A Butler County Board of Education board member raised a concern during Thursday night's meeting over how school administrators are choosing to apply the system-wide school uniform policy.

Board member Joe Lisenby said it had come to his attention that there is a &#8220great deal of variance from school to school” concerning students and the uniform policy. Lisenby said he was told students who had passed the Alabama High School Graduation Exam were allowed to choose whether or not they would wear the uniform for two to three weeks.

&#8220My concern is that this gives out the message that the wearing of the uniform can be considered punitive, which is a message we don't want to send,” he said. &#8220By singling out those who passed the graduation exam, it also identifies those persons who did not pass. I don't think that's right.”

Superintendent Mike Looney agreed with Lisenby that there are issues with the uniform policy that need to be addressed, including how frequently principals were allowing students to wear outside clothing.

Looney said he would present a full report on the issue at the board's next meeting.

The board adopted the uniform dress code in February 2005.

In other business, the board:

n Approved the lease of the McKenzie High School baseball field to the city of McKenzie for its use during the summer.

n Accepted Terminix's bid for pest control services for system schools. Total bid amount was $989.

n Accepted Stock-Whorton Construction's bid of $321,000 for the McKenzie High School gym project.

n Approved the advertisement of bids for a freezer for CNP program at Georgiana High School.

n Approved a request for the school system's child nutrition program to serve as vendor for the city of Greenville's summer feeding program.

n Approved a request from the superintendent to conduct summer school.

n Approved the school calendar for 2006-07.

n Looney said work on the Georgiana High School bleacher project at Harmon Field should resume this Monday.