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Residents ask Falmouth School Committee to review Lawrence School uniform policy
Summary
Speakers during public comment urged the committee to remove or review the Lawrence School uniform rule, citing ACLU guidance, settled Massachusetts case law, and equity concerns for middle-school students.
Megan Zadily, a Falmouth resident, told the School Committee on Sept. 9 that the district should reconsider the Lawrence School uniform policy and be consistent across grade bands.
"Ask yourself why, as a district, we would choose to go against the recommendations of the ACLU and settled case law in Massachusetts," Zadily said during the public comment period, saying the policy “open[s] the door to subjectivity, discrimination, and financial burdens for low income families.”
Her remarks were part of the public comment block at the start of the Sept. 9 meeting, when committee chair read procedural rules, described a two-minute clock for speakers and noted a drop box for written statements. Jennifer McCarthy also spoke during public comment and asked the committee to include School Resource Officers’ perspectives and more detailed discussion about moving eighth grade into the high school; she said she wants to hear both pros and cons before a decision is made.
Zadily urged the committee to allow the same clothing choice across the district and questioned why grades 7 and 8 are treated differently from other bands; she noted that, under the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Lawrence is a secondary school and called for a direct review and vote specifically on the Lawrence uniform. She also said parents and some committee members already have requested that the policy be reconsidered.
The committee did not take formal action on uniforms at this meeting. School officials said they welcome email submissions and provided a drop box for written statements so the administration can respond after review.
The public comment period that included these remarks preceded the superintendent's report and the district goals presentation at the Sept. 9 meeting.
