School Uniforms

A Mom, but not yours · Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:41 pm

So, my daughter's junior high is considering school uniforms for next year. What do you think of school uniforms? And if you have a strong opinion, please explain.

(And yes, I am an Animaniacs fan. Why do you ask?)

chillygator · Post by **chillygator** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:48 pm

I was always one of those awkward, untrendy kids that would have loved uniforms because it's a set thing to wear and you can never go wrong since everyone else is wearing it. My friend wore them and I was always a little jealous, except the part where the girls still had to wear skirts and it was winter. I would not so much be a fan of it (ha, irony being now I wear a skirt every day to work...). My dad was a teacher for 40 or so years (and happily retired) and he always thought they were good idea, though never implemented at the school he taught at. So, yes, I like the idea.

Post by **bobtheenchantedone** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:19 pm

I am also in favor of uniforms, as long as they were counted in with regular school fees and could therefore be waved for those who couldn't afford it, or in another way make sure that they weren't a financial burden on families, especially families that have eight children. Or a lot like that.

TheAnswerIs42 · Post by **TheAnswerIs42** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:51 pm

I think they are a great thing, but they are sure hard to get people to agree to them. By people, I mean stubborn teenagers. From the teacher standpoint, it was hard to enforce a dress code with so much variety going on. For example we didn't want girls running around in skirts that didn't cover enough, just from a distraction viewpoint. But how long is long enough? And what t-shirts are too offensive? So having uniforms would be easier by far. But they are very hard to get in a public school, because of money issues like bob mentioned, as well as "free speech" protests from all the kids, etc. Private schools have much more leverage in the "if you don't like it or can't afford it, just leave" area.

My little brother wore a white shirt and tie every day to Catholic school though, and even if he hated it at the time, he did say that he saw a huge difference when he wore whatever he wanted to college. He said that he realized he had been more focused when he was dressed up for class rather than schlumpy, and that they could be a distraction. He also missed the income from renting out ties from his locker to the guys who forgot theirs

(Okay, he didn't make much, but I just thought that part was hilarious). In terms of distractions though, he was much more distracted in college by the fact that he had actually girls in his classes for the first time in years than he was by his own lack of a tie.

I tell ya though, in all the times I went to pick him up from school, I never saw a boy hit the bottom stair still in uniform when they were exiting. Ties were ripped off, the shirt came untucked, the belt often left . . . they all couldn't wait to get out of uniform.

Post by **bobtheenchantedone** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:06 pm

TheAnswerIs42 wrote:I tell ya though, in all the times I went to pick him up from school, I never saw a boy hit the bottom stair still in uniform when they were exiting. Ties were ripped off, the shirt came untucked, the belt often left . . . they all couldn't wait to get out of uniform.

I love that image. I'm going to have to use that in a story somewhere. I'm writing about a school right now, and I've always kinda had the idea that uniforms were involved...

Fredjikrang · Post by **Fredjikrang** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:15 pm

I really enjoy variety, so I have always been against school uniforms. I can see the appeal, but I don't think that the easiest (from an enforcement standpoint) solution is the best here.

Portia · Post by **Portia** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:11 pm

I went to a private school, and I liked school uniforms. It was nice to not have to compete with the ultra-rich kids (read: everyone else at my entire school . . .) and their ever-changing wardrobes. I still like to wear knee-length skirts and knee-high socks.

A Mom, but not yours · Fri Feb 22, 2008 3:26 pm

If it makes a difference, as I understand it, the uniform consists of khaki pants or jeans and school colored polo shirts. Haven't seen all the details in writing yet, but it also includes things like they have to pull their pants up and tuck in their shirts (the horror!). So it's not like they have to wear ties and skirts. It's stuff very similar to what most of them already wear.

Katya · Post by **Katya** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:27 pm

Portia wrote:I went to a private school, and I liked school uniforms. It was nice to not have to compete with the ultra-rich kids (read: everyone else at my entire school . . .) and their ever-changing wardrobes. I still like to wear knee-length skirts and knee-high socks.

Where did you go to school?

Portia · Post by **Portia** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:55 pm

And compromise my anonymity? Never!

(Okay, fine--I went to Waterford, in Sandy. :) )

Katya · Post by **Katya** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:40 pm

Portia wrote:And compromise my anonymity? Never!

(Okay, fine--I went to Waterford, in Sandy. )

You went to Waterford--Sandy? Wow. That's wild. I went to Waterford--Provo, before it closed. (And then Meridian.) So you're, like, my arch rival. Good to know.

Portia · Post by **Portia** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:10 pm

Waterford-Provo? Wow. Aren't there only like . . . a few dozen people that share that distinction?

I think I feel another battle coming on ;)