Should Public schools switch to uniforms?

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  • 1Timothy4v8
    1Timothy4v8 Posts: 503 Member
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    I don't think there should be public schools!
  • Marper8521
    Marper8521 Posts: 160
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    Public Schools should be closed period!!!! Give me my damn tax money back. Look at L.A. Unified, 72% drop out rate; and Chicago ? You got to be kidding me and all I hear is "give us more money from those damn unions" GTF off my paycheck and teach someone to count!!!! All schools should switch to either Charter or Private!!! I had to "fight" for my kids right to get educated in this thing they call "public school"
  • eellis2000
    eellis2000 Posts: 465 Member
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    I don't think there should be public schools!

    I think school should end at 9th grade :)
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
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    My kids used to go to a charter school where they had to wear uniforms. Now that we've moved they're in regular clothes and man what a pain in the ba-hookey. I have to buy tons more clothes it feels like. And my 11 year old daughter came home after her first week here and told me, "mom, this girl in my class dresses like a hoochey."
  • 1Timothy4v8
    1Timothy4v8 Posts: 503 Member
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    I don't think there should be public schools!

    I think school should end at 9th grade :)
    Silly! I think school should NEVER EVER END!
  • rrhennen
    rrhennen Posts: 60 Member
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    On the one hand: yes. Makes life about 100 times easier, saves money, takes away that "you don't have the latest brand name" competition stuff.

    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.)

    When I got to public high school (I chose to go public, I'd rather have killed myself than spend another 4 years with those snobby brats), I was SO INCREDIBLY HAPPY that I got to wear whatever I wanted (within dress code rules). I didn't realize how totally isolated from fashion and personal expression I had been my whole life! My family wasn't rich, we weren't poor, just comfortable, and although I didn't have all the latest brands or whatever (unless I had done a particularly good job at sweet talking my dad into something), I never got made fun of for my clothes in high school. I got made fun of for being in the show choir lol.

    This!! I went to Catholic school through 8th grade. Elementary was a different style then middle school. I was picked on throughout both of them. Middle school was simple as black pants/jeans and white blouse or polo. When I transitioned to public school, I still wasn't a cool kid, but wasn't singled out nearly as much and found a larger group of friends to identify with (ie: accepted me for ME).
  • 1Timothy4v8
    1Timothy4v8 Posts: 503 Member
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    No, hell no. Do you know how much school uniforms cost? We had tons of parents vote NO when they made the elementary schools in my school district switch to uniforms. Somehow the vote was passed and we ended up having to wear uniforms the next year. It was the worst year of my life. They were nice enough to give us a "jeans" day on Friday, but in protest the students wore whatever we wanted (within code of course).

    I would hate to send my son to high school in uniform. Especially the one I graduated from. I went to an Arts and Science Magnet school. I was in Dance, Band, participated in spring musicals, marching contests, dance shows, etc. They would have to have public locker rooms in the halls so students could change clothes in between classes just to keep up with all the classes.

    By the way, uniforms won't stop kids from picking on each other. Sure it's one less thing, but you cover up one problem and two more grow in it's place. It's like when a man loses his sight and his other senses become greater to compensate.

    But maybe that's just in my little lonely school district.

    /shrug

    Great point! also think about the family's that can't afford uniforms that means more government spending, and we cant afford that!
  • pudadough
    pudadough Posts: 1,271 Member
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    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.


    Wow...way to totally miss the point. And insult my character while you're at it! The point was the kids DON'T make the decisions. Their moms and dads do. There are absolutely other ways to encourage decision-making skills. Like in the classroom, about important subjects, for example. Out-dressing each other is an unnecessary skill. Period. The parents where I teach are nouveau riche soccer mom types who flash their money on their kids' backs. Unless you know of 12 year olds who go shopping by themselves for every piece of clothing they own I'm not sure how you can conclude that the parents aren't a major influence on the clothing choices.

    Also, body odor? I was an extremely active kid, sweated a lot and never had this issue. Because I washed my clothes each time I wore them. Problem solved. It would apply exactly the same way with standardized dress polos. And 5 generic uniform polos are A LOT cheaper than 5 off-the-rack name brand shirts.
  • AliciaBeth78
    AliciaBeth78 Posts: 437 Member
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    And you don't think that kids are going to be kids and find something else to "argue" over? Let me just tell you, it doesn't matter what these kids wear (e.g. the new styles or their "gang colors"), if a kid wants to get into it with another kid, (s)he will find something to get into it with another kid about!

    I have seen too many instances where someone walks into someone on accident or is talking to someone who they aren't supposed to be talking to or god forbid someone just doesn't like someone else.... these kids have A TON of other things to fight about (in their minds!), than clothes!
  • cellokitty91
    cellokitty91 Posts: 127 Member
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    Try taking away the individuality of adults and see what happens to society. :noway:
    Don't do it to our children either.

    I totally agree. I'm an ED major and I don't want to teach a bunch of clones. It also isn't cost effective at all. I remember being teased for not wearing the right things growing up but you just have to teach your kids to be individuals and to never buy into the latest fad.
  • mcjmommy
    mcjmommy Posts: 148 Member
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    I think that uniforms help teach kids how to dress. They are used to dressing in what would be considered appropriate for a job instead of being dressed for a field trip.
    I went to a school that had a stricter dress code and when I graduated I had clothes in my closet that I could wear for a job.
  • pudadough
    pudadough Posts: 1,271 Member
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    I think that uniforms help teach kids how to dress. They are used to dressing in what would be considered appropriate for a job instead of being dressed for a field trip.
    I went to a school that had a stricter dress code and when I graduated I had clothes in my closet that I could wear for a job.

    Excellent point. Most people, not all but most, have to wear a "uniform" of sorts to work when they are adults. We get to express ourselves through dress on the weekends and every day that's not a work day. So why is this not a valuable skill to teach kids in order to prepare them for the real world? Yeah, not being able to wear my sweats to work every day is a bummer, but it's also real life for most of us.
  • laughingdani
    laughingdani Posts: 2,275 Member
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    Our public schools switched to uniforms when I was in 9th grade. I hated it then and as a mother I hate it now. My daughter is in kindergarten and it is soooo hard to find navy or khaki uniform pants in sizes 4/5 for girls. Most of her clothes are boys clothes. The schools don't provide a catalog to order uniforms from (like some private schools do). It is the sole responsibility of the parent. Additionally, they have begun to reward the kids for good behavior and good grades by giving them "out of uniform passes" which they can cash in on any given day and wear whatever they want. Of course the kids enjoy this, but it takes away from the actual purpose of the uniforms if only half of the kids are actually in uniform most days. It's just not worth the trouble, in my opinion.
  • seal57
    seal57 Posts: 1,259 Member
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    Here in Aussie all schools have uniforms.....When kids leave school and get a job, most places have uniforms.......Do you think that workers shouldn't have uniforms?????
  • LovingLisa2012
    LovingLisa2012 Posts: 802 Member
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    out here, kids are required to wear uniforms in public school ..
    it was optional when i was a kid but when my niece ( now 19) started it was mandatory
  • cannonsky
    cannonsky Posts: 850 Member
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    hellz no
  • AABru
    AABru Posts: 610 Member
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    I teach in a inner city public high school, and our kids have dress code: collared blue or white shirt and blue, black or khaki pants. Girls can wear skirts the same color as pants and dresses of solid colors. Kids can wear cardigans or pullovers in solid colors (perferably blue or white, but we are flexible). Shorts must be knee length. Pants with belt...
    I wear dress code at least three days a week (it's so easy), and most of our kids get vouchers to buy clothes. The ones that don't have dress code and can't get it, we often help out. I can't tell you how many uniform shirts I have bought out of pocket for students. It cuts down on teasing a bit, but for us it was more about getting rid of gang colors than bullying. No one can say I'm bloods, MS 13, Krips, Latin King...or whatever else if they can't display their colors. (Yes, they still try). Of course, we can't cover up the neck tattoos, but we're trying...
  • DMZ_1
    DMZ_1 Posts: 2,889 Member
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    Absolutely not. Children need to develop a sense of individualism. But there should be some form of dress code. Dress codes are going to be a part of life in a lot of jobs, so it is preparation for the future.

    It does not cut down on bullying either. Do you know what cuts down on bullying? Actual disciplinary standards. Most schools (public or private) are way too light on the discipline. I think there should be more suspensions. And if these suspensions cause kids to fail classes and they have to stay back, so be it. That'll teach them not to be a-holes.
  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,677 Member
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    I loved wearing uniforms in Catholic school. It was one less way for me to stand out and get picked on.

    Some kids flourish with their individuality. I've always despised mine.
  • ProjectTae
    ProjectTae Posts: 461 Member
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    HEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL NO! Or not until I graduate, I used to go to private school we had to wear uniforms Monday-Thursday, but got to wear our clothes on casual Friday, I just feel like it stifles individuality, and lets face it they're often a terribly bland color and way too formal (girls had to wear heels Mon-Thur and tie our hair up every day), I love choosing my outfit everyday, It's an awesome part of being a girl (or stylish guy o.o).

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