Should *Public* Schools Require Student Uniforms?

[arwalden]

Poll question: Should *Public* Schools Require Student Uniforms?

What are the pros and cons? Do they stifle individualism? Or do they promote unity and discipline? Does it bring the poorer kids (who can't always afford the latest fashions) from being 'different' than the more affluent kids?

[LeftyMom]

1. I voted no

but LK isn't in public school and likely never will be. I'd be interested to see what people with kids in public schools think about them.

[ZombieNixon]

2. NO! ('Course, I just graduated from one)

I'm pro-dress code, since I believe there do need to be some standards (no shirts with whirling blades attached, or exploding ties, you get the idea), but school uniforms to stifle individualism and expression. Plus, they look damned uncomfortable!

[LeftyMom]

4. Thats true

The ones I've seen in stores tend to be rather polyester intensive.

[Endangered Specie]

3. Individualism? HA!

about 90% of kids in high school conform together and only wear about a couple dozen variations of clothes as it is.

Dime a dozen.

Uniforms, and require the schools to pay for them for people who cant afford it.

[BamaGirl]

5. No way

I'd have to buy uniforms for three kids. :P Dress code sure, uniforms no.

[youthere]

6. I vote yes.

[pitohui]

7. no uniforms cost money

i went to public school from the thrift shop

i could pick out a variety of clothes in my size

the chance of being in conformance w. a uniform would be nil

i woulda had to drop out

[LynneSin]

13. That's not true about uniforms

There are some public schools here in Wilmington that went with uniforms and one of my old neighbor's kid was in that school. She was in the same boat with the inability to afford the uniforms (Which really was brown khaki and a white collar shirt). The school district gave families like hers vouchers for JCPennys where she could get 2 pairs of pants a 3-4 shirts.

I think school uniforms are extremely important for the same reasons that you talked about. Clothing is a great divider and for kids who couldn't afford the fashionable clothes, they were usually ostracized.

Wilmington went with a very basic 'school uniform' which really was more like a dress code. Everyone wore khaki pants and white shirts which were not only affordable but can be found in almost any store.

I also know the local catholic school in the area where I grew up also provided assistances for families who needed uniforms.

[Midlodemocrat]

8. I voted yes because I am the mom of a 10th grade girl

who NEVER HAS ANYTHING TO WEAR!!!!!!!!

I can't tell you how often she says that. Never mind that she could clothe Kenya with the stuff in her closet.

[arwalden]

22. Sounds Like My Sister...

A closet full of clothes... so many clothes on her bed and bedroom floor that she couldn't fit them in her closet if she decided to hang them up, but still... NOTHING TO WEAR!

So she'd sneak into our mother's closet and wear her clothes... much to the dismay of Mom.

[Graf Orlok]

9. As a youngin', I say no.

I hate wearing uniforms at work, so I know how kids would feel if we made them wear uniforms. Also, I really hate the idea of stifling individualism, you know?

[johnnie]

10. I have no children so

I'm gonna say yes. It should be the same for all students too.

:evilgrin:

[Liberalynn]

11. Catholic school graduate here

It didn't make the poorer kids feel any more like we fit in. The rich snobs just found other ways and other things to mock us about. It's what they are good at.

Also we used to have to wear wool uniforms even in the early days of summer and we didn't have air conditioning.

Then when they finally switched to lighter uniforms we froze in the winter.

Of course that was easily solved by having one uniform for winter and one for summer but I think they just liked to make us "suffer" as they were always constantly reminding us that we were born to "suffer" and we weren't going to heaven if we didn't.

We also could only buy certain color socks or blouses to go underneath.

Plus eventually everyone has to learn to dress on their own unless you are going to work for a company that has you wear uniforms too, so they need to learn how to make the right decisions. Kids and parents should be allowed to decide how the kid is going to dress within certain "reasonable" limits.

[sniffa]

21. ditto

never, ever send your kids to cathoLic schooL.

[bridgit]

12. yes = why not, listen to zappa's answer to a fellow...

ranting from the audience at his royal albert hall gig, his point was that in a 'free society' we are all wearing uniforms anyway: ball caps on backward, baggy 3/4 length pants w/exposed underwear, belly exposed little fru-fru's & skimpy tank tops, piercings; it's not the expense so much when it is all too expensive; we have all acquiesced to a 'freedom garb' that only pretends to sense of individuality in either event

What's the ugliest
Part of your body?
What's the ugliest
Part of your body?
Some say your nose
Some say your toes
(I think it's your mind)
But I think it's YOUR MIND
(Your mind)
I think it's your mind, woo woo

ALL YOUR CHILDREN ARE POOR
UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF
SYSTEMS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL
A PLAGUE UPON YOUR IGNORANCE & THE GRAY
DESPAIR OF YOUR UGLY LIFE

Where did Annie go
When she went to town?
Who are all those creeps
That she brings around?

ALL YOUR CHILDREN ARE POOR
UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF LIES YOU BELIEVE
A PLAGUE UPON YOUR IGNORANCE THAT KEEPS
THE YOUNG FROM THE TRUTH THEY DESERVE...

[Debbi801]

14. I voted yes. I have a middle schooler who goes to a magnet school....

This school pulls from a vast area crossing many economic boundaries. The kids all wear a uniform. I think it prevents kids from splitting into groups of "haves" and "have nots." Everyone is on an even playing field.

[tjdee]

15. I love the idea of uniforms, but force, no. Uniforms rock.

If I had to put my kid in the same thing every day, not have to buy $100 sneakers, avoiding the 'you're wearing *that* to *school* conversations' etc... awesome.

And I was thisclose to having an enormous embarrassment because my mom had bought me shoes from K-mart one year, and I felt slightly uncool because everyone else had Guess? jeans and I didn't. Did it ruin my life? No. But it was another level of crap to deal with I could have done without.

The idea of force bothers me, though.

[deadparrot]

16. As a Catholic HS graduate, I'd say that it is a convenience...

not worrying about putting together outfits every day and worrying if we were wearing something too often, etc. You put the damn thing on and walked out the door. That was defintely an upside.

But it shouldn't be compulsory. Like someone above me said, it didn't close the gap between the "popular" and "unpopular" kids. And it didn't promote any sort of discipline, unity, etc.

[Kerrytravelers]

17. Teacher here! Taught in both public and private.

Uniforms will never level the playing field. I'll state that up front. The rich kids who have not been taught humility will always have their little noses up their little butts- no changing that.

However, that being said, most uniforms or strict dress codes clothes are sold on a discount/voucher basis. Often ,the shools will sell certain parts of the dress at the schools for a very cheap cost-- and they usually last just as well as any other type of clothing.

Personally, having taught a range of grades (K, 2/3, 3, 7 and 8) I like either an actualy uniform or a strict dress code. It keeps controvery out of the classroom. Let me tell you, it is very awkward when a "blooming" young lady has her breasts in your face. Even sending them to the office for a new shirt still has all the boys too aroused to even bother teaching that day. You'd be surprised how much chaos it can cause. I have seen it all when it comes to unacceptable dress- from body parts to "fuck" being written across shirts. I kid you not.

At least, in one aspect, there is one thing I won't have to deal with. And when school is not a fashion show, so many issues just disappear. It sounds silly, and I"m sure there will be kids whoare still in school who can give me examples of why I"m wrong, but let me tell you, I'm a younger teacher and am not one who really cares if a kid has ten piercings and gree hair. I really don't. But I would like my kids to come to school actually dressed approporately. There are times to dress sexy- like at a nightclub- and a time to come covered and ready to focus-- like at school, or someday a paying job (I considered school a job.)

Edited for spelling ebcause, even though I'm a teacher, I'm no great speller.

[China_cat]

18. Our schools do

and since they've been in force (almost 10 years now) the numbers of fights and thefts of things like expensive sneakers, jackets, etc, has markedly decreased.

Since the uniform for all the schools is either navy pants (or skirt if a girl wants to wear one) and a white or light blue collared shirt for elementary; khaki pants/skirt and white or red collared shirt for middle and high schools, it's not hard to find what you need even in the thrift stores and hand-me-downs are no longer out of the question. No brand name sneakers or hats or jackets or sunglasses allowed. Generic everything for everybody.

I was dead set against the idea when I first heard about it but have to admit that it's had good effects and taken a lot of pressure off parents.

[blondeatlast]

19. My son prefers khakis and sweaters anyway. He may as well wear

a uniform, The ones I've seen at Target are pretty attractive, actually.

[jpgray]

20. The craziest kids I knew in HS went to a uniformed Catholic school

First time I ever saw cocaine for real was at one of their parties.

[blonndee]

23. I say no. Public schools are already so institutionalized,

preparing students to be good little order-followers. Most of them, anyway.

[nickgutierrez]

24. Absolutely not.

Uniforms do nothing to bring rich and poor kids closer together - there are always going to be tell-tale signs of wealth. I would much rather there not be uniforms so that the students feel free to express themselves. Uniforms, I think, can stifle expression, and that's not what we want at all.