First there was carnival-gate (see here), and now we have uniform-gate. Toledo requires all its public elementary and middle school students to wear uniforms. Low-income families can apply to the district for free uniforms, which are paid for by Lucas County Job and Family Services. But when some 50 parents whose children attend charter schools—which, after all, are public schools—applied for the free uniforms the district said, "No-go." We're not making this up. Toledo isn't the only place, however, holding tightly to its shirts. In D.C., charter school students were denied free t-shirts that were distributed by the District school system to low-income public school students participating in a help-the-homeless fundraising walk. A word of advice to charters—watch your pants.
"TPS says free uniforms are not for charter school students," by Ignazio Messina, Toledo Blade, September 27, 2005
"Why did I ignore charter schools?" by Jay Matthews, Washington Post, September 21, 2005