What's your view on School Uniforms?

WHAT IS YOUR POINT OF VIEW ON SCHOOL UNIFORMS? ARE YOU FOR IT OR AGAINST IT?



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I actually LIKE school uniforms. I liked wearing them from kindergarden to 2nd grade.
I think it sort of sets your mind that you are dressed for school where you will be learning.

I think it takes the pressure of what you are going to wear to school.... for people who don't have a lot of money, they don't have to worry that their clothes will be less than the other kids.

I'm for it

I used to be against it because I thought it discouraged individuality.

But over time I realized that there are so very many ways to be an individual that school uniforms don't take away from that.

And you can always wear whatever you want anywhere else.

I think school uniforms are good because it sets everyone as an equal right from the start and kids are more likely to make friends based on personality and likeabliity vs. based on what someone is wearing.

Kids often mistake someone for being "cool" based on their clothing and that is a huge mistake.

I'm neither for or against. I never wore uniforms to school and don't ever remember there being any big issue over what people wore to school. My kids don't wear uniforms to their schools and buying clothes for them has never been an issue. I have a strict budget and we always find things they like within the budget.

On one hand, people who do not have a lot of money have to buy school uniforms, as well as clothes for everyday, so that may be a little tight. I'm not sure about that.

If it were an issue of what people wore to school, I could certainly see how dressing everyone similarly would help to alleviate that problem.

Our district has put to a vote before about bringing in uniforms to the dristrict. It didn't pass. I didn't vote because it would not bother me if my kids had to wear uniforms to school. I didn't feel strongly about the issue one way of the other. I'm sure they (my kids) wouldn't like it at first, but would get used to it in time.

When there are no school uniforms, there are certain girls who spend hours trying to find just 'the right' outfit, guys also tend to dress a certain way, for what? For popularity, to belong to a certain group.. and this is more so in elementary & middle school. My friend tends to have morning battles w/ her daughter over what she will wear... and a cousin of mine maxes out her mom's credit card to match her clothes w/ her rich friends.

People can still be very different even if they wear uniforms... the clothes don't make you who you are... do you want to be an individual and stand out? Do so by your character, your personality, the things you say & do are more important than showing off the latest trend.

When I was little & had to wear a school uniform, I just accepted it as part of the school rules... and left it at that... Anyway, here is a pic of me in one of my 3 uniforms I wore


Pam, that's great that your kids respect your budget.... some kids out there... are the opposite...

Honestly, I could care less about school uniforms. I see it's good and bad points, but when it comes down to it i don't think what children wear to school is such a big issue.

It doesn't matter to me. I went to Catholic school for 8 years and wearing a uniform never bothered me, but I honestly don't think forcing kids to wear a uniform is going to have all the positive results they think it will. Are you going to be able to concentrate on studying when you're too busy squirming in your chair because your clothes are uncomfortable? And for kids who don't like school to begin with, it is going to give them just another reason to hate it.

In theory, it works because the peer pressure is eliminated in some form. But wealthier children are still going to have nicer backpacks, lunch boxes, shoes, and school supplies than their not as fortunate peers. And not every child from an affluent family goes to private school.

I think if parents don't make a big deal out of the clothes their children wear, then their kids won't. If parents make it out to be unimportant, their children won't be as affected by the need to fit in by owning the latest fashions.

I went with no.

bethandmanly wrote:

It doesn't matter to me. I went to Catholic school for 8 years and wearing a uniform never bothered me, but I honestly don't think forcing kids to wear a uniform is going to have all the positive results they think it will.

Well no, I'm not for forcing the kids to wear uniforms. It's cool if the kids don't mind... and accept it as the dress code for the school.

I don't understand why money would be the problem though... maybe I'm going to sound naive here... but I'm just talking from experience ....
My mom would buy me 3 sets of uniforms... 3 skirts & 5 blouses...plus the required uniform for physical education. That is a whole lot less than what she would spend in buying me regular clothes for the entire school year....

I knew some poor kids (I'm talking about El Salvador poor) who only had 2 sets... and they would wear it and wash... they seemed to do fine...

But like I said, I guess some kids don't like wearing the uniform because it's either ugly to them or they just don't like it...

I really liked wearing uniforms...., the three different ones I wore to the different schools were all cute, so I liked it then, when I went to public school here in the U.S., I wore regular clothes, which was okay... but I would not have minded it all if uniforms would have been required. My mom said it cost more to buy regular clothes for the whole year, she would have preferred uniforms too.

Here is a youtube video I found of some uniforms used in Korea

School Uniform Collection

Carol wrote:

I don't understand why money would be the problem though... maybe I'm going to sound naive here... but I'm just talking from experience ....
My mom would buy me 3 sets of uniforms... 3 skirts & 5 blouses...plus the required uniform for physical education. That is a whole lot less than what she would spend in buying me regular clothes for the entire school year....

I knew some poor kids (I'm talking about El Salvador poor) who only had 2 sets... and they would wear it and wash... they seemed to do fine...

I think the money thing could come down to this, each school might have a different uniform--at least that's the way it works with private schools--and if that's the case it could get costly. There is one school here which has Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade 1; three schools for Grade 2 through Grade 6; a school for Grades 7 & 8; and one regional high school that is shared with a neighboring town. Now, if a family has kids that will be in different schools at the same time--like my girls will be--then you have to buy more uniforms. And hand-me downs might not work right away. Then take into account that you will also need to have play clothes for your kids so that they don't destroy their uniforms after school.

I can't think of any child who would willing choose a uniform over regular clothes...especially if they had been wearing regular clothes to school prior to that. I think it's just a hard transition for everyone to make.

If it happened here, would it affect my family too much, probably not. But I do know, that my sisters and I went to a school where uniforms were required, and my parents struggled with the cost of clothing--especially because my middle sister didn't have the same body shape as me and my older sister. So, hand me downs weren't an option for her for uniforms or regular clothes.

The whole point in school is to prepare a child for a future career.

We teach them that punctuality is important, working hard, being fair, getting along with peers and teachers (bosses in the future) etc etc.

It makes sense that they would dress a certain way (functionality and professionalism) when they go to work.

I doubt very many people dress the same way they would dress on the weekends...at work.

It sort of just sets the stage for future habits.

Whenever kids do something inappropriate, I hear parents saying "you wouldnt do that at school would you?"
But it amazes me what these same parents allow their children to wear to school.
They should take school seriously, and wearing baggy pants in which all can see your crack...is not taking it seriously.

Savannah wrote:

I don't have a problem with school uniforms, and think that they can have a positive affect. But I can see the problem with money, too. A lot of people with a lower income go yard saling or to Goodwill for clothes for their children. Especially since children grow so quickly! To have to come up with the money for uniforms could be a hardship for them.

Most schools that require uniforms have a form a parent can fill out requesting reduced cost or even free uniform based on their income...the same way they have reduced lunch tickets.

RoseRed, is right about the uniforms… hopefully all the schools have that option to offer reduced price or free uniforms to low income families. For those that have to buy them, let’s say that they are expensive… well they may be at first, but remember, that is what they will wear throughout the entire school year… so in the long run, you DO end up saving money I believe.

In school… people who dress the same tend to hang out together. For example, there are the people who are called ‘preppies’ because of how nice they dress, there are the poor people, there are the kids who dress in baggy clothes, the kids who dress like tramps lol, the kids who dress normal and the kids who dress all in black, w/ dark lipstick, thick spike chains, etc…
I don’t think that a jock will hang out w/ a group of emo kids dressed the way he is. So in a way, kids tend to avoid talking to certain kids by the way they are dressed. So, wearing a uniform would force student to get to know each other by who they really are as a person.

Kids these days are very influenced by the media and tend to imitate their favorite movie stars, celebrities, etc… In all my public school years, I have seen a lot of clothes that are not appropriate for school… things like shirts promoting drugs, suicide, satanic stuff, shirts promoting alcohol & violence.

Even little girls in elementary start wearing innapropriate clothing. I know some girls who leave their home wearing something and change in the bathroom when they get to school. I'm talking about 10 year old girls wearing something similar to what a streethooker would wear. It's not good. School is the place for education, not a place to show your latest fashion. There are plenty of times when you can do that after school.

Here are some pics of how some kids go dressed to school.

Kids dressed like that would not be allowed in our school. We have a dress code and they make the kids stick to it. If you come to school with something offensive on the front of your shirt, they make you turn it wrong side out or go home and change, no mohawks, no crazy colors in the hair, no piercings, except for ears, no tattoos.......and if your pants are baggy and hang down, (sagging) the coach will get a rope and tie them up for you! :haha:

Kids dressed like you have in the picture above, have no pride in themselves whatsoever.

I really, really hate that boxer hanging out of the pants look.

lol

ugh

Rhonda wrote:

.....and if your pants are baggy and hang down, (sagging) the coach will get a rope and tie them up for you! :haha:

I would love to see that!

RoseRed wrote:

I really, really hate that boxer hanging out of the pants look. lol ugh

I hate it also. I saw a kid working at Target with his pants down like that... he wasn't showing his boxers but his shirt looked pretty long... the kid couldn't even walk right!

bethandmanly wrote:

Carol wrote:

I don't understand why money would be the problem though... maybe I'm going to sound naive here... but I'm just talking from experience ....
My mom would buy me 3 sets of uniforms... 3 skirts & 5 blouses...plus the required uniform for physical education. That is a whole lot less than what she would spend in buying me regular clothes for the entire school year....

I knew some poor kids (I'm talking about El Salvador poor) who only had 2 sets... and they would wear it and wash... they seemed to do fine...

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I think the money thing could come down to this, each school might have a different uniform--at least that's the way it works with private schools--and if that's the case it could get costly. There is one school here which has Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade 1; three schools for Grade 2 through Grade 6; a school for Grades 7 & 8; and one regional high school that is shared with a neighboring town. Now, if a family has kids that will be in different schools at the same time--like my girls will be--then you have to buy more uniforms. And hand-me downs might not work right away. Then take into account that you will also need to have play clothes for your kids so that they don't destroy their uniforms after school.

I can't think of any child who would willing choose a uniform over regular clothes...especially if they had been wearing regular clothes to school prior to that. I think it's just a hard transition for everyone to make.

Yeess! Carol. I don't think I could have said it any better!

I'm just saying... if 2nd & 3rd world countries can afford to have uniforms in school (a lot of the countries do), then I'm sure America can afford to have it.... Like Rose said, I'm sure there are programs where low income families can get reduced or free uniforms.

I see the good in the uniforms. I had a lot of friends who had a hard time having all the "cool" clothes and got picked on and if uniforms happened it might have been eaiser. I know the uniforms are not cheap, but they are cheaper than some of the "cool" clothes. I was always an outside the box kid and wore clothes that I like that were never really cool and I got picked on, but I did not matter to me. I liked my weird stuff. I think the uniforms take some of the problems like inapproprated clothing out of schools and it makes everyone equal in what they have. So I think in that case they are good. And as for making people lose who they are... remember people are who they are because of their personality not what they wear.

:fyi: Before I'm accused of being "preachy", just know that it's not my intent. I just get started on an interesting topic and like to express myself. When I find people who are willing to have deep discussions on various topics I like, I go for it. So accuse yourselves of being interesting.

Here we go......

I've never heard of any free or reduced priced uniforms here. But that doesn't mean it's not so...I don't know everything. It'd be great it such a thing exsists now, or will in the near future.

And as for 2nd and 3rd world countries having people to afford uniforms, some are donated by out of country sponsers. I've seen many documentaries where a lot of kids have only one uniform that they wash and wear every day. That wouldn't work well here in the states. It'd be called a form of neglect and the parents would be penalized for it.
I feel so bad for those kids in other countries who can't attend school w/o a uniform. So unfair. Here, we have kids ditching school and throwing away the best thing ever...education.

As for the "cool" clothes not being affordable; that's when the parents need to be parents and tell the kids "You'll get what I can afford! End of story!"

One of my students came to the after-school program in a really nice uniform skirt last week. It looked to be one of the very expensive types, with pleats, and decorative zippers on one side. Very cute. When I, and the other counselors commented on the skirt to the child, two other kids in tattered uniforms looked as if we'd hurt their feelings. We didn't mean anything of the sort, but it gives a great example of how no matter what you wear, there's always someone with a better looking brand/style of what you have.