Khakis and polo shirts may protect students from gangs in schools, say Harford County police.
They argue that requiring school uniforms for students in middle school and high school would improve safety by reducing gang members? prominence.
“It?s almost like taking away their identity,” said Cpl. Thomas Gamble, head of the county?s gang-suppression unit.
Gang members proudly don colors of their gang, often forcing other students to wear neutral colors, such as white or tan, so they aren?t mistakenly affiliated with any gang, Gamble said.
He said gangs have been broken up in schools such as C. Milton Wright and Harford Tech and in those along the Route 40 corridor.
Tom Fidler, who will take over as Harford Board of Education president Monday, said he supports school uniforms and that parents do too.
Uniforms could be required by September 2008, school officials said.
Board member Ruth Rich said the board wants to build public awareness about gangs in schools.
At a recent meeting, Bel Air High School PTSA President Cindy Mumby urged the board to invite police leaders to a board meeting to discuss uniforms.
“This is the way we expect our leaders to work together for the common good,” Mumby said in an interview. “I think the discussion would be beneficial for the public.”
Gamble said he would attend a board meeting if invited.
Mark Wolkow, current board president, said members stay in “very close contact” with police, but need to inform the public about possibly requiring uniforms and get feedback.
“That?s part of the whole process,” Wolkow said. “If the board said, ?We?re going to school uniforms next year,? we?d get a reaction we?d deserve.”
