school uniforms

[Nick]

In lots of places aronnd the world (like Europe and I believe the US) school uniforms are not worn. Here in Australia every school student has to wear one.

What do you believe are the reasons for and against having school uniforms, and what side do you take - uniform or no uniform?

 

[Caroline H]

When I was in England we wore them, every school there uses them. We hated them and thought they were boring. But when We came back to the U.S. and could wear what we wanted my thoughts changed about it. I've moved around a lot since coming here, and attended 3 different schools before I graduated, two being public, and one private. At all of them it seemed to me that the issue of clothing was WAY TOO BIG of an issue. One school I was at had very high gang activity, and so they had a really hard time monitoring what was gang related and what wasn't. At that school and the one I graduated from it also was a big distraction to the students because they were all trying so hard to be cool with how they dressed. The girls always tried to outdo each other, and the guys were always looking at the girls...

I probably sound like an old lady here, but I think that all of that could have been made much more simple if they wore uniforms. Not to mention, cheaper on the parent's wallet. :nag

 

[handy]

I'm absolutely for school uniforms as well. For all the reasons that you gave, Caroline.

It is one of my biggest gripes that I cannot find stylish and yet modest clothes for my daughter. She wants to be stylish and I can really relate to that, because I wanted to as well when I was in school. The thing is, when I was in school, pants were at the waist instead of the hips and shirts were at the hips instead of the waist. Big difference.

Besides, I went on some school uniform sites and I think they're actually quite cute.

 

[JoJo]

I can imagine how much better my school years would have been if we had worn school uniforms. My family was relatively poor compared to the other kids (it was a wealthy school district and we were far from wealthy) so while they were wearing Izods and Ralph Lauren Polo shirts and Members Only jackets (lol), my sisters and I wore off-brand knockoffs. And believe it or not, it made a difference in my school. Oh, how I wish I could go back to those days with my older, more mature and secure self and help that poor little girl with a tiger on her shirt instead of an alligator and affirm that she was just as good as those other kids!

I vote YES for school uniforms. For the kids' sakes and for the parents' (less laundry, less shopping, less fussing)

 

[Mark62]

School uniforms are a great leveller, especially in areas where the school population is drawn from a varied and disparate income base. Yes, girls do tend to try and out-do each other and get really bitchy at times and clothing worn at school would just add one more thing to the Mean Girls' arsenal.

Purely from a parents perspective, much cheaper and easier to manage school uniforms than mufti.

I wore school uniforms and my kids do too.

 

[Nick]

Yeah, all of the posts above pretty much say what are my thoughts. We spend so much on clothes already, without having to do so for school.

I'd be interested to hear someone's thoughts on against uniforms. That could be interesting...

 

[Caroline H]

Maybe one of the teens might have a differing opinion?

 

[NooneSpecial]

I voted no. Minus the now increasingly scandelous types of clothes being sold to little girls now days, I feel uniforms discourage individualism. Why spend money on clothes at all outside of uniforms if they are going to be worn five out of seven days of the week. God made each of us unique. That should not be changed.

 

[walter]

I voted no. Minus the now increasingly scandelous types of clothes being sold to little girls now days, I feel uniforms discourage individualism. Why spend money on clothes at all outside of uniforms if they are going to be worn five out of seven days of the week. God made each of us unique. That should not be changed.

You heard the expression "Clothes make the man"?

Well they usually make him egotistical.

They are just clothes and if kids are going to focus so much time and energy on clothes then they will be sacrificing things that are more worthwhile. When they can pay for their own clothes then they can have more freedom but school comes first and any distractions need to be eliminated.

 

[Nick]

I voted no. Minus the now increasingly scandelous types of clothes being sold to little girls now days, I feel uniforms discourage individualism. Why spend money on clothes at all outside of uniforms if they are going to be worn five out of seven days of the week. God made each of us unique. That should not be changed.

People can still be individuals. And IMHO, if you're classing people individuals by the clothes they wear, then that's very shallow.
Yes, God did make each one of us unique, and we're not changing that by wearing uniforms. Police wear uniforms - are they discouraging individualism or changing that fact that God made us unique? No, they're not.

 

[jasoncran]

i see no problem with the uniform thing.

 

[NooneSpecial]

I voted no. Minus the now increasingly scandelous types of clothes being sold to little girls now days, I feel uniforms discourage individualism. Why spend money on clothes at all outside of uniforms if they are going to be worn five out of seven days of the week. God made each of us unique. That should not be changed.

People can still be individuals. And IMHO, if you're classing people individuals by the clothes they wear, then that's very shallow.
Yes, God did make each one of us unique, and we're not changing that by wearing uniforms. Police wear uniforms - are they discouraging individualism or changing that fact that God made us unique? No, they're not.

To each their own. Uniform is usually required of adults in a profession. Why make children act as adults? So if that makes me shallow fine. See nothing wrong with a child wanting to wear Scooby Doo print or otherwise. So I honestly do not see why schools should dictate what a parent should be doing themselves. Nor do I ever recall making a statement that said that a person's clothing determines one's individuality. I merely was trying to make the point that a person is not outside of their rights to want to dress as they want to.

 

[Nick]

I voted no. Minus the now increasingly scandelous types of clothes being sold to little girls now days, I feel uniforms discourage individualism. Why spend money on clothes at all outside of uniforms if they are going to be worn five out of seven days of the week. God made each of us unique. That should not be changed.

People can still be individuals. And IMHO, if you're classing people individuals by the clothes they wear, then that's very shallow.
Yes, God did make each one of us unique, and we're not changing that by wearing uniforms. Police wear uniforms - are they discouraging individualism or changing that fact that God made us unique? No, they're not.

To each their own. Uniform is usually required of adults in a profession. Why make children act as adults? So if that makes me shallow fine. See nothing wrong with a child wanting to wear Scooby Doo print or otherwise. So I honestly do not see why schools should dictate what a parent should be doing themselves. Nor do I ever recall making a statement that said that a person's clothing determines one's individuality. I merely was trying to make the point that a person is not outside of their rights to want to dress as they want to.

We're not trying to make kids like adults, but merely trying to reduce costs to students and parents on clothes, and also reduce some phsycological damage done by wearing "uncool" clothes. Some people/societies take that really seriously. The kids are only asked to wear a uniform roughly six hours a day, five days per week. It's not that bigger ask. And what are they going to do when they go out into the workforce and have to abide by a dress code at the least, possibly even a uniform! If they've never been exposed to doing that when being a child or young adult, then how should be expect them to just 'do it' right off?

 

[Ed the Ned]

School Uniforms are great and should be encouraged. They give the children unity and allow them to have school pride in general. It does not take away from their individuality but allows them to feel part of a bigger unit. I'm a big YES for school uniforms.

 

[Nick]

School Uniforms are great and should be encouraged. They give the children unity and allow them to have school pride in general. It does not take away from their individuality but allows them to feel part of a bigger unit. I'm a big YES for school uniforms.

 

[NooneSpecial]

We're not trying to make kids like adults, but merely trying to reduce costs to students and parents on clothes, and also reduce some phsycological damage done by wearing "uncool" clothes. Some people/societies take that really seriously. The kids are only asked to wear a uniform roughly six hours a day, five days per week. It's not that bigger ask. And what are they going to do when they go out into the workforce and have to abide by a dress code at the least, possibly even a uniform! If they've never been exposed to doing that when being a child or young adult, then how should be expect them to just 'do it' right off?

Still feel it should be up to the parent not the school to dictate what a child wears. However, I have no desire to argue the point if I am to be refered to as shallow because my views are different.

 

[Nick]

We're not trying to make kids like adults, but merely trying to reduce costs to students and parents on clothes, and also reduce some phsycological damage done by wearing "uncool" clothes. Some people/societies take that really seriously. The kids are only asked to wear a uniform roughly six hours a day, five days per week. It's not that bigger ask. And what are they going to do when they go out into the workforce and have to abide by a dress code at the least, possibly even a uniform! If they've never been exposed to doing that when being a child or young adult, then how should be expect them to just 'do it' right off?

Still feel it should be up to the parent not the school to dictate what a child wears. However, I have no desire to argue the point if I am to be refered to as shallow because my views are different.

I never said you were shallow, I said some people who don't want the uniforms can be looking at it a bit shallow. And looking at your reasons for not having uniforms, I'd say you aren't shallow.