Summary

Footage Information

CONUS Archive
184384
School - Uniforms
PHILADELPHIA
PKG
5/9/2000
34:49
2:06
Fairmount, PA Bruce Gordon, Reporting Eileen Spagnola, Kearny Principal Burton Caine, Civil Liberterian
TEACHER IN FRONT OF ELEMENTARY CLASS WITH BOOK, KIDS IN UNIFORMS IN CLASS, STUDENT SOT ON UNIFORMS, STUDENT SOTS ON NOT HAVING RIGHT CLOTHES, GIRLS IN UNIES AT TABLE, BOY RAISING HAND, BOYS IN UNIES WITH TIES, GIRLS SOTS ON POSITIVE EFFECTS OF UNIES, SPAGNOLA AT CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING ON POSITIVE RESULTS OF UNIES, CAINE SOT ON UNIFORMS BEING BAD IDEA, STANDUP, TEACHER IN FRONT OF CLASS, STUDENTS LISTENING TO TEACHER
PHILADELPHIA HAS BECOME THE FIRST BIG-CITY DISTRICT TO REQUIRE ALL STUDENTS TO WEAR UNIFORMS. NOT ALL ARE HAPPY ABOUT IT.
YOU MIGHT SAY THE KIDS AT KEARNY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARE SINGING THE BLUES. OR, MORE ACCURATELY, SINGING THE PRAISES OF BLUES- LIGHT BLUES AND DARK- THE OFFICIAL COLORS OF THE OFFICIAL UNIFORMS WORN AT KEARNY SINCE 1996. NEWER STUDENTS HERE, REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE AT THEIR OLD SCHOOLS. ((SOT)) GIRL: "when they'd walk in, they'd be like-'look at your clothes. they're ugly and they're not the right color."' ((SOT)) GORDON: "kids would tease each other if they didn7 have-" boy: "tease each other if they didn't have polo or guess or all that on." AT KEARNY, LABELS ARE UNIMPORTANT AND THE RULES ARE SIMPL: FOR GIRLS, DARK BLUE JUMPERS, DRESSES, SKIRTS OR SLACKS, WITH LIGHT BLUE TOPS. FOR BOYS, DARK BLUE PANTS, LIGHT BLUE PULLOVER OR DRESSSHIRTS. NECKTIES ARE OPTIONAL, BUT MANY CHOOSE TO WEAR THEM. EVEN TEACHERS HAVE JOINED THE MOVEMENT. ((SOT)) GIRL: "i can listen more and stuff, than worry about who's got the name brand stuff on." ((SOT)) GIRL: "i like the uniforms because some people, they dress provocative and inappropriate. and with the uniform, they can't do that." ((SOT)) GIRL: "i think you shouldn't be worrying about what you're wearing. but you should be worrying about what your grades are gonna be." ((NAT)) ESPAGNOLA: "the parents and staff strongly believe that uniforms have made the difference..," KEARNY PRINCIPAL EILEEN SPAGNOLA TODAY TOLD THE CITY COUNCIL'S EDUCATION COMMITTEE THAT THAT DIFFERENCE IS TANGIBLE. ((SOT)) EILEEN SPAGNOLA: "the suspension rate has dropped, test scores are improved, enrollment has increased and a safe feeling is evident throughout the building." NOT EVERYONE SUPPORTS THE IDEA. CIVIL LIBERTARIANS SAY UNIFORMS ARE ANTI-EDUCATIONAL BECAUSE THEY DISCOURAGE FREE THINKING. ((SOT)) BURTON CAINE: this is a bad lesson for them to learn they must conform, when our tradition is one where they're encouraged to differ." ((SU)) GORDON: "even the staunchest supporters of school uniforms admit they are not - in and of themselves - the answer to school violence or student misbehavior. but at kearny, at least, the sense is that a major distraction has been removed from the halls of learning. in fairmount, bg fn. NORTHEAS
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