JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – At Westside High School on Monday, a meeting, which was sponsored by the School Advisory Council, helped bring clarity to the institution’s uniform policy that had drawn the ire of students and parents after they learned that their kids had been held out of class due to the requirements.
The school’s principal, Vincent Foster, addressed the issue directly, clarifying the school’s stance and outlining next steps.
First, Principal Foster responded directly to concerns raised by students and parents, particularly reports that staff were checking the tags on students’ uniforms to verify compliance.
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“If there was someone checking tags that should not have been, I have never said from day one that you had to have a specific brand of uniform pants,” Foster stated.
He went on to clarify the school’s stance on whether students are required to wear their school’s logo on their uniform.
“If you don’t have the crest, you’re not in uniform,” he said.
The comments come after Timothy Simmons, the regional superintendent of high schools and alternative schools, spoke on Aug. 13 and directly stated that logos were not required on school uniforms.
At the conference, Simmons said, “What we find is that students like to wear the logo or the crest of the school, so we will assist [students] so they can have that, but we are not requiring them to have that.”
Later in the conference, he directly stated, “[Students] are not required to have the logo.”
Senior Addison Barnes, who attended the meeting, said she was motivated to get involved after seeing classmates miss class time over uniform issues. “I don’t think it’s okay to withhold learning and education from students, especially in the first week of school, for the clothing, especially the fabric type that they are wearing on their bodies,” Barnes said.
Barnes also suggested that the school establish a uniform grace period for the first ten days of school, giving students and families time to secure the required attire without penalty. She expressed interest in working with school leaders to improve access to uniforms, such as partnering with a nearby uniform store.
LaToya Walker, president of the School Advisory Council, highlighted the community’s willingness to help students in need.
“211 is always available. You call them. They have the resources there. And then speak with the staff here. Speak with the administrators, because we’ve had an outpour from the community. So it could be that we have some of those items that are in need,” Walker said.
Walker added that the conversation about the school’s uniform policy remains ongoing and encourages parents to stay engaged in the process.