PUKALANI - A panel at King Kekaulike High School has begun deliberating whether the campus should implement what would be the first uniform policy for a public high school on Maui.
Most of the testimony given Thursday night in the school library opposed the policy, arguing that uniformity in attire would not resolve the serious student discipline problems on campus.
"I think this will create more problems than it solves," said French teacher Ann Crawford. In the seven years she's taught at Kekaulike, Crawford said she's never had to write a referral for inappropriate dress or discipline because of clothes. "I don't feel it's a major problem on campus."
Wearing a tie and long-sleeved shirt to the forum, English teacher William Fisher said he believes uniforms could provide a sense of pride and professionalism. "Uniform says something about what to expect from an individual," he said.
Fisher said he agrees with the majority of students testifying against uniforms that a policy would not alone resolve complaints about the lack of respect shown by students and the violence on campus. However, Fisher said he believes uniforms could show unity on campus and in that way curb violence.
Marina Riker, a student involved with a newly formed group called "The Resistance," said she'd like to see more energy and time placed in seeking alternative solutions to student discipline problems rather than uniforms.
She said a student's ability to dress in whatever way he or she sees fit allows a student individual expression. "Being on Maui, I treasure diversity. Uniforms would diminish that," Riker said.
Dr. Douglas Birch, a parent of two Kekaulike students and possibly three more in the future, said he supports a uniform policy, but if one isn't implemented he'd like to see the school do a better job of enforcing its dress code.
"I personally see a lot of excessive skin, that's a nice way of putting it," he said. Birch argued that uniforms would not detract from an individual's freedom of expression and pointed to football teams and even physicians such as himself who have uniformity in their attire when they're at work.
"As a physician, I wear a white coat," he said. "I do feel I'm an individual person and I'm able to express myself even in uniform."
School Community Council Chairperson Sadie Mossman, who also is a faculty member at Kekaulike, closed the 40-minute public forum by thanking the 10 or so people who testified for providing input.
Mossman has said that the public forum was held to gauge interest in school uniforms and that the council had not yet drafted any sort of uniform policy.
School Community Council members plan to continue discussing the issue in the coming weeks, she said. The panel would consider all the input it has received from the Kekaulike community. The council will then submit a recommendation to the school principal who will ultimately make the decision on whether a uniform policy should be implemented.
* Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com.
