The Old Rochester Regional School Committee has rejected further consideration of a school uniform policy. At their Dec. 14 meeting, members said that despite parents’ concerns, there is no evidence of fashion-focused bullying.

In an email addressed to the members of the committee, Marion resident Gary Powers said he believed school uniforms might prevent students from being picked on because they cannot afford higher-end labels such as UGG boots or Hollister fashions. “Students will not be known by what they wear, but how they perform,” Powers said.

The School Committee voted against instituting a school uniform policy after High School Principal Michael Devoll and Junior High Principal Kevin Brogioli said dress was not a major problem in the schools.

“I agree with everything in the letter, but this would be a dramatic change to the culture of the building, as well as having push-back from parents and students,” Devoll said.
While Brogioli said the school does see problems with inappropriate clothing such as tank-tops in the warmer months, fashion-focused bullying does not seem to be common enough to warrant school uniforms.

A representative from the Student Advisory Council, Walker Fuchs, said uniforms would not be very popular with the rest of the student body.

“One of the great things about this school is the freedom we get through many walks here and one of those is freedom of expression,” Fuchs said. “I feel free to say [uniforms] would be pretty much hated here.”

Powers’ letter said he found valid reasoning behind the issue first raised by Marion School Committee members Christine Winters and Michelle Ouellette in November.

Marion is awaiting the results of a survey sent to parents by the Sippican School Council to determine the next step in revising the school dress code.

Brogioli said Old Rochester Regional did send out a survey for parents on the school dress code a few years ago, but the results were inconclusive.

Though the uniform policy was rejected, the committee members agreed to table the issue for discussion at a later date.