School Uniforms-yay or nay?

[teacherforhi]

We've had school uniforms in all middle schools for three years now. (Why just the middle schools? I have no idea.) I love them.

I can immediately identify what grade a student is in by the color of their shirt. We use to have a problem with students who would try to extend a trip to the bathroom by going to one in a separate building or just be wandering around. Uniforms help us identify who belongs where.

I don't buy the 'express their individuality' argument. They already wear their hair the exact same way, wear the exact same shoes, and carry the exact same backpacks and purses. We're just helping them continue on that same path.

 

[Stacey2grls]

I can see a few good points with uniforms. For example everyone will be equal, no one will be the perfectly dressed kid, with a thousand outfits, with others feeling left out of the fashion loop. Another positive, is you don't have to worry everyday what your kid is going to wear! My 7 year old drives me nuts with this issue. But, I am a big fan of kids being their own person, they are after all individuals, and taking that away from them is not that great of an idea in my opinion. So while I see the good points about uniforms, I think the importance of individualism outweighs the positives of uniforms.

 

[Cindyluwho]

I can see a few good points with uniforms. For example everyone will be equal, no one will be the perfectly dressed kid, with a thousand outfits, with others feeling left out of the fashion loop.

It seems that most of the folks posting in favor of uniforms brought this up in one way or another. This is our first year with uniforms and I love it but I have to disagree that everyone is dressed equally. You can buy the uniform clothes at Nordstrom and The Gap or you can buy them at Target and Penney's. There is a difference and the kids know it. They may look similar but the kids really notice that stuff. So, the equality thing is nonsense. What both my DD12 and I like about the uniforms is that it's so easy! Just grab your pants and shirt from the closet and you're ready to go. No trying to decide what to wear. You can wear your fancy/designer stuff after school or on weekends and it stays nicer, longer.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I think school uniforms are okay. And really---girls can wear skirts or shorts (most private schools around here in all grades have a warm weather dress to accomodate the heat) and boys can wear shorts.

Wearas---with a dress code--shorts are not permitted b/c of course---they were short shorts and that is a no no.

Uniforms prevent individuals from being destracted--prevent envy of wal-mart versus hollister--prevent the school from having to be wardrobe patrol--and create a better learning environment where kids are focused on academics instead of the latest fads.

Let their individuality shine in their school work.

The school can have fundraiser days were kids can dress down if they like (our parochial school has jeans days and they use it to raise money--most recently for the miners I believe from teh recent tragedy).

One school here has an optional uniform and it is these really cute hawaiian prints--so cute that may kids do where them by choice.

 

[U2_rocks]

All 3 of my kids wear uniforms, even the little 3 year old! It can be a pain when they are this young, especially as ours need ironing! But I think they are great during the pre-teen and teen years (who am I kidding - even young kids are noticing these days) when kids become aware of differences in income levels etc. I wore uniforms all through school, and we didn't have the pressure the conform to the latest (and most expensive!) styles etc. And no jewellery or makeup were allowed, so girls were girls at school, not young women. It helped keep minds on school work! Outside of school there was pressure to be "cool" and wear certain things etc., but at least we didn't need as many clothes for that as if we had to wear them to school every day and on weekends.

Uniforms do have their advantages. They may or may not be easier for the parents, but they can put kids on a more level playing field and prevent all the distractions with jewellery and makeup. I have found that scruffy uniforms actually don't mean poor disadvantaged kids - they mean rebel kids, and that can actually be cool to their classmates! So I wouldn't worry that much about the poorer kids not being well turned out. With your own clothes it can matter, but with uniforms not so much.

As far as expressing themselves - don't they have weekends?

 

[chager]

I like uniforms. Nick wore them at the school he attended until 3rd grade. (He's e-schooled now because the school he would attend isn't that great.) I am for uniforms. Clothes that meet the requirements can be found at thrift stores. I know I saw several when Nick was wearing them. Although his had to be a certain type.
Having subbed in a local school district with heating/cooling issues uniforms wouldn't make a difference. When you are too hot/cold it is impossible to learn period. (We checked the temp in a classroom one Sept a few years ago, it was 105! Hot is hot no matter what!!) It would make policing clothing alot easier!!It became a game to see who could get a large shirt saying something to the effect of " I wore something inappropriate this shirt is school property"
I can't remember exactly what it said but it something like that.
Nick loved the uniforms since everything matched and getting dressed was so easy. I didn't find it any more expensive for the most part.

 

[crazelion]

Putting kids in uniforms save some kids lives. I went to gang-related middle and high school wearing certain colors would get kill. When they implented uniforms the dead total went down alot. The school still is having problem now kids beat down for there tennis shoes. Police being the school all time.

Point is uniforms saves lifes in the hood. One thing in the hood sometimes we buy things out stores. Truely it get things off street hot. Yes that mean in store in my be 100.00 pair tennis shoes. In the streets it only cost 20.00 dollars for same shoes.

Yes I know get flame. But I came if the streets I know how things are before went to a surburan neighbor.

 

[U2_rocks]

....but I have to disagree that everyone is dressed equally. You can buy the uniform clothes at Nordstrom and The Gap or you can buy them at Target and Penney's. There is a difference and the kids know it. They may look similar but the kids really notice that stuff. So, the equality thing is nonsense.

Hmmm ... our uniforms have always been identical, available from one store only or the PTA. There is NO difference. They aren't too expensive either, and you can buy them second-hand from kids leaving the school if you can't afford them new. So I guess it depends on what each school has adopted. Identical uniforms are great!

 

[GoofyDad869]

I'm an ex-Catholic school kid (St. Patrick's Class of '82). Uniforms are not that big a deal. I would prefer my kids' school system to adopt a uniform policy.

 

[Cindyluwho]

Hmmm ... our uniforms have always been identical, available from one store only or the PTA. There is NO difference. They aren't too expensive either, and you can buy them second-hand from kids leaving the school if you can't afford them new. So I guess it depends on what each school has adopted. Identical uniforms are great!

I didn't realize that some schools only allowed uniforms from one source. Our school rule is that the uniform has to be in the "Dennis style", as in the Dennis school uniform company. It's basically a Docker style pant, pleated skirt, etc. But they can be purchased from any source. In our case they DO NOT level the playing field at all. As I said before the kids really can tell if the uniform is purchased from Nordstom or Target.

 

[donnajon]

I guess I don't understand the double laundry arguement. Do you change the school clothes to play clothes after school is over? I don't change the uniform to play clothes either. They are mostly from Kohl's and Target and my kids just leave them on. They don't care. It does make getting dressed much easier. I wasn't for them when I first found out they had to wear them but I really like them now. Ours are just Khaki or blue bottoms, white or navy blue tops. No argueing over what to wear. And one a month they have choice dress day where they can wear whatever they want. I just wish our school district had uniforms in middle and especially high school. I think it is needed more there!

 

[va32h]

Then, there are the students whos parents do not have time to continually clean the same clothes over and over nor the money to buy several sets of uniforms....more dirty smelly children. What about the really skinny kids or overweight kids whose uniforms are uncomfortable?

All of these arguments could be made about non-uniform school clothing.

My kids wear uniforms, and they really don't care. Clothes do not make you "individual", your personality does. I can express myself perfectly well without the aid of unlimited fashion choices.

I would agree that a school with significant structural problems and an unsound heating/cooling system probably has more important things to worry about than uniforms however. To the OP, I would suggest framing the argument as "should this be our priority now, in light of X,Y, and Z problems."

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

DS used to go to private school where the uniform was navy pants or sorts and a white or red polo shirt. The red polos HAD to be from the uniform store so they would all be the exact same red. The white ones could be from anywhere, and so could the pants.

Now he goes to public school. It was a uniform school already when he started there, and now all of the elementaries and middle schools are mandatory uniforms. We have a lot of gangs in Dallas so it helps school personnel identify people who might not belong on campus. DS can wear navy pants or shorts and white polos only. We also purchased school sweatshirts and a school jacket for him. Some of the schools allow navy or khaki pants, but our policy was in place before the district switched, so our school stayed navy only.

My big problem is finding navy pants that fit DS. He is very tiny and it is hard to find pants that aren't huge in the waist. The adjustable waist ones end up with enormous wads of fabric on the sides, which he then has to put a belt over. Very uncomfortable!

The kids who can't afford uniforms are given free ones - I think 3 per child.

I don't mind the uniforms, and as DS gets older there will be a safety factor in wearing them.

 

[Cor44432]

I like the idea of a dress code, but do not agree with uniforms per say.

I like to give my daughter the choice of what to wear to school as long
as it is appropriate. I don't disagree that they may serve a purpose for
some schools and districts, but they are not the cure all.

 

[Laura]

Uniforms prevent individuals from being destracted--prevent envy of wal-mart versus hollister--prevent the school from having to be wardrobe patrol--and create a better learning environment where kids are focused on academics instead of the latest fads.

Not really; for one thing, as another poster pointed out, they don't have an effect on the academic achievment of a school. Putting uniforms on public schoolchildren isn't suddenly going to turn an underachieving school into an excellent private school. And as I have mentioned on this thread, envy certainly prevailed at the parochial school I attended, despite the uniforms. You had to have that certain shoe, that certain sweater, that particular necklace. Mostly it was just boring and drone-like. And I certainly don't remember having those issues in public school. It's no secret among kids who's rich.

And it's not just kids who had to have the same things! I remember during middle school at the end of the day waiting for the bus--all the moms were lined up with their identical Chrysler minivans. The only difference was the color.

I can see the point of having uniforms due to gang issues, though. That is a very good point. But it's very sad that schools have to go to such extremes.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Not really; for one thing, as another poster pointed out, they don't have an effect on the academic achievment of a school.

Please tell me where I said that.

I said it created a better learning environment. Not that it created instant braniacs.


Our parochial schools (and most of the private schools in the area)--purchase their complete uniform from one local uniform store.


Kind of reminds me of Remember the Titans--when the football team had to wear a shirt and tie on the way to games. One behaves differently depending on how your are dressed.

Uniform dress--just promotes a different mind set.

 

[Laura]

Please tell me where I said that.

I said it created a better learning environment. Not that it created instant braniacs.


Our parochial schools (and most of the private schools in the area)--purchase their complete uniform from one local uniform store.


Kind of reminds me of Remember the Titans--when the football team had to wear a shirt and tie on the way to games. One behaves differently depending on how your are dressed.

Uniform dress--just promotes a different mind set.

You specifically said uniforms "create a better learning environment where kids are focused on academics," when there is nothing inherent in wearing a uniform that bears that out. Focusing on academics would naturally improve academic achievment. The public school I went to after the Catholic school had a much better learning environment. It has nothing to do with uniforms. It has to do with the school's philosophy.

Sure, dressing well makes you feel good about yourself. Dressing up in a nice outfit shows your pride. But when you have to wear some godawful hideous Catholic school uniform just like everyone else? I felt silly most of the time. It wasn't a good look for me.

 

[blowinbubbles]

We have always lived in a "no-uniform" county, until we moved to Alabama. There the kids wore navy or khaki pants and white or navy shirts. The pants could not be cargo-type shorts or pants with extra pockets. Well, the only pants I could find with a stretch waistband for my "ample" son had pockets on the legs. Fortunately he was called on in only once, and we pretty much ignored it.

The biggest problem I had with uniforms was the extra expense. At the beginning of school we spent quite a bit of money on uniforms for two kids, one of which is in men's sizes. Then after a while, we needed *more* clothes because some got ruined, but we were short on $$$. Then it got cold and I couldn't find pants with a stretch waist, so my oldest insisted on wearing his shorts all winter. My youngest wore navy sweatpants, while although against the rules, no one said anything about it. That is, until he got a new, by-the-book teacher. *Then* we went through this big issue about getting him the "correct" pants, and we were totally broke. I asked the teacher for two weeks, at which time we would be getting some construction draws. That was when the teacher pulled my son out of class and had him try on pants in that bathroom, without notifying me, so she could get pants donated from some church. Grrr. . .

When a school has uniforms, one has to stay on top of the laundry, or you get caught with nothing to wear. Without uniforms, I can just grab a shirt out of my husband's closet or whatever and we're good for the day.

Oh, and don't forget about the extra time wasted by teachers and school staff nitpicking about the uniforms, when their time can be spent *much* better on other things!

 

[MAKmom]

Sorry, but I don't share your opinion.

I find uniforms to be easy and convenient. There are usually a variety "approved" items for the kids to wear, including sweaters, short sleeves, shorts, etc to address the heating/cooling issue. Likewise, they come in regular, slim, and husky sizes.

As for individuality, I think that's found inside a person, not in the clothes somebody wears. If we remove the status symbols and fashion fads from a kid's wardrobe, his or her individuality is more likely to shine through. Otherwise, it's masked and artificially tied to brands and styles he or she wears.
.

The Rich kids still buy the expensive item & name brands the poor kids get the knock offs. Then you still have 2 sets of clothes every day becasue after school you have to change because your in the ugly uniform. It's cute & easy when they are small but by middle school it's expensive & a pain.

Thank Goodness our District does not do it. I wore a uniform in Catholic School & HATED it every day.

 

[Disney Doll]

You know, I went to parochial grammar and high school, wore uniforms, never had a problem with them, could sleep later in the AM because I knew what I had to wear so they saved time. They saved my arents $$ because you needed 5 blouses, 1 or 2 skirts, the regulation color sweaters (usually navy, white or forest green, depending on the plaid of the skirt), the regulation color socks (again, usually navy, white or forest green depending on the skirt).

Amazingly enough I turned out to be a contributing member of society, hold down a decent job, have no major psych issues that I am aware of, love my parents, am happily married, and have friends who like me. Despite the fact that my individuality was squashed by wearing a uniform.

And don't let anyone kid you...stand outside a public HS...everyone is in hip hugger jeans and belly shirts...it's a uniform too. I don't know of too many HS kids who go too far off "what everybody else is wearing".