are experiencing an unforeseen hardship, please contact our partners at Full Service Schools (FSS) via https://forms.office.com/r/rq5Khci4D5 or by calling 211.
We also cordially invite you to join Westside High School’s School Advisory Council. Our next meeting will take place on Monday, August 25th at 5:30 p.m.
If you have any questions about the uniform policy, please contact the school at 904-573-1170.
Westside High School Principal Vincent Foster
Ray said he wonders why what the students are wearing seems to trump them getting an education.
“I understand the idea that if they all look the same, then nobody can be singled out for wearing clothes, but these clothes can be expensive for some families, and it just seems a little ridiculous that they lose out on their education for not having those clothes,” Ray said.
Among students, there’s talk of a peaceful protest. They are encouraging each other to wear their school polos, but to wear “non-uniform” pants.
“Keep this up until they let kids go to class,” a post said. “They cannot continue operating as a school without students in classrooms.”
RC Uniforms on Beach Boulevard is where the school is directing parents to purchase school uniforms.
“The uniform is only selling in RC,” parent Donald said. “I had to go over the bridge and to get the other uniform for her, which is the price double the one that we bought in a popular store.”
He said he spent around $40.
“Which is very expensive,” he said. “I even wonder if they don’t have some like commission on those things, that’s why they sent us all the way over there to buy the uniform.”
The policy has both parents and students asking questions.
Danielle Milikin says she spent the entirety of the school day in the auditorium after being dress-coded for her pants.
“At least I’m wearing pants, at least I don’t have on anything revealing. I’m in dress code. I’m attending every day. I arrive on time every day,” Milikin said. “Literally, we just sat in the auditorium. We did have to go to lunch, first lunch. But other than that, like we couldn’t. Only thing we could do just go to the bathroom; we couldn’t get up.”
While multiple families told News4JAX that tags were being checked on students, the school district says that’s not part of their policy.
The district also said it doesn’t require logos on uniforms, but again, the district dress code policy says uniform policies are school-based.
Westside High School’s principal apologized for the confusion in a message to parents, saying the new policy is about improving school culture, safety and accountability.
For parents struggling financially, the principal instructed them to contact the school’s partners at Full Service Schools (FSS) via https://forms.office.com/r/rq5Khci4D5 or by calling 211.
