By Emily Ford
eford@salisburypost.com
Melanie Bush will find a way to express herself through clothing this year, even though A.L. Brown High School students must wear uniforms.
On the first day of school Tuesday, Melanie personalized her standard polo shirt and khaki pants with huge silver hoop earrings, a peace-sign necklace, woven silver belt and a pair of plaid flats.
“You can still tell someone’s personality, even though we’re all wearing basically the same clothes,” the freshman said.
New principal Kevin Garay and other administrators decided this summer to institute full uniforms at A.L. Brown. Previously, students just had to wear polo shirts of a certain color.
Students at lunch on Tuesday mourned the loss of their beloved jeans and flip flops.
“They’re treating us like middle-schoolers,” sophomore Tamera Butler said.
Shirts must be green, white, grey or blue polos. Tucked in, please.
Pants must be khaki, black or navy. Belted, of course.
Shoes must cover the toes and heels, unless they’re dressy. Several girls took advantage of the footwear compromise and wore pumps, peep-toes or high-heeled sandals Tuesday.
So far, so good, Garay said.
He complimented the 1,380 students on the first day for doing a terrific job “showing up in what they were supposed to wear.”
“We haven’t had to send a single kid home,” he said.
Senior Howard Torrence rocked black knee socks, long black shorts, a white polo and blue striped tie Tuesday for a unique look.
He’s fine with the uniform policy.
“It’s not as bad as everyone is saying it is,” Torrence said.
Torrence’s semiformal style will continue throughout the year, if he wants to collect on a bet.
He said science teacher Scott Rodgers bet him $10 that he wouldn’t wear a tie every day until graduation.
Jake Fink, also a senior, said he’ll help Torrence out by lending him ties.
Fink said the uniform rule doesn’t bother him because he’d probably wear polos and khakis to school every day anyway.
But Kaitlyne Leonard, a new student at A.L. Brown, said she prefers the freedom at Northwest Cabarrus High School in Concord, where students dress as they please.
Administrators instituted full uniforms this year for consistency, Garay said. Now, all students in the Kannapolis system wear uniforms.
They also felt that uniforms will improve the school climate, he said.
“Students take more pride in their school and they’re generally better behaved,” he said.
His biggest concern was whether parents could afford uniforms.
The school is offering financial assistance on an individual basis and has a uniform closet stocked by school social worker Angela Ward.
Parents responded quickly to the new uniform requirement with little notice, said Garay, who announced the change after he started work July 1.
Before she arrived at A.L. Brown on Tuesday, Bush already had her outfit planned for the second day of school: black skirt, bright green shirt, green-and-white headband and hot pink shoes.