School Uniforms

[saucymb]

I found this rather interesting:

The following article is from WRAL.com.

[ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- Lynn Walston is doing her back-to-school shopping with her three girls in tow.

But getting school clothes for one of her daughters, Candice, is a bit easier. Like all middle school students in the Nash-Rocky Mount school system, she is required to wear a uniform to school.

With another school year just days away, some people question the effectiveness of school uniforms on students' behavior.

When the school system required all middle school students to wear uniforms last year, one group of parents sued. The lawsuit was later dismissed. Now, with another school year just days away, some question the effectiveness of the uniforms on students' behavior.

"I don't like it. I think we should be able to wear what we want to," said Candice Walston.

Lynn Walston, also does not like the school's uniform policy.

"I wasn't for the uniform rule because I don't think children should be punished," she said.

School leaders, however, say it was not about punishment, but improving behavior.

"It had a larger impact than I ever thought possible. I believe the children were more focused on learning," said Brenda Brown, principal of Edwards Middle School in Rocky Mount. "The behavior has improved. It really has. I would recommend it for every school."

Nash-Rocky Mount schools said Edwards Middle School reported 690 suspensions in the 2003-2004 school year. Last year, when the school began its uniform policy, suspensions dropped to 485 at the school. Most middle schools reported similar drops.

This year, all five middle schools and at least five of Nash County's 17 elementary schools will require uniforms.]


One of my good friends taught at one of the middle schools in this town for two years. The problems that she and her team-teacher had with 6th graders and clothes were numerous; it was an everyday battle.

Just curious what the DIS consensus on this topic is.

 

[va32h]

I can't say I particularly enjoyed spending $250 on school uniforms for my two children (and I still have to do a wash in the middle of the week) but I wouldn't sue the school over it.

If the school feels it is beneficial to morale & behavior, then I'll go along. The Dallas Morning News published an article citing a study that showed no difference in students' grades between uniform and non-uniform schools.

I've never had to argue with my children about clothing. But then, my kids are in 4th grade and kindergarten - a little young for the fashion wars, I suppose.

I will admit, seeing how some of the parents are dressed at pick-up and drop-off, it's probably a good thing they don't have the freedom to dress their children too.

 

[wvrevy]

Ok, I may be the only liberal here to say this, but I don't really have a problem with school uniforms.

There are so many things that divide us as a society, but at the very top of the list is economics. The kids from "better off" families will always be able to afford better clothes, and that gives them a step up on being "popular" and having a positive experience in school. Uniforms help to even the playing field, even if only a little bit.

So long as the uniforms are provided for those unable to afford them, I don't have a major problem with it. Kids can express their individuality in any number of ways. This one thing, however, can do a lot of good without really limiting that freedom of expression any more than it already is in the school room. If you can get potentially major benefit without infringing on people's rights...I guess I fail to see how that is a truly bad thing.

 

[eeyore kelly]

I know uniforms have helped behavior at all levels of our school district, elementary, middle, and high school.

 

[PixieDust32]

Its fine with me the uniforms make it so much easier and it makes all kids look and treat each other the same.

The unif in my DD middle school are red, white and navy blue, shirts, pants, skirts or shorts, also Kaki's, no logos, letters, just plain.

 

[Jockaroo]

Schools should have the ability to enforce dress codes. What concerns me is the following statement from the original poster:

Quote: "Nash-Rocky Mount schools said Edwards Middle School reported 690 suspensions in the 2003-2004 school year. Last year, when the school began its uniform policy, suspensions dropped to 485 at the school. Most middle schools reported similar drops."

I checked on the school's website and it lists the student enrollment at 1025. Stat taken from http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/other/nc/1382

This is a tremendous number of suspensions for a school this size!

 

[aprilgail2]

I don't care for them. I think it makes all the kids look like they are in a prison! I want my daughter to be able to express her individuality if she chooses to by the way she dresses. So kids with money can dress better than kid that don't have money....thats life....life isn't an even playing field, never will be.

 

[Tjaleks]

I like the idea. There is too much focus on what so&so is wearing or not wearing. I work in a school and have to battle daily the pants hanging down to their knees and young ladies wearing some very revealing things. We have a dress code that addresses such issues, but do not require uniforms.

 

[canwegosoon]

My kids wear uniforms, I wore uniforms...it makes getting dressed really quick. I also think it improves self esteem...but no hard data to back that up.

 

[saucymb]

I checked on the school's website and it lists the student enrollment at 1025. Stat taken from http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/other/nc/1382

This is a tremendous number of suspensions for a school this size!

I know, that is my hometown, and I remember hearing that that particular Middle School (it was a "Junior High" when I lived there) was not the best school to be in.

My friend who taught at a middle school there for two years (3 years ago) had horrible problems with 6th grade girls and inappropriate clothes. Skirts up to HERE and shirts that showed everything (even the girls who had nothing yet). Boys were wearing pants obscenely low, shirts with inappropriate words on them. My friend and her team teacher bought 3 XL adult black t-shirts, and each day, if the students didn't pass their "dress code test", the student had to wear the large black t-shirt over their clothes for the day. My friend said after the first couple of days, the problem went away for the most part. Apparantly it's not "sexy" for a 6th grader to wear a black t-shirt that fits like a dress. BTW, this dress code they came up with was something they let the class help decide on.

Right? Wrong? Who's to say. But it worked for that class.

 

[Serena]

I don't see that it levels anything at my dd's school. But the uniform code is pretty lax. All it really does is making the decisions on what to wear much easier. Considering the battles with her sister, I really like it.

 

[Jockaroo]

Love the idea of the big black shirts. I was in middle school pre-uniform days (only worn at private schools then), but they made us wear any inapproprate Tee-shirts turned inside out and backwards. A few girls in inapproprate outfits were made to change into a stock of ancient gym suits with bloomers. This really stopped any problems. An ugly green and white striped one piece suit that had elastic gathered leg bands. These things were early 70s and hideous--my sis had one and I laughed so much at the thing.

The school where I briefly worked had big dress issues; it went to uniforms this year I believe. And there are so many potential gang related clothing items that uniforms can be a safety issue. I know a system that a few years ago had to forbid students from wearing plain white tee-shirts--gang related. It is scary. Schools have so many things to deal with, so if uniforms help the school run more smoothly, the schools should have a right to enforce them.

 

[foolishmortal]

I agree with uniforms as well. My son went to a public school for k-2, but we moved him to a charter school with uniforms last year!!! The curiculim (sp) is much better, the teachers are much better, and he learned alot along the way just in 1 year. Now does the uniforms have anything to do with this I say no really not, but also my son would always come home talking about what others were wearing..so and so wore this and so and so wore that, I want this, or that was ugly...lol almost to the piint of wow, do you learn or watch a fashion show?

Now I have no problem spending money on good clothes, he pretty much can buy what he wants for after school and weekends so it wasn't an econimical choice for me to move him to uniforms, but let me tell you how much easier it is to get him ready for school, as well as to do school shopping.

For the poster who said they are too exspensive I guess I would say shop around! We bought my sons clothes for this year after school last year..nice name brands from Dillards for $4.00 a pair of shorts or pants and $3.00 for shirts.....I spent nothing on clothes this year and it is for big name brands!!

They get to wear either blue or khaki shorts/pants, and blue or white solid polo's. Now you can buy clothes from the school as well which we also did, these are polos with the school name, and they can also wear t-shirts if it is from the school with the name on it and all that stuff.

 

[golfgal]

Our kids go to probably the only Catholic school that doesn't require uniforms. The issue comes up from time to time with parents wanting a uniform. I don't have a problem with uniforms as long as it is clearly defined what they can and cannot wear. The last proposal was so open to interpretation that the teachers would have spent half the day trying to decide if the child was in uniform or not.

Studies do show that children that are dressed nicely do better in school because they feel better about themselves. I think in a school where you have discipline problems, poor academic results and such, uniforms can be one way to help curb the problems. At our school, that isn't an issue. On the statewide testing the school scores in the 99th-100 percentile. We took a survey of the parents and 75% of the parents were against a uniform, however, it was left that if clothing became an issue, we could institute a uniform at the discretion of the school board.

Also, it is a HUGE MYTH that uniforms level the playing field of the haves and the have nots. The kids know who has what and wearing uniforms or not wearing uniforms has no bearing on that.

 

[lewdyan1]

I personally like uniforms. Ours are pretty lax, a t-shirt or polo with the school logo and any bottoms that reach an appropriate length. For those parents who don't want their child to have to wear a uniform, they can always sign a waiver (and many do). I love not fighting with DD on what she is or is not allowed to wear and knowing it is easier for my DS to match a navy t-shirt with shorts without clashing too bad!

 

[Christine]

My son has a very strict school uniform code in his Catholic school. There aren't a lot of choices (options) about what to wear so that makes it easier. On top of this, the school is VERY strict with discipline, so it is hard to say if the uniforms help.

Some of our public schools do use uniforms. I was never crazy about the uniform codes set up in these public schools. It seemed that the kids had about 5 different options they could pick within the uniform (styles, colors, etc) that it got to the point that it was really "uniform" anymore. I think it would be very tough for the teachers to police something like that. And so what's the point then?

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Man, I would have loved it if there were uniforms when I was in high school. Would have made things a whole lot easier. They finally got around to them a few years ago. It was something like khaki pants and a navy blue collared shirt or something. I would have jumped on board with that one.

 

[Nite0wl71]

I don't think there is anything wrong with wearing uniforms. My DD12 has been wearing them since kindergarten. She goes to a public school and the uniform is black/blue pants (no jeans), white plain polos or blouse/shirt. You can buy them almost anywhere French Toast makes a line of them, also Old Navy.

I agree with Serena, no fights in the morning. My older girls did not wear them and every morning they were calling up other girls to see what they were wearing.

There is very little expense, it costs me more to buy clothes for her in the summer and we only have about 4 months of warm weather. That's because fashion dictates

 

[oogieboogie]

I'm all for uniforms. It equalizes each and every kid. I grew up in Indonesia where every school age kid wore uniforms - every public school and private school. The uniforms were the same at every public school too, white shirt and blue bottoms. The only difference between schools were the crest/school logo on the pockets of the shirts.

Uniforms eliminate the peer pressure of looking stylish/trendy or the pressure to buy branded items. Sure, the kids can still show off individual personality thru their backpacks/books/pens/shoes, etc... but for the most part, wearing uniforms eliminates the gap between well to do kids and not so rich kids. And it sure makes morning routines a lot easier. You don't even have to think of what to wear on what days. Clothing budgets are smaller, no need to accessorize - it's easier on the parents too.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I really wish my kids' school would go to uniforms. I don't buy that it is more expensive because I just spent over $400 on back to school clothes for my teen. But even if it did, if it puts an end to the "over my dead body" clothing battles....

sign me up!