Should Public schools switch to uniforms?

During my time in high school in Los Angeles California (Crenshaw High School) in the 80s it was nearly a fashion show. If you weren't wearing the latest fashions (Guess jeans, Miami Vice gear, Le Tigre or Ralph Lauren Polos, K-Swiss, Nike, or Diadora tennis shoes, parachute pants, or etc.) you were teased without fail.

When my now 21 year old son attended middle school here in the south Seattle area a strict dress code was enforced, not necessarily a uniform beyond blue or khaki slacks and white or blue Polo shirt. Kids would ridicule kids based on their shoes because you can't really tease someone based on a plain non logo Polo and no tag khaki or blue slacks.

In the south Seattle areas it appears schools adhering to some type of uniform are typically in urban areas versus suburbs.

On the other hand: I wore uniforms from K-8th grade (Catholic school). Ok, we all had the same clothes on. Well, that just meant the kids in middle school had to find a different reason to pick on you or make fun of you. You don't have a cool backpack. You don't have the coolest shoes. Your parents don't drive a nice car. You don't live in the nicest neighborhood, etc. The uniforms did literally nothing to cut down on the have picking on the have nots...at least in my experience (I was considered a "have not" with the rich kids I went to school with. My mom was the principal so I got free tuition, and other kids could get scholarships...those kids got picked on for being "poor" too.)

This is definitely true and just what I was going to say. Even if you have a uniform, kids will find something else to show off their wealth or something to bully someone about.

Even in college, picking on others for their lack of wealth happens. I'm probably the poorest of out my three roommates, and I'm not even poor, just middle-middle class I'd say. I don't think they do it intentionally all the time but sometimes I get teased a little for my situation. I won't spend money to get my nails done when I can do it with polish I already own, and they don't get that. I've never flown on a plane, yet one of my roommates goes on Spring Break every year to locations like Mexico and flies at least once a year if not more.

Even the other day, I mentioned I was going on vacation and one of my roommates said "where?" I said "to a cabin up north for a week." She said "that's your vacation?" Um, yes, it has been, and it's been the only vacation I've ever been on.

So yes, bullying/teasing always happens no matter how old you are. Uniforms won't solve anything.

In NYC most public schools do have uniforms now whether the parents choose to buy them or the staff enforces kids to wear them is a different story

Try taking away the individuality of adults and see what happens to society. :noway:
Don't do it to our children either.

On the other hand: I wore uniforms from K-8th grade (Catholic school). Ok, we all had the same clothes on. Well, that just meant the kids in middle school had to find a different reason to pick on you or make fun of you. You don't have a cool backpack. You don't have the coolest shoes. Your parents don't drive a nice car. You don't live in the nicest neighborhood, etc. The uniforms did literally nothing to cut down on the have picking on the have nots...at least in my experience (I was considered a "have not" with the rich kids I went to school with. My mom was the principal so I got free tuition, and other kids could get scholarships...those kids got picked on for being "poor" too.)

THIS! Kids will find something to pick on, even if it isn't clothing. Uniforms are over rated. IMHO.

<---teacher.

Yes. My boys went to a school and had to wear uniforms. They have also gone to schools and didn't have to wear uniforms. I liked the uniforms.

Lots of schools have a uniform exchanges also. My son's school did. You could buy any piece for $1.00 or bring X number of pieces and exchange it for the same number.

The best part of the exchange was most people used that when their kids grew out of a size during the year. So they brought in all the grown out of uniforms and exchange them, and the cost was $ zero!

I was made fun of for what I wore, generic clothes. I couldn't afford $50 Guess? jeans. I came from a poor, single parent family.

Who is going to pay for the uniforms? Currently, public schools in my area are sending home lists of school supplies with kids, and they show up with whatever is on their list, then the teacher throws everything in a pile and rations out all the supplies for the class.

personally, I don't think that is fair, Why should one parent who is barely making it pay for another child's supplies because their parent knows they don't have to buy supplies? Not that I believe most people are like this, I just happened to work with a lady that did just that, she only bought enough supplies for one child and expected her other child to be provided for.

Uniforms are great for keeping distractions/teasing down, but somebody is going to bear the brunt of the cost. "Forgive my uniform loan!"

You'd still by school clothes if they wore regular clothes. The uniforms are usually subsidized for people who make less income.

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I had a friend in private school, and saw her uniform catalog. Those prices were NOT comparable to Kmart prices. My single parent owned the house we lived in, so we didn't fall into the qualifications for free/reduced school lunches. I would have to believe we wouldn't have qualified for subsidized uniforms.

I know I wasn't the only family like that.

Yep! My son was in uniforms for a couple months (tried a private school, he HATED it) and it was expensive. I can see over the long run it saving money, but I had to pay for his uniforms, which were way more expensive than the clothes I buy him at Old Navy, AND had to make sure he has weekend clothes, shoes, etc. Uniforms can save money over time, I'd imagine, but going out and buying 5 uniform shirts and 5 pairs of uniform shorts so I wasn't doing laundry every day, that cost me twice as much as buying the same amount of clothing for non-school days.

I just have to say that it's hardly necessary that they have one uniform for every day. They're in school, not doing manual labor. Two pairs of pants would be fine. Shirts may be different, they get dirtier a little easier with BO and stuff. The need to have a completely different outfit every day is a very modern, and first world, idea. Used to be kids had school clothes, a set of very nice clothes, and play/work clothes.

And as for many people talking about the cost, many of the public schools where I live have "uniforms," but it's really a standardized dress code. We're not talking prep-school uniforms - just plain khaki or blue pants, a few choices of colors for polos, and no logos allowed. You can buy those anywhere and many, many companies now specifically market these types of close near the start of the year as school "uniforms." Additionally, many schools will ask parents to donate clothing when their child grows out of it so they can maintain a clothing bank, unless there's a younger sibling. Since all the clothes look the same, no one would know if a kid bought it new or not.

I understand wanting to express yourself, but students are distracted enough in school, and generally don't take it very seriously. There are many ways of demonstrating personality, individuality, uniqueness, whatever you want to call it. No one's identity should be tied to their clothing choices so much that they feel a loss of it if they have to go to school (or work) wearing clothing that they wouldn't wear at home or out on the town.

The parents opposed the measure because they wanted their kids to be able to "express" their individuality. Not through art or music or anything stupid like that! Oh no, through a pair of $120 Miss Me jeans that all of the other bratty little girls have, too. It's ridiculous. The parents use the kids to flash their money and the kids who don't have that money get made fun of.

This is the reason that I am glad my children are out of school. Some people just should not be teachers.

I don't think it is about individuality as much as requiring children to think and make decisions for themselves from an early age.
Also, my children were active and clothes did not get worn twice. Body odor stays with the clothes and gives kids something to tease you about.

I never got teased for not having brand name something or other. I wore 90% hand me downs and I made the stuff I was given look cute. My brother got made fun of for wearing a belt in his overalls, but that's not really about brands, now is it?

around here, there are uniforms sold everywhere!!! and they are far less expensive than name brand if you choose khols or target.

i would LOVE for my kids' school district to go to uniforms! life would be so easy :-)

i already stick to khaki pants, shorts, skirts for my girls and then a bunch of shirts in different colors. i get the pants in the uniform section of khols and target. they are much less expensive than going to gap!

and even if you do buy at a place like the gap or gymboree, the uniform clothes are still less expensive than the newest line of their clothes!

I was made fun of for what I wore, generic clothes. I couldn't afford $50 Guess? jeans. I came from a poor, single parent family.

Who is going to pay for the uniforms? Currently, public schools in my area are sending home lists of school supplies with kids, and they show up with whatever is on their list, then the teacher throws everything in a pile and rations out all the supplies for the class.

personally, I don't think that is fair, Why should one parent who is barely making it pay for another child's supplies because their parent knows they don't have to buy supplies? Not that I believe most people are like this, I just happened to work with a lady that did just that, she only bought enough supplies for one child and expected her other child to be provided for.

Uniforms are great for keeping distractions/teasing down, but somebody is going to bear the brunt of the cost. "Forgive my uniform loan!"