School uniforms

ColoradoSkiBum wrote:
Just curious as to what others thought about school uniforms. AFAIK the
plusses are that there's no social stratification and nobody worries about
what they're wearing to school, so it relieves a lot of social pressure.
The downside, IMO, is that it represses the individualism which is natural
to teenagers.

Do any of you have kids who have to wear uniforms to school? What do you
think of them?

Other comments?

I think they are great, or since I've never had to wear one, the idea is
great AFAIK. Especially where I live, the have not kids are plentifull
and if everyone has the same uniform it kind of levels the field. I wish
they'd institute them here.

I for one always REFUSED to buy expensive name brand crap for my kids,
but my wife doesnt agree with that as she still has bad memories of
wearing k-mart specials and the stigma that went with it. (So the kids
get *some* name brand stuff)

Uniforms would take care of all that

"ColoradoSkiBum" wrote in message
...
Just curious as to what others thought about school uniforms. AFAIK the
plusses are that there's no social stratification and nobody worries about
what they're wearing to school, so it relieves a lot of social pressure.
The downside, IMO, is that it represses the individualism which is natural
to teenagers.

Do any of you have kids who have to wear uniforms to school? What do you
think of them?

Other comments?

In my experience, public schools with uniform policies end up
spending a lot of time dealing with something that has no direct
impact on the curriculum, or student learning. And that is what
time should be spent on, imo.


P. Tierney

"Brian Anderson" wrote in message
...
Banty wrote:

Not that I think school uniforms are a panacea either. I just dont' buy
the
'suppressed individual expression' argument against it.

The "individual expression" argument is only ever voiced by
people who have never been in a school uniform situation.

Incorrect. Consider me Exhibit A.


P. Tierney

"ColoradoSkiBum" wrote in message
...
Just curious as to what others thought about school uniforms. AFAIK the
plusses are that there's no social stratification and nobody worries about
what they're wearing to school, so it relieves a lot of social pressure.
The downside, IMO, is that it represses the individualism which is natural
to teenagers.

Do any of you have kids who have to wear uniforms to school? What do you
think of them?

Other comments?
--
ColoradoSkiBum
My whole district went to uniforms two years ago. White or school colored
shirt with collar, navy, black, or khaki walking shorts, slacks, skirt, or
jumper, athletic or school shoes (not heels or shiny dressy shoes), sandals
must have heel straps, no more than 1 1/2 in heel, no visible logos on
anything. White socks or skin-colored hose. Sweaters, sweatshirts, blazers
or lightweight jackets worn indoors must be school uniform colors. Pants
must fit at the waist, or be worn with a belt. Skirts/shorts must be knee
length or lower.


I'm not sure it's been the panacea it was supposed to be, but it has made it
much easier to get dressed in the morning (since my feeling is that if the
kids have to wear the uniform, I should, too), and in my inner city school,
it has made it easier to provide assistance for families with income
problems. Providing uniforms doesn't seem to have the stigma that the
"clothes closet" did previously. It also has taken care of the hassles on
what was and was not covered by the dress code, and I admit that it is nice
not seeing the boys pants riding halfway down their bottoms, or the girls
coming in to school in skimpy tops.


It has been reasonably successful at the elementary level, but I would HATE
to have to enforce it at the secondary level, where students are more
clothes conscious. At my grade level, students don't seem to express their
individuality as much via their appearance, and they've managed to be pretty
individual regardless.

"P. Tierney" wrote in message
news:9jsgb.510750$Oz4.369465@rwcrnsc54...

"ColoradoSkiBum" wrote in message
...
Just curious as to what others thought about school uniforms. AFAIK the
plusses are that there's no social stratification and nobody worries
about
what they're wearing to school, so it relieves a lot of social pressure.
The downside, IMO, is that it represses the individualism which is
natural
to teenagers.

Do any of you have kids who have to wear uniforms to school? What do
you
think of them?

Other comments?

In my experience, public schools with uniform policies end up
spending a lot of time dealing with something that has no direct
impact on the curriculum, or student learning. And that is what
time should be spent on, imo.

Actually, we've spent much less time and effort on uniforms than we did on
attire before having uniforms. There isn't much argument-either the child
visibly is in uniform when they show up, or they're not (and are sent to the
office to remedy the situation before they even are picked up from the
cafeteria by their homeroom teacher in the morning). Before there was a lot
of question as to what was allowed and what wasn't.



P. Tierney

ColoradoSkiBum wrote:

Just curious as to what others thought about school uniforms. AFAIK the
plusses are that there's no social stratification and nobody worries about
what they're wearing to school, so it relieves a lot of social pressure.
The downside, IMO, is that it represses the individualism which is natural
to teenagers.

Do any of you have kids who have to wear uniforms to school? What do you
think of them?


My kids do not wear uniforms. I think the benefits
of uniforms are likely somewhat overstated, and I think the
drawbacks are as well. I think that you can get much of
the benefit of uniforms even if you only do them through
elementary or elementary and middle/jr. high school.
I don't want uniforms enough to try to start a movement
at our school, but if someone else did, I wouldn't protest--
purely for selfish reasons (no arguments about what to
wear in the morning, easy back to school shopping, etc. ;-)

Best wishes,
Ericka

My husband wears a uniform
and I like that - less laundry


Not in my house. DH wears a uniform. He changes when he comes home, so I just
have to wash twice as many clothes for him.


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)

but if someone else did, I wouldn't protest--
purely for selfish reasons (no arguments about what to
wear in the morning, easy back to school shopping, etc. ;-)

And I probably WOULD protest -- for selfish reasons -- I *like* buying clothes
for my kid ... making her nice things to wear, etc. (And I don't mean buying
her the 'in' styles and brands either. I don't do that. I mean helping her
choose styles that look good on her, are appropriate for the situation, etc.)


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)

"ColoradoSkiBum" wrote in message ...
Just curious as to what others thought about school uniforms. AFAIK the
plusses are that there's no social stratification and nobody worries about
what they're wearing to school, so it relieves a lot of social pressure.
The downside, IMO, is that it represses the individualism which is natural
to teenagers.

Uh, what individualism? The only argument I see against uniforms
is that it interferes with the uniforms the kids already wearing:
t-shirts and jeans. I went to both public and parochial schools,
and it seems to me the acceptance of uniforms has a lot to do with
expectations. If you expect to wear a uniform, it's no big deal;
if you don't, suddenly your jeans or flannel pants look really
individualistic (hey, it may be a uniform, but it's *my* uniform...)
If folks decide that letting the kids wear whatever they want is
really important, fine, but please let's not confuse what they're
doing with creativity. Heck, we have all seen the goth looks, the
different jean uniforms, the spiked hair...No wonder they
never stretch themselves.
Lynne

x-no-archive:yes OSPAM (Naomi Pardue) wrote:

My husband wears a uniform
and I like that - less laundry


Not in my house. DH wears a uniform. He changes when he comes home, so I just
have to wash twice as many clothes for him.

I don't think so.

My dh was in the Navy for 20 years. So he wore uniforms. A lot of
different uniforms. My ds works for Hess and he also wears uniforms.
In his case the laundry is done by the company he works for so there's
no extra laundry for my DIL.

In my dh's case, he (or we) had to buy care for his own uniforms. But
even if he worked in an office, he'd still change his clothes when he
came home. He wouldn't want to get his office clothes (or uniforms)
dirty and increase the wear on them - they were a more expensive
proposition than the clothes he wore around the house and to work on
cars or to go out casually. So there wasn't any more laundry with
uniforms than without. There's less now that he is retired of course.

My friends I went to school often changed to jeans or play clothes
when they came home. I didn't, because my mom believed that little
girls should wear dresses and not trousers. I can't believe that
children don't still change into play clothes when they come home, or
that non-uniform wearing adults don't also change clothes when they
come home from work.


grandma Rosalie