Peel District School Board to vote on uniforms for its public schools

TORONTO — The Peel District School Board is considering making uniforms mandatory for students in its public schools.

Uniforms have already been tested as part of a pilot project at Central Peel Secondary School. Boys are required to wear a long-sleeve green or white golf shift decorated with the school’s logo.

Students say the dress code, which also includes black pants, is not popular.

“I would rather wear what I want to wear instead of having to wear the same thing everyday,” said grade 10 student Balaaj Zafar.

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One student told Global News he plans on leaving Central Peel Secondary School because of their sartorial decision, but he may have few places to go because the school board is contemplating expanding the dress code policy to all public secondary schools in the district.

“Should the policy be approved tonight it will be implemented immediately,” said district spokesperson Brian Woodland.

“That means any secondary school can implement a mandatory uniform policy next year as long as they have the support of their community and staff.”

READ MORE: School dress codes: Discriminatory or necessary?

The decision could also pave the way for school uniforms in the elementary school system as well, according to Woodland.

Some students see the uniforms as stifling of personal expression.

“There’s this idea that it levels the playing field and it takes the competition out of how you dress,” said Lawrence DeMaeyer, school support officer with the Peel District School Board and former principal of Central Peel Secondary School.

According to the school board parents initially expresses overwhelming support for the idea: Over 75 per cent of the school’s families supported the pilot project at Central Peel Secondary School.