BURBANK : Parents Favor School Uniforms

The numbers of parents in favor of uniforms at George Washington Elementary School in Burbank were overwhelming, but even more telling were some of the comments parents scribbled on the forms sent back in response to a survey about them.

“Thank God,” wrote one parent.

“Yes! Yes! When can we start?” wrote another.

Principal Joan Baca said of 500 families sent surveys last month, 403 returned them, and of those, 318 were in favor, 48 wanted more information and 37 were opposed. Just the high percentage of returned surveys, sent out in both Spanish and English, surprised Baca.

A report on the survey will be presented to a special school board workshop Oct. 26. Before students can be asked to wear uniforms, the idea must win approval from the Burbank Board of Education. If the board agrees, the school would be the first in Burbank to have uniforms.

Even then, however, compliance would be voluntary because Washington is a public school.

Fears of gangs from nearby North Hollywood and Sun Valley as well as the high cost of keeping students dressed in the current fashions were two of the reasons the school has been considering uniforms, Baca said.

Baca said that while the school has no on-site gang problems, some of the students have older brothers or family members who are in gangs. Some also emulate the gang look, and may draw gang attention off campus.

“From the parents’ viewpoint, they don’t want their children to look toward the gang as something attractive and exciting,” Baca said.

Baca said a parent committee is being established to choose clothes that are affordable and comfortable.

“We’d like to see it take effect second semester,” Baca said.

She added that a simultaneous survey of teachers and school staff members showed that 24 were in favor of the uniforms, six were against it and three were undecided.

Having uniforms “can equalize economic levels,” one staff member wrote.

Another said uniforms would “give our children a sense of pride and belonging, and our parents a bit more security.”