PRO: Yes, the uniform changes were necessary to implement
Change is not necessarily a bad thing, and making changes and clarifications to the John Carroll uniform is necessary.
The new uniform policy allows the school to change with the times as well as set the professional standard that JC has expected for many years.
The changes should not have been a surprise to students as they came into the building to start the year. In addition to emails this summer, Deans of Students Mark Modeste and Christina Presberry spent the opening days of school informing newer students of the policies while also allowing the older students who are not used to these new policies to continue to follow the older ones.
Having uniforms creates a more comfortable environment for both newer and older students.
The question remains: “Why did the uniform need to change?”
There were some inconsistencies with last year’s uniform as students looked a bit different from each other. Uniforms create cohesion, and these new policies promote this.
Uniforms increase professionalism, and the changes to JC’s uniforms are generally smaller things.
For example, our Student Handbook states, “Freshman girls are required to have skirts to the knees. Girls in the Classes of 2024-2026 may continue to follow skirt guidelines from previous years (three inches above the knee).”
There are some upperclassmen females who have said that they do not like the new rule of having skirts three inches above the knee. However, this rule has been in place in past years, so there is nothing new to follow there.
These new rules for freshmen girls allow for an easier way for faculty to identify which students are breaking the dress code because, instead of being specific about where the skirt needs to be, all it must do is touch the knee, allowing it to be more easily determined.
Another instance of the new uniform policy changing for newer students regards the polo shirts. As stated in the student handbook, “Freshman may only wear the black, short, or long sleeve polo displaying the John Carroll mitre logo.” Other colors are being phased out with the older classes.
While some argue that they should be able to wear anything they buy in the school store, that is not necessarily the case. Spirit wear does not mean uniform wear.
While it may not seem like much to some students, these newfound changes help to create unity in our school to show that all students can come together to make an easily recognizable school, as well as students who care about how they present themselves.
Undershirt rules have changed to make the overall uniform more presentable with a sharper look. These small changes can have such a big impact when everyone follows the uniform policies, making our school look more presentable.
No one wants guests or future families to come into the school to get the impression that no one in the school cares about the uniform. These changes show that we are unified and professional. – Nathan McClung
CON: No, there should not have been any changes to the uniform
Changes in the dress code have become a major point of discussion for the student body.
Over the summer, the new dress code policy was shared with the John Carroll community in the June update email. These policies were also reiterated in a meeting with the Deans of Students during orientation. However, some of these changes have led to confusion and concerns for the students.
One of these changes requires students to enter the building in uniform, which means that sweatpants and pajama pants cannot be worn into the building in the morning. In previous years, students were able to remove these items while at their lockers.
This could become a problem in the winter since many students wear another layer of pants to keep warm when walking from the parking lot since leggings do not offer much warmth against the outside weather.
Similarly, students are now expected to stay in uniform once the school day ends if they are in the Academic Wing. With this policy, students who stay after school for extracurricular activities are no longer allowed to change into more comfortable clothing like sports teams can.
The elimination of non-uniform clothes in the Academic Wing was put into place to create a more professional and presentable environment. While this makes sense during the school day, enforcing this policy after school could cause clubs to be less productive.
It would be beneficial to us if we would be able to change into regular clothing for working with a moderator on an extracurricular activity.
Another concern for girls is with the winter uniform. Many students have expressed worries about the required leggings and outerwear in the winter, with the fear of becoming too hot in various parts of the building.
Other new uniform changes for upperclassmen include matching-colored undershirts and no gray socks. These changes, although small, have made the dress code more complicated and have already caused misunderstandings.
Along with the changes to the upperclassmen’s uniform, freshmen have a completely revamped uniform. The new policy in the Student Handbook states that the class of 2027 must wear skirts to the knees and a white button-up with a sweater in the winter. This change has caused freshmen to be easily identified and stand out among other students.
Additionally, freshmen are only permitted to wear the black polo with the mitre logo, eliminating the option of white, yellow, or team polos. The new rules in regard to polos have created a more unified look. However, it has also taken away students’ abilities to express themselves and represent their teams and clubs.
By limiting the already limited uniform options, many students are forced to readjust and reeducate themselves on the new policies, which has overall created more questions and uncertainty than solutions. – Allison Coyne