MISHAWAKA — Public turnout at a work session Thursday night to discuss the possibility of implementing a uniform dress code in School City of Mishawaka next fall was surprisingly low.

In fact, that — and a "sad" 20.7 percent response rate from parents on surveys mailed out last December — are leading school officials to plan two more parent meetings at Mishawaka High and John Young Middle schools in March to further introduce options at those two schools.

The board of school trustees and uniform dress code task force highlighted what parents, staff and students considered the pros and cons of a uniform dress code policy. But the biggest challenge has been defining the policy, which is like "defining smoke," board President Larry Stillson said.

Officials aren’t really talking about a "uniform" per se but rather are looking at a more limited dress code that’s easier to enforce — a modified version of the current revised policy, board member Charles Trippel said Thursday.

Both students — most of whom are against uniforms — and parents in surveys last fall cited sagging pants, showing too much chest/belly and short skirts, dresses and shorts as primary dress problems, said Dan Towner, executive director for curriculum and instruction.

But officials added that a uniform code wouldn’t necessarily eliminate current non-compliance issues, just change them.

Still, a more restrictive policy could improve equality among social groups, boost academic achievement and student behavior and cut back on distractions. But the cost could way down some parents’ pockets, enforcement could remain a struggle and uniforms could limit freedom of expression and have little impact on academics.

"They think this is going to fix it," said 15-year-old Tyler Morgan, a freshman at Mishawaka High School, which had a low area graduation rate of 59 percent last spring. "They just need to follow up on the truancy."

Although survey responses were mixed among parents — 51 percent did not want uniforms — parent and School City employee Annette Darr said she experienced a feeling of camaraderie last October when she saw the new uniform policy at South Bend’s Washington High School firsthand.

But parent Judy Morgan said she felt children should be able to dress the way they desire. And Gail Ford said she would rather use her money to save for her junior daughter’s college education, not school uniforms.

One staff member in a survey last spring said he or she believed it was vital to have at least 70 percent of parents on board before implementing a policy. Towner asked that a final decision by the school board be made by early April.