When someone fills out an application and decides to go to a certain school, you would think that they would follow the rules of the school, no matter their personal opinion. Some girls seem to have such a strong belief on this matter that they can’t handle wearing a purple polo shirt and grey bottoms for seven hours. Even in unbearable heat, some students will wear their sweatshirts all day just so that they can wear the shirt of their choice underneath. What’s the point? No one will see it. Even if you have to take a type of public transportation home, why not wear the hoodie on the bus to hide your polo, if you’re embarrassed? It’s just plain easier.
At GALA, there are many different opinions about our uniform. Some girls, though they may not enjoy it, wear it all seven hours of school, and then immediately take it off when they reach the comforts of their own room. Then there are the students who just don’t care and have their uniforms on until ten at night. Those girls are fine. Nevertheless, GALA is having is with the kids who walk through the gates of GALA wearing anything but what they are supposed to.
No matter how hard teachers enforce the rule of uniforms, which is a pretty big one, there are kids who seem to not care. GALA’s principal, Dr. Elizabeth Hicks, says that once there is 100% school wide participation in the correct dress code, GALA will be able to have a free dress day. However, this date doesn’t seem to be coming anytime soon.
Lots of girls at GALA have opinions on the uniform, and how to abide, or not to abide, by it. Each grade has a different decision on this matter.
Ava Bokeleerg, a graduate of 2026, says, “I don’t like the material of our uniforms, but otherwise they’re fine.” Another sixth grader Laila Wittenberg says, “I like the uniform, however I believe that the dress code is too strict.”
Makena Ramirez and Maya Henry, two seventh graders, like the dress code. They both say that “The uniforms are pretty comfortable, and they make it so that we know what to wear in the morning.”
An eighth grader, Genesis Harris, agreed with Wittenberg stating, “I don’t like the dress code, but the uniform is fine.” Eleanor Renfrew states, “I like the idea of a uniform, but I don’t really appreciate the color. I think that if the color was more neutral, we would like the uniform a little more.”
A GALA high schooler, Tora Hoar-Vea stated, “It’s not so much the idea of a uniform that bothers me, but how strict it is. I completely understand that we are going for a professional look, however, I feel like not every single rule is necessary.”
Here at our school, there is a mixed opinion about the clothes we wear. Some students like the uniform and don’t really care what they have to wear to school, as long as they have their weekends free. Some don’t have much of a perspective on the matter. But it is the girls who care so much that they just can’t follow the rules. Our school just needs to learn, we’re GALA, purple and grey so wear it with pride.
Quincy Rane, 2024, and Ava McQueen, 2024- GALA Spotlight/News Writer
Photo Credit: LAUSD Daily
A reverberation of GALA student voices 