School Uniforms: Your Viewpoint

[debster812]

Originally Posted by debster812
ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? No conformity amongst children? Have you not seen several posts, on this very thread, of mothers of daughters buying similar or the same outfits? Or take my 9YO son. He is very much his own person. Walks to the beat of his own drummer for many things. However, line him up with 5 or 6 of his pals, and you'd be astounded at how similarly they are dressed. How they speak, how they act.

I swear--you are posting what you post to be confrontational, controversial, and contrarian (hey, the 3 C's).

Okay, until you've been to my school, and been in my shoes, don't assume what you cannot. It happened here, and it's happened over and over again. We didn't conform. We did what we wanted either because our parents wished it of us, or because we wanted to do it. Kapiche?

don't assume what I cannot what? That doesn't even make sense?

OK--you quoted me, and then posted your reply, but did not address anything I said.

So let me ask you a very pointed, very direct question:

Are you posting these questions to simply stir the pot? If so you're doing a great job. You post looking for opinions, and get upset, and do what is the cyber-equivilant of stamping your feet and pouting. After threatening to 'leave this discussion' on most of the threads I've seen you on.

And, oooh, look, I can throw out foreign language words too:

Entiende?
Claro?
and my personal favorite:
Capisce?

 

[Laura]

For the sake of debate, how would you word the dress code so that administrators didn't have to entertain endless debates and complaints from parents whose children didn't comply with the terms of the code?

I went to both public and private (Catholic) school. At the private school we wore uniforms, at the public schools we wore clothes that complied with the dress code. I spent many more years not wearing a uniform to school, and I never felt the public schools' dress codes to be a problem at all. I certainly never heard of any endless debates. I think you're exaggerating, or perhaps your school has issues with its dress code that need addressed.

I think parents make too much of uniforms and think they are great solutions to X problems, and I think many like it because they don't have to say no to school clothes--makes life easier. The girls I knew in private school wore some pretty skimpy outfits after-hours, though.

I personally don't know any pluses to school uniforms other than simple convenience.

Do you think this resistance to conformity has led toward the breakdown of community?

In the US, no, conformity has little to do with community. I don't see how that's possible. Just look at our neighborhoods--so many of us live in subdivisions where houses are almost exactly alike. We put up fences, drive everywhere instead of walk, and don't get to know our neighbors. Our homes are self-contained and well-protected. Very different from the UK, where people more often live in flats or duplexes and thus are right on top of their neighbors.

Another thing that would contribute to that is a basic distrust of people. So much mainstream domestic news is terrible; people getting murdered, children abducted by the weirdo across the street, etc. I wonder how many parents let their children out of their sight these days.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

And, oooh, look, I can throw out foreign language words too:

Entiende?
Claro?
and my personal favorite:
Capisce?

Can I add one more?
Loco

 

[Pigeon]

Interestingly, in the 6 years my daughter has attended schools that require uniforms, I've never seen one single person opt out of the uniform.
Not once.

There are a whole lot of things that parents can opt out of if they have a little backbone and are willing to push back a bit. The schools will never advertise these things and most people simply don't know that they have a choice.

Most people seem to think that the school can force them to vaccinate their children, but nearly every state has a philosophical or religious waiver. But every single form you get from the school makes it sound like you have no other options but to get your child injected.

The wide-spread, but widely ineffective DARE program is another. The schools often present it as mandatory, but it isn't.

My guess is that if the school was open about their being a uniform opt-out provision, you wouldn't have 100% compliance. It also amazes me how ignorant some school administrators are about these things. We had to make a BFD with the principal about opting out of saying the pledge, when the district's own policies clearly and correctly allow for this.

 

[AmazingGrace]

Okay, until you've been to my school, and been in my shoes, don't assume what you cannot. It happened here, and it's happened over and over again. We didn't conform. We did what we wanted either because our parents wished it of us, or because we wanted to do it. Kapiche?



Wearing them, for ten hours. That is it! At the most, once a month, running in them for gym. Don't ask me why they don't last.



A uniform is not necessary. It is an option before it is mandated. A public school is about just that...there's a reason people send their children to public school, and often, that's to avoid the costs of a private school. Can't do that with uniforms.




You know what I really want? People to stop putting themselves in shoes that don't fit. "Oh, you're full of it. It can't be that way, because it wasn't with me." As I said, until you've been to my school, you know squat.



Interesting. I did not know that. I wish I had. I wager many others do, too.

"Go to a school without uniforms."

And if you aren't given that option? And if you're only option is to move? It's not that easy. If the whole parish/county is uniform ruled, then what do you do? Up and move to another state? Pshaw.

What's a kapiche? Is it like a knish?? I love me some knishes!! with lots of onion!!!

 

[GoofyDad869]

What's a kapiche? Is it like a knish?? I love me some knishes!! with lots of onion!!!

I think they're like pierogies. They're really, really good with sour cream.

 

[AmazingGrace]

I think they're like pierogies. They're really, really good with sour cream.

Nah, it's all about the onion!! But that's just MY opinion!!

 

[hydster]

Can I add one more?
Loco

 

[Crankyshank]

Can I add one more?
Loco

Inspired by your earlier post on this thread, I would like to add "ingemuo"

 

[AmazingGrace]

I thought knish's were Jewish. They're Spanish???

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

What's a kapiche? Is it like a knish?? I love me some knishes!! with lots of onion!!!

It's whatever you want it to be, and don't let 'the man' tell you differently.

 

[oxfordcircus]

If you don't like what people are saying then:

c.) stop posting completely

Please don't tell her to stop posting. I don't want her to stop.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I went to both public and private (Catholic) school. At the private school we wore uniforms, at the public schools we wore clothes that complied with the dress code. I spent many more years not wearing a uniform to school, and I never felt the public schools' dress codes to be a problem at all. I certainly never heard of any endless debates. I think you're exaggerating, or perhaps your school has issues with its dress code that need addressed.

I think parents make too much of uniforms and think they are great solutions to X problems, and I think many like it because they don't have to say no to school clothes--makes life easier. The girls I knew in private school wore some pretty skimpy outfits after-hours, though.

I personally don't know any pluses to school uniforms other than simple convenience.
________________________________________________________________________________


(sorry messed up the quote above)

I agree with this - and also with the person who wrote about exceptions to the rules: vaccines, etc. I think many public schools would have a hard time mandating uniforms - and I think they know that, or we would have them by now.

I would be the first one to fight it - and my DD would be the first excercising her right to opt out! Until the public schools start paying for my DD clothes, they have no right to tell me how to dress her outside of reasonable dress codes.

Hey, I can't believe some schools mandate sleeves!!! I've got no complaints where private/religious schools are involved, but this "bad mom" sends her DD to school in tank tops and spaghetti straps all the time (well, whenever our NY weather will allow, anyway!)!

 

[hydster]

Please don't tell her to stop posting. I don't want her to stop.

You can't make this stuff up!

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Please don't tell her to stop posting. I don't want her to stop.

Oh, I doubt she will quit posting. She likes the attention.


ETA: What the heck is that thing in your signature?

 

[Mkrop]

Here's my question to all of the parents who are for the uniforms.....did you have to wear them when you were in school?

Yes I did. 12 years of uniforms. I kind of hated having to figure out what to wear every day when I finally got to college.

My son wears them now and I think it is so much easier.

And believe me even in uniforms people were still able to express their individuality. We managed just fine.

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

Some people argue so good, I'm thinking of taking up smoking and pushing for a uniform policy for the DIS....but I don't think they were on the pro side.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

if you google - you will find many reasons NOT to institute school uniforms in public schools and why it won't be a 100% mandate:

many have already gone to court to win examptions on religious and philosophical grounds, schools know the cost of litigation would be too high, ...

here is just one such site that will give you some idea....not a great site (many links do not work...)but sheds some light....

http://www.geocities.com/school_uniforms/


I am pretty sure many schools have been voting this down - was trying to find that info.....

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Oh, I doubt she will quit posting. She likes the attention.


ETA: What the heck is that thing in your signature?

It's wrong...that's what it is. Oxfordcircus's avatars and signature pictures are generally non-compliant with established dress codes.

 

[powellrj]

not to beat a dead horse, but how would you go about opting out of uniforms? I am the queen of rules following, but the whole uniform issue has me really upset. We have 3 families on our block that have lost their homes since the first of the year and they are requiring families to buy uniforms when they can't make their house payments. And these aren't expensive houses. These are small older homes that have 2 bedrooms 1 bath and no garage!

Someone in our local paper made the parallel to the Titanic where they sent the band out to play for a sinking ship. Maybe people won't notice how bad things really are if we make the kids wear uniforms. Maybe they won't notice that we have failing test scores, a high drop-out rate, but hey, everyone matches!!!