PGCPS passes Uniform Policy 0114; here’s what it means for Parkdale
Freshmen at Parkdale (pictured above during orientation) are now required to where white uniform shirts. The new uniform policy could have changed that.
Over the summer before the 2022-2023 school year began, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) updated their uniform policy as the board instated Policy 0014. Policy 0114, the new uniform policy, was created to allow schools throughout the county to enforce their acting uniform policies or change them.
This school year, Parkdale changed its uniform policy and continues to be a uniform school. Students in grades nine and ten are expected to wear white polo shirts while students in grades 11 and 12 are required to wear green or black polo shirts. All students must have khaki bottoms and their ID suspended around their neck. This uniform policy was set in place starting the 2022-2023 school year.
But how does this relate back to Policy 0114? According to this new policy, all schools who were uniform schools before the new policy will remain uniform schools between 2022 and 2027 unless a petition is signed to change that school’s uniform policy. According to the PGCPS Board of Education, “this new process entails a petition by the parents or guardians of at least 20 percent of the number of students enrolled at the school.” This then prompts the principal of said school to create a committee made up of students, parents, and staff. The committee is then meant to discuss a new uniform policy and put it up for vote in which at least 50 percent of parents must vote in the affirmative. If said votes are casted, the new uniform policy would go into effect the following school year.
Parkdale High School has been a uniform school for nearly 15 years, but that could change in the future depending on the student body. However, Policy 0114 has not been truly addressed at Parkdale this year, and many parents are unaware of the possibility of starting a petition.
“The school hasn’t mentioned a single thing about how changing the uniform policy is an actual thing we can do,” said senior Matthew Conte. “All that we were told was that we had a new uniform policy, even stricter than last year’s.”
The policy itself states “The Board of Education believes that students attending Prince George’s County Public Schools should dress in a way that is consistent with creating a positive and non-disruptive learning environment and respecting students’ rights to express themselves through their choice of personal attire. The decision whether to adopt a school-site uniform program is to be made at the local school level in accordance with PGCPS administrative procedures.”
The new and current uniform policy at Parkdale can be challenged on county guidelines about the uniform policy. This new change to the uniform and reinforcement of a mandatory uniform policy “seems unfair since our parents weren’t even given the chance to vote on it,” added Conte.
With the procedures and guidelines set in Policy 0114 by the Board of Education, Parkdale does have the chance to change its current mandatory uniform policy and adopt either a no uniform, uniform optional, or mandatory uniform policy.
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Luz Gaytan is currently a senior at Parkdale and the Chief of Staff for the Class of 2023. She joined The Paw Print during the 2020-2021 school year after...
Geneen Johnson • Nov 4, 2023 at 10:33 am
I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the psychological conditioning that is apparently underway with these “school uniforms”. I grew up in upstate New York and I would not characterize cheap khaki pants and a polo shirt as a “uniform”. It seems these drab uncreative uniforms are a furtherance of a conditioning program that cheapens students appearance and self awareness in a vain attempt to abolish socioeconomic class differences. I’ve seen these kids dressed in these “uniforms” and in my opinion they look ridiculous and defeminize female students. When I was in high school, girls looked like young ladies, wore pants, jeans, skirts or dresses with nice shoes. Today, they look like they’re one step short of bring prison inmates.
Davy • Nov 4, 2022 at 9:12 pm
I believe that this uniform policy should be enforced. I strongly stand by my opinion, because it would give students access to appropriately dress, without the pressure of doing so. I feel like being able to wear what you want, gives students the opportunity to freely wear what they want.
Hayden King Ching • Oct 13, 2022 at 8:33 am
I believe that this is a topic that isn’t discussed as much as it should be. Parkdale’s uniform policy has gotten a little ridiculous, in my opinion. “No hooded clothing” but their merchandise being promoted and sold consists of hooded clothing. I think more people should be made aware that the petition mentioned exists because I believe the kids that are expected to wear this uniform should at the very least be made aware that they could have a possible say in what they have to wear to school every single school day.
Jovanny Vazquez • Oct 13, 2022 at 7:10 am
I believe Parkdale Uniform Policies should not be as enforced. Due to the enforcement of Parkdale’s Uniform Policies many cant show their creative ideas when it comes to clothing.
Ezzeddin Alghufari • Oct 12, 2022 at 10:45 am
My thoughts are that in the following years they might either make the uniform policy more strict or they will allow students to wear what they would like. For now, I think that the uniform policy will get more strict or they would add more rules in the following years.