Whatever happened to celebrating our uniqueness?
May 21, 2007 In my humble opinion
In the June 2007 Parenting magazine’s Mom Debate [if you aren't familiar with Parenting, this is a monthly feature in the magazine where they encourage moms to give their opinions on a particular topic], the question was “Should kids wear uniforms to school?” With 11,000 responses, 76% said “yes.” I was shocked. I had no idea so many people were for school uniforms.
Some of the “yes” votes give reasons such as the low cost because you don’t have to buy a bunch of new — and usually brand name — clothes, it helps kids focus more on school rather than what their classmate is wearing, kids get to know each other based on personality rather than what they’re wearing and kids take pride in their appearance. [I totally don't get that last one? How does wearing a uniform help you take pride in your appearance? I would think meticulously picking out your own clothes would help you take pride over just throwing on the same thing every single day.]
Some of the “no” votes said a teacher told them that uniforms don’t stop the teasing kids dish out at school, uniforms may actually emphasis the differences in appearance [rather than giving a kid a chance to wear something that's flattering to their body type] and kids create their own identity and gain independence by picking out their own clothes.
I live in an area where we don’t have any schools that require uniforms. I’m trying to rack my brain to think if any of the private schools make the kids wear uniforms, but I can’t think of a single one. The only experience I have with school uniforms is from The Facts of Life. So you’ll have to educate me here. How many uniforms does a kid get? Five? Or do they have to do laundry every day or every other day to make sure they have a clean uniform? Does the school provide the uniforms for the kids or do parents have to buy the uniforms? Is there a different uniform for warm weather than there is for cool weather? Do they come in all sizes, even in super long and tall for girls with freakishly long arms and legs [like myself]? I’m just trying to figure out how much of a cost savings it is? Because you’ll still need to buy your kid other clothes. From what I’ve heard, kids usually hate their uniforms. So I’m guessing they change as soon as they get home and they probably don’t wear them to the mall on weekends.
Plus what do kids wear to gym class? Their uniform? Or is there another uniform for gym class and sport practices? So more money for another uniform? Or is P.E. the one place where they get to express their own individuality by wearing their own shorts and t-shirts?
I don’t know enough about uniforms to make an educated decision on whether or not uniforms are a good thing. But if I had to choose I’d say I prefer my kids to wear whatever they want. I’m all for setting rules. No halter tops. No short shorts. No shorts hanging so low I can see the skid marks in your underwear. Things like that. But I like the fact that my kids can wear what suits their own style.
I was never really a girly girl. In fact, you will still rarely catch me in a skirt or dress. I have always had very pale skin [part of my red hair and freckles package] so I refused to wear shorts to school until I was in high school and started to care a little less about what people thought of me. I didn’t want to give kids an excuse to make fun of my white legs. I would have been devastated if I would of been forced to wear a skirt every day.
My sister has a birthmark that goes all the way up her leg. Now that she’s a teenager I never see her wear shorts. It could be approaching 100 degrees out and she’ll be in jeans and flip-flops. I know she’d hate it if she had to wear a skirt as part of some uniform.
Granted in the “real world” we often have “uniforms” for work. So maybe a school uniform is preparing our youth for this. Some workplaces require professional dress. So you have to wear a suit [and tie for the guys], but they don’t restrict the color or style or fit. We still get to show some of our creativity and individuality in the suit we chose. I worked at Target for a while and they have a strict dress code; khaki pants and a red top. But you got to choose your own khaki pants and your own red top.
And I don’t really get the whole “there will be more learning when kids wear uniforms.” I don’t remember slacking off in class just so we could sit around and discuss what everybody was wearing. That’s what lunch was for. Even if the students are all wearing the same outfit, kids will still find a way to make fun of each other. “Did you see how Susie wore her hair today? She’s burning her very own hole in the ozone layer with all the hairspray she uses?” Or “Does Joey every shower? Dude he smells so bad.” Kids will find something to talk about. They will find a way to bully. Matching outfits don’t stop the teasing.
Plus kids will still find a way to be different and stand out. Uniforms aren’t going to stop the Emo kids from dying their hair black or painting their nails. They also won’t stop the popular girls from wearing too much makeup and spending an hour in the bathroom each morning straightening their hair.
So 76%? Really? Can somebody please tell me why? Cause I’m still shocked that 76% of moms like the idea of uniforms.
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May 22nd, 2007 at 1:09 am
I agree with you-I don’t think that you would save a whole lot of money buying uniforms. Most schools here that require uniforms make you buy gym clothes, and the kids who would normally not get a whole lot of school clothes probably have parents who are forced to spend MORE on clothes with uniforms. I think that you’re right in that kids will be kids, and will show their sense of style no matter what, and you will always have the teasing and bullying too. My son is attending a middle school next year that does require uniforms, but is also much more permissive than most around here. They can wear jeans, as long as they are not saggy or ripped, can wear shorts as long as they are denim or khaki, and not too short. They can wear red or white shirts, with buttons and collars, and hoodies with the school logo or just plain red or navy. No shirt hems can hang below their hoodies, and jackets can’t be worn during the day…likewise hats, sunglasses, etc. Most of the ones around here require khakis and white shirts, no colors at all. T’s new school also has a behaviour code, and if a kid teases or bullies, or generally doesn’t behave themselves, they get demerits and can’t go to school assemblies or dances (dances are held during the day) or have any special priveleges until they earn their way back to ‘tier 1′ on the scale. I know, it sounds a bit like boot camp, but I think for the most part, it’s good. I don’t like the uniform thing, but of course have to comply because I want him to go to this school-we were lucky to even get in!
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:31 am
I think it depends on the age of the students. Young students are not concerned with the way their fellow student dress and it would be unecessary for them to have a uniform. While students who are already concerned with their looks do need to wear uniform
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:42 pm
I also agree with you. If students were used to go to school without uniforms since they were young, concerns about branded clothes probably wouldn’t matter. Besides, there are plenty of nice clothes that are cheap.
May 23rd, 2007 at 9:21 am
It seems to me the vast majority of these people have already been taken in by the talking points of the pro-uniform crown. Most of which have no basis in fact, but are reactionary from problem situations.
I have heard claims that it makes kids “safer” (often bringing up Columbine, and the “trench coat mafia” even though the kids involved were never actually part of the trench coat mafia).
Supposed better grades, which was disproven in a study that tried to determine of uniforms had any effect on private school kids over public school.
And of course finally the “it costs less” lie, which says, well uniforms are cheaper than “designer clothes.” But lets be honest, small children don’t get designer clothes (unless the parents choose to do it and can afford it), and older kids still want “good clothes” for after school, and aren’t going to live in their uniforms, so it actually becomes an added expense, rather than the claimed “savings”
And as for the avoiding teasing and such from other students, if it isn’t clothes, it is hair, book bag, watch, cell phone, whatever. If a kid is mean, he(she) will find something to pick on. A better course of action might be to teach these kids some manners (which they obviously don’t get at home).
Unfortunately, there has yet been a “valid” reason for uniforms, but far too many people have been sucked in by the rhetoric being spewed out. In a world where we are supposed to celebrate our differences, and not criticize those that are different, instead we go for the world of everybody must look the same. It makes no sense.
May 23rd, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Since this is about the parent’s view point regarding uniforms, I think it needs the opion of the children to know whatever makes them feel more confident when going to school. It’s true that parents have the right to question price. But in terms of comfort and appearance, I think the students must take part too,
May 24th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
my brother recently started going to a private school, he is a freshman in high school, and he was new to the uniform experience. he is required to wear plain (no logo) solid color polos, and either khaki pants or jeans, or khaki or denim shorts. girls can also wear capris or skirts as long as they are within that finger tip rule, and all shirts are tucked in with a belt. my brother is a bit of a chunky kid and worried about the whole tucking in thing, but when the clothes fit its not really and issue and he actually looks trimmer. i was afraid he was being shipped off to some extremist regime that quelched creativity, but the girls (who seem to be more concerned about creativity in dress, hell i would too) wear cute belts, jewelry, and fun shoes. and of course backpacks are adorned with differnt buttons, patches, ribbons, whatever.
my brother actually prefers it, and he said that only the truly petty kids are as picky as to what brand of khakis people wear. he does his laundry once a week, and so five different pairs of tops and bottoms and a couple of belts get him through the week with literally dozens of combinations to create. it a relatively small investment, he can wear the same into next year, and i know my mom didnt spend a whole lot of money.
personally uniforms in this manner seem fine, and i am a huge fan of individuality and creativity. if it is our uniqueness and special brand of creativity that we truly admire and want kids to recognize as important virtues, than it is a vast disservice to emphasize that our choice of clothes and how we look in the latest fashions, i.e material things, and superficial judgements are the qualities that matter most in a person. ok, end scene.