Cornelius can explore dress code for 2007-08

School Uniforms -- Principal Perla Rodriguez follows parent group’s lead in studying the idea

By Nancy Townsley

The Forest Grove News-Times, Apr 19, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

Chase Allgood / News-Times

Perla Rodriguez, principal at Cornelius Elementary School, stands in the building’s main hallway on Monday afternoon. She’s helping a parent group look into the feasibility of a uniform dress code policy for next year.

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Cautioning Cornelius Elementary School Principal Perla Rodriguez to consider the possible district-wide implications of a uniform dress code, the Forest Grove School Board on April 9 gave her permission to further explore the idea.

Rodriguez has done her homework on the issue, the board learned. Led by a core group of parents who want their children to wear uniforms to school, she stapled a survey – asking other parents whether they’d support such a program – to student report cards in March.

Eighty-one percent of the 253 families returning the survey indicated they would support a dress code at Cornelius, a school of 390 students in grades K-4.

“I feel that if this many parents in our school community want this, then I have an obligation to help move it forward,” Rodriguez told the board.

Ninety-six percent of her staff said they could support a dress code policy, Rodriguez noted.

The initiating parents “want the role of ‘student’ elevated for the children,” Rodriguez said by way of explaining their interest.

In recent weeks, Rodriguez told the board, she reviewed legal findings regarding school uniforms, read pertinent school board policies in neighboring districts and visited a Salem grade school with a dress code and demographics similar to those at Cornelius.

Rodriguez said she was anxious to make a decision as the end of the 2006-07 school year approaches.

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