JACKSON – Uniforms are still on track in Northampton County. And they may be popular.

During Monday night’s regular meeting of the Northampton County Board of Education, board member Charles Tyner requested an update of where uniforms stood in the county.

Board member Grace Edwards said there had been surveys sent out to parents and that the next item would be community surveys.

Tyner objected to having surveys during the summer, because he said students were not in school to help alert parents to the meeting.

Board chairwoman Catherine Moody said she didn’t think that was necessary because the meetings would be in places in the community such as churches and civic centers and not in schools.

Edwards said she was also concerned about getting the word out without students to take notes to parents.

&uot;Summer is not a good time,&uot; board member Barbara Stephenson agreed.

Tyner asked when the board was to consider implementing the measure was approved.

Board member Bill Little said the date was for the opening of school in 2006.

At that point, Interim Superintendent of Schools J. Wendell Hall said the administration had received all surveys that were returned and would be spending the next few weeks compiling the results.

&uot;Unless you tell us differently, we will take our time and get the information together before presenting it to the board,&uot; he said. &uot;I think the Board will be pleased with the general feeling so far.&uot;

The school board began debating uniforms in February when Tyner said he was tired of seeing &uot;pants hanging down off students’ waists, exposed belly buttons and blouses wide open.&uot;

The board has discussed the policy since then and has sent out the community surveys.