Sorry ISPA students, but it's going to be easy to identify you in the JCLA lunchroom when you're wearing a burgundy polo on a black polo floor.

            During the summer, the Local School Council voted for a new uniform policy. They replaced the dress code with a new uniform: khaki pants and a polo shirt identifying  small school membership.

            According to Principle Leonard Kenebrew, the uniform change enables students to better focus on academics instead of what they're wearing. “It takes the focus off of dressing in designer clothes, so kids will talk less about what they’re wearing or what they look like. Even though it will still happen, it’s less of an issue,” Mr. Kenebrew said.

            However, some students feel as if their individuality is being compromised. "It's not my style," stated Jonathan Aparicio, an RCMA student. “It affects my creativity by looking like every other school, and we’re not every other school."

Mrs. Echevarria, the JCLA law school teacher, feels that students are very creative, and they'll find other creative ways to show their identity. “They have make-up, hair and piercings. We gave them the uniform but now allow piercings. It’s a one for one,” Echevarria said.  

            Some students feel no difference and disagree that it affects their creativity; a few even prefer it. “We had white shirts and blue jeans before, and we couldn't do much with that,” said Martin Calderon, an MSTA student, who also joked, “I like the shirts now because I can cover up my man boobies and not worry about yellow stains under my armpits.”

    There are even those who feel the uniforms have been an improvement. Mr. Block, a JCLA math teacher, said that the new uniform gives the hallways a more professional atmosphere and decreases excessively saggy pants. “There are some students that are going to get away [with the saggy pants] but now it’s less common,” added Mrs. Echevarria.

            Whether or not you are a fan of the new uniform, it did create confusion. Students thought that they would be able to buy their own polos in their small school colors, but that wasn't the case when students came to school on the first day. Students received one shirt in division (that was paid for by the student activity fee) and were told to pay $10 for 2 more. Each shirt after that costs $10.

     “I think it’s unfair that we had to buy the shirts. They created it, they should have given it to us for less because we didn’t want it,” argued Aparicio. He had issues buying the khaki pants and felt the jeans were a lot cheaper and more comfortable to wear to school.

            Mr. Kenebrew cleared up the confusion. If you can’t wear the Clemente polo that includes the logo, you are allowed to wear a regular polo shirt that is the color of your small school. “If your uniform shirt is dirty, you can wear a sweater or hoodie because it’s part of the uniform code,” Kenebrew said. Remember to tell that to any dean or administrator who claims you’re out of uniform when wearing a sweater, hoodie or polo the color of your small school.

             According the Uniform Discipline Code of 2009, “Students who fail to abide by a school’s uniform policy may not be given in-school or out-of-school suspension or otherwise barred from attending class. However, students who fail to adhere to such policies may be subject to the loss of extracurricular activities.”

     The school will provide you with an alternative if you come out of uniform. White shirts with the word “Rental” printed in large letters across the back can be borrowed for $2 in the main office.

    Will Clemente go back to the dress code if the uniform doesn’t work out? It’s doubtful. “If it’s here, it should be here to stay,” said Mrs. Echevarria.

    If a student allows this to become a serious conflict, the student's parents will be asked to come in for a meeting. “There will be a sit down with the parents, and I’ll say, look, this is what the local school council voted for, and if you don’t want to do it, then you have the alternative to go somewhere else,” Mr. Kenebrew said.