School uniforms have been a fashion staple at Willow Glen Middle School for quite some time now. Last week, the SJ Mercury News Action Line column ran an update on state law and its implementation at WGMS:

Quoting Principal John Tavella … “After investigating California Education code and San Jose USD Board Policy it was determined that parents may request to opt out of the uniform policy.

“I do, however, strongly encourage families to adhere to the uniform policy as part of our Safe Schools Plan in order to establish the school as a safe and neutral place, equalize social status and reduce conflicts concerning group affiliation … ”

The article goes on to suggest that the requirement of school uniforms has a negative impact on the real estate market. Quoting an anonymous reader: “Requiring uniforms immediately sets a school apart as being in a low-class area.” It was kind of a silly article, juxtaposing school uniforms with housing prices, especially right here in WG. It unfortunately harkens back to a Metro article on neighborhood racism from two years ago.

By the way, the Merc’s fancy new website (which ignores all of the links to old content) now solicits comments on their articles directly. The few comments on this topic are still open for you to participate if you would like to …