How do you feel about public school uniforms?

Question

I am against them as they are in our school district. I have a 6 year old boy, and the school tells me I have to dress him in a uniform because it 1) provides a safer environment for our children, 2) it doesn't allow children to distinguish who has money and who doesn't, and 3) because it is less expensive for me as a parent. I can almost agree with the first one because some items of clothing can easily conceal weapons or identity, but the school also tells me that this will help to identify those that do not belong in the school. And then they publish this uniform dress code on the internet. Duh! And I strongly disagree with the other two points. I think there is nothing wrong with kids knowing who is well-off and who is not. It's called life, and if we try to level the playing field when kids are young, will they expect that's how life will be when they get older? And as far as saving me money, I spent about 6 times more for kindergarten clothes than I spent the previous year.

Answer 1

I was against them all the way around when they where first implimented. After seven years of uniforms, it doesn't bother me as much. They certainly don't get lost in a sea of uniform colors, the kids personalities shine thru and it doesn't seem to make a difference in distiguishing individuality or social status.

Answer 2

I am a student and in a public school. I can agree with the fact that it dosent costs so much but then again you have other issues you need to go over.
1. my school only allows us to wear khaki pants and green,white, or orange polo tees.
2.I'm a girl. Girl's have their time of the month and it's a no no to wear light colored clothes while having your time.
3. They make everyone tuck in their shirts. Some girls have there mess ups but nobody cares!! There like put a jacket around your waste?!!?!!

I wouldn't have a problem with uniform but now im at the peak of wanting to express myself and i do that by my clothes but i dont see why they think clothes is so expensive. There's this store i go to where my clothes cost even less than the uniforms i have now. It might make your school look orderly but so far this school year has been the worst since i've been in school. Nobodys wanting to follow rules. Girls are getting teased because of how the uniforms have no back pockets and it really shows the shape and size of your butt. Kid's now think that since they think we were bad without uniform wait until we have to wear them. It's so much havoc and the school has been a wreck. They're sending kids home on the first day because they don't have the right shade of orange or the right shade of green. It's getting out of hand. I can see uniforms for a private school but for a public school ;can we please have our freedom???

Answer 3

I am all for uniforms. I would have LOVED to have had them when I was in school. They are in uniforms now...went to them about 3 years after I graduated. No, I don't believe it levels the playing field because unless they are required to wear a certain type of shoe, no accessories, etc, they can still show off their money with name brand shoes, purses, jewelry, etc. I think they are a good thing. I've never understood what the hang up is over them. I mean, kids are only in school 7 hours a day, 180 days a year. They have the rest of that time to express themselves, etc. When you play sports, or work, you have a uniform or dress code. I don't know why school should be any different.

Answer 4

In england we all have uniforms, its not a big deal, and it IS cheaper than wearing casual clothes to school... it also means you dont have to think about what you are going to wear... and why should children, who come from families with a lower income, be picked on or singled out because they dont have the latest clothes? it is unreasonable, because we all know how terrible children can be to each other, and being bullied early in life, can haunt you for the rest of it...
wearing a uniform is not going to have a bad resulting effect on your son, and the onyl way he will have a problem about it, is if he sees you making a fuss about it...
and what is the problem with trying to level the playing field? everybody deserves the same chance, and some wont grab that chance while they have it, and they'll realise it later... how will this influence how they think life will be when they get older, they will learn many life lessons that will include: life is not fair!! but why knock them down, before they've even started?

Answer 5

Frankly I despise the uniform concept for school children. My dislike is without caveat.

Nothing is a better indicator of future performance than past performance. Does anyone recall the Hitler Youth. The brown shirted boys and girls that were indoctrinated into the Nazi ideology.

All our school uniforms lack is a rank indication on the uniform to indicate a grade level and some form of decoration to indicate that a child has turned in their parents for some silliness like smoking in a car, owning firearms, or failing to provide the kid with a toy they want. Any excuse to grab one more freedom from responsible parents.

In this land of diversity, where I am supposed to embrace gay marriage, illegal aliens and skin color consideration when hiring I find it absurd to want all school kids to fit into exactly the same mold.

You're absolutely correct, it is called life and I want my kids and grand kids to realize it sooner rather than later.

Answer 6

I disagree with all three reasons. 1) What is the chance that a 6-year-old kid might have a gun stashed in his jacket pocket? 2) It is great just to be able to express yourself!

Answer 7

With all due respect, you could not be more wrong about uniforms. Do you know how many kids get killed every year just for their sneakers? Don't tell me that kids don't notice what other kids are wearing, and won't make judgments about them. It sounds like you want to use your son to show everybody else how well off you are, or maybe it's to show everybody else how well off you would like to be. As far as how well off your son is, he hasn't yet earned a damn thing yet! How do you expect your son to be willing to work hard and earn what he gets if he thinks that he is entitled to it just because of who his parent(s) are? Uniforms put everyone on an even playing field, and gives who they really are more of a chance to come out, and one less thing for rich kids to ridicule poor kids about.

Answer 8

A plus for uniform I found, as a mother, was that there was no having to decide what to wear and no arguments! Everyone wore the same thing, which did help to reduce competitiveness at the clothing level, which I appreciated.

Answer 9

I disagree with your reason #2. Why not let kids be kids and pick their friends based on their personalities and good qualities, rather than on the labels on their clothes? As an adult, don't you try to see beyond the label? Help your kids do the same.

Answer 10

It is good because they dont have to build no child.