As students showed up at Farragut Career Academy Monday morning, Principal Edward Guerra stood near the door, plucking white T-shirts from a box and handing them to those who didn’t comply with the school’s new dress code.
Most of the students-about 1,400 or 97 percent-were properly dressed in white shirts and black or dark blue pants or skirts. Guerra told the others to go home and change, and if they refused, they wouldn’t be allowed in.
Monday was the first day of Farragut’s strict dress code, which was implemented this year to curb the gang violence at the West Side school.
“My job is to provide an education, but first I had to take care of the gang problem,” said Guerra, who became principal last November. “This won’t cure it, but it will take a major step toward solving it.”
For the most part, the new policy was well-received. But some students complained the uniform made them look like “zombies” or “penguins.” About 50 parents and students also protested in front of the school.
“We didn’t want to wear (uniforms) because this is not a Catholic school,” said freshman Nancy Macedo, 15. “Tomorrow, I’m not sure if I’m going to school either.”
Protesters from the Little Village Community Council, who shouted down security guards and held up signs, said there was no consensus among parents regarding the decision.
“Some people are poor and they cannot afford two to three extra changes of clothes every week,” said Eriberto Campos, president of the council. “Don’t insult them by giving them a T-shirt to comply.”
They also criticized Guerra’s decision to install a 20-camera video monitoring system that cost $20,000. The school, at 2345 S. Christiana Ave., also is equipped with metal detectors and guards who man several security checkpoints.
Over the last several years, Farragut, which is 85 percent Hispanic and 15 percent African-American, has been rocked by several incidents of gang fighting and racial tension. Last February, police arrested 20 students when a food fight escalated into pushing and shoving. Last year, a Farragut-Westinghouse basketball game was temporarily halted because gang members were flashing gang signs in the stands. And the year before that, police arrested more than 20 students who were involved in gang-related fights at school. A similar incident in 1991 resulted in 30 arrests and 18 injuries.
Police, who arrested five truant juveniles and an 18-year-old on loitering and mob action charges Monday, said the uniforms will help authorities guard against trespassers. They also said it should reduce flareups that occur when students wear gang colors.
Guerra said that providing a safe school environment was his prime motive for introducing the fashion code, but he added that parents overwhelmingly supported the move in questionnaires. The Farragut Local School Council met four times during the summer before approving the measure Aug. 24, he said.
“I think it’s a beautiful idea, because the teachers, the principal and the hall guards will know exactly who they are dealing with,” said Betty Fields, 50, whose grandson is a junior at Farragut.
The dress code is a growing trend in the Chicago Public Schools, though officials were unable to say exactly how many schools have such a policy. The policies are enacted independently by local school councils. Last week, Ald. Michael Wojcik (35th) proposed a city ordinance calling for a uniform student dress code in public schools.
At least one other school, Harper High School, 6520 S. Wood St., adopted an “apparel code” four years ago to curtail competitive dressing and eliminate gang colors in the building, said Principal Richard Parker.
“Inside the building, we are very pleased with the results,” Parker said. “We want to focus our kids’ thinking on grades and on academic achievement rather than on who is wearing what.”
Clarence Beecher, a Farragut teacher and local school council member, said parents who attended the council meetings “all were in favor of having a dress code.”
“I don’t think we are going to solve everything, but at least we are trying to find a way to have peace in the schools,” said Ramona Lopez, local school council vice president.
Ricardo Alvarez, 17, a Farragut student who was standing among the protesters, said officials could have used other means to rid the school of gang colors.
“They know who is in the gang,” Alvarez said. “They shouldn’t let those people in.”
School security guard Allen Dozier said the dress code won’t affect the real problem. “Instead of gangs fighting, it’ll be just a racial thing. It’ll be the Mexicans against the blacks.”
According to the guidelines, outlined in a letter to parents earlier this month, students must wear a white shirt, blouse or sweater-with no logos-and black or dark blue pants or skirt. The rules also mandate a dark belt and dark shoes with matching shoelaces, but those accessories were not closely monitored Monday.
Freshman Rolando Carrillo, 15, said his faded jeans should not keep him from learning.
“I don’t got no black pants,” said Carrillo, who was standing among nearly 50 students and parents who protested the dress code. “I got to go back inside and learn and get an education.”
Others got the colors right, but in reverse.
Senior Melica Heard’s black shirt and white pants prompted a trip to school by her mother, who arrived with a pair of black sweat pants.
Guerra said he spent $1,200 of school funds for 600 T-shirts emblazoned with the school name on the front. In the future, Guerra said he may allow students to wear whatever they want one day a week.
Some students and parents complained of the extra cost, but Guerra said that the dress code is “here to stay.”
“I helped them out with the initial T-shirt,” he said. “They can help me out with the rest.”
