BAY MINETTE, Ala. — When students head back to school this fall, they’ll do so with a few changes in what they’re required to wear.

Those changes will come as a result of the Baldwin County Board of Education’s decision to alter the county-wide school uniform policy during its regular meeting in Bay Minette Thursday night.

According to Baldwin County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Alan Lee, the changes include minor relaxations in the policy for students.

“They will have a uniform, just as they have had in the past,” he said in an interview after the meeting. “But now they can wear any color of socks they want, and any color of T-shirts they want under their uniforms.”

The policy will also no longer require students to wear belts.

“But they do have to keep their pants up,” Lee said.

Another relaxation in the policy means students will no longer be required to keep their shirts tucked into their pants or skirts. According to Lee, that particular change will be helpful to students who have had trouble adhering to some requirements because of growth spurts.

“When I was soliciting feedback on the policy, one parent told me, ‘My son is 6-foot-5. Because of his build, his shirts are not going to stay tucked in,’” the superintendent recalled.

Thursday’s vote to change the policy came with District 6 member Robert Callahan Jr., casting the lone dissenting vote.

“Because I think it’s a bad policy,” he said in an interview after the board meeting.

According to Callahan, the uniform policy is enforced with “nonspecific results.”

According to the policy, the intention is “countering the influence of gangs, minimizing disruption and improving the learning environment.”

“It has proven successful,” said Baldwin County Public Schools spokesman Terry Wilhite.

He explained that the policy was established in 1999, on the heels of the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado.

“After that, school districts across the nation began implementing uniform policies,” Wilhite said, “and Baldwin County was one of them.”

He explained that since the policy’s inception, the board has revisited it and made changes as needed “every three or four years.”

For this year’s review, the board sought public opinion on the policy via mass email.

“We received more than 2,400 responses,” Wilhite said. “The majority said they were happy with the policy.”

Among those happy with the policy is Daphne resident George Lieb, who vocalized his support in an address to the board during Thursday’s meeting.

“From a financial perspective, school uniforms are a less expensive way to go,” the father of four said.

But Lieb did warn the board that relaxations in the policy could lead to problems.

“You start a slippery slope that’s actually hard to police,” he said.

But in an interview following the meeting, Lieb said he was pleased with how the board voted.

“I’m happy with the result,” he said.

Click on the link below to see details of the policy: