Here's the article:
http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18869107&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=416046&rfi=6(And the text in case it gets archived)
It looks like a battle between school dress codes and school spirit. But school officials say they're just trying to be fair.
Schools across the region have differing policies when it comes to allowing athletes to wear jerseys or other team apparel to school on game days.
The controversy was brought to light recently, when two Old Forge cheerleaders were benched from a game, the result of several events that started with a disagreement about wearing their cheerleading uniform skirts in school.
The cheerleaders said they were told they were not allowed to wear their skirts because they were not a solid color, and were told to wear them inside out, said Suzanne Mitchell, mother of co-captain senior Carla Mitchell.
Old Forge Superintendent Roseann Brutico said the cheerleaders had suggested wearing the skirts inside out, but the issue was more about the length of the skirt and not its colors. Under the school's dress code, skirts must be knee-length and all bottoms must be a solid color.
Members of the team spoke out against the policy at a School Board meeting this month. When an article about the team's complaints appeared in The Times-Tribune, the captains made copies of it and posted them around the school. Ms. Mitchell said her daughter was not allowed to cheer in the Sept. 21 football game because she posted the article. The posting of the article was against district policy because it was not preapproved.
"It didn't need to be made an issue. This whole thing has left her very discouraged, as far as having a voice," Ms. Mitchell said. "It's being ridiculous."
Each Friday, students at Old Forge have the opportunity to wear "spirit shirts," which include all Old Forge apparel related to school activities.
The cheerleaders could wear their tops then, but not the skirt. They can only wear their full uniform to school on pep rally days, Ms. Brutico said.
"I do think the parents and the cheerleaders themselves have blown this out of proportion," she said.
If a cheerleader can wear the uniform skirt on a non-pep rally day, then issues of fairness would be raised if a noncheerleader also wanted to wear a skirt above the knees, Ms. Brutico said.
"We're trying to work with the students," Ms. Brutico said. "We're trying to administer the policy fairly."
The School Board's policy committee will hear public comments about the recently revised dress code at a public meeting, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3 in the high school's large group instruction room.
Differing policies
In the Scranton School District, high school athletes are allowed to wear their jerseys, and cheerleaders can wear their uniforms, with sweatpants underneath their skirts on game days.
The administrations get requests from teams to wear their uniforms, and the district, in the interest of school spirit, usually grants the requests.
"Obviously we can't let the swim team wear Speedos," Assistant Superintendent William King said. "We let common sense prevail. When there's a request, we handle it case by case."
At Abington Heights High School, wearing athletic apparel became difficult last year, in the district's first year with a dress policy, Principal Pamela Murray said.
If athletes got to wear jerseys or other team apparel on game days, students in extracurricular clubs, like student council, also wanted to wear their matching shirts.
With so many clubs at the school, the administration came up with a simple plan: everyone has to follow the dress code every day. That means even on football game days, players and cheerleaders are not allowed to wear their uniforms.
At the end of each sports season, the school has a celebration at which students are allowed to wear their team uniforms or T-shirts from the extracurricular activities.
"It became hard to be fair to all groups," Ms. Murray said. "It's an easier way for us to include all students."
Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com
Poll
