School Uniforms

[18rabbit]

Re: School Uniforms

Originally posted by rogerwa:<br /> I believe it should be up to the district and the respective school boards. If the uniorms are mandated, which in my view is a very pragmatic approach, and a parent for some reason thinks this infringes on their rights, they do have a choice. Move to a new district or home school.

That’s pretty much the only way it can work in America, except parents don’t have to move to opt out of a uniform requirement. They merely tell the school/principle to get a life, and the don’t have to send their kid to school in a uniform. As I said above, the issue of school uniforms is a moot point. It was all decided in the 70’s by the US Supreme Court in a case called Tinker vs. Des Moine. No public school in America can REQUIRE a kid to wear a uniform.<br /><br />

I frankly don't see how this is infringing on someones right. We seriously need to pick our battles. If the school board is involved as a check mechanism to the administration, then it should be fine..

It infringes on the parent’s right to express themselves thru the clothes they provide for their children (think religion) and it infringes on a kid’s right to express themselves. Yes, kid have the same 1st Amend rights as everyone else.<br /><br />Kids have other constitutionally protected rights, as well. A schools can’t even search a kid’s backpack for drugs, weapons, or radioactive homework without probable cause.<br /><br /><br />

My kids go to private schools and wear uniforms. The money thing isn't an argument because the uniform clothes wear like iron and can be passed from kid to kid. Our school even has a uniform swap once a year. There is also a reason that private schools generally have better academic performance that public schools. That is because of the parental involvment ratio, not smarter kids. The vast majority, in my expereince, of parents who send their kids to private schools tend to be much more aware and involved in their childs education.

Bingo!!!<br /><br />

This is not to say kids in public schools don't have parental involovement, but there are also alot of parents that don't give a hoot and their kids go to public and bring the metrics down. Just my .02.

Public schools have some parental involvement, but I think their biggest downfall is that they also have gvt involvement. The more gvt is involved in anything to do with your life, the less likely you are to be successful or survive. I think you are correct, public schools teach to the lowest common denominator. All of the undereducated kids coming out of public schools have helped to pulled down our institutions of higher education. America’s universities are no longer the 1st choice pick by students from other countries looking for higher education.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: School Uniforms

I understand the argument of the rights infringement, I just don't buy the 'realness' of it.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: School Uniforms

You are not going to like this.......<br />There is no option in this country, nor NZ. Every school has a uniform and every kid wears one. End of story.<br />My little fellow goes to a school who have a formal and a sports uniform, and they all know (from the age of 5) when which is to be worn. <br />Both are very good uniforms.<br />When he grows out of some part of it, off it goes to the clothing shop, where it is sold for a few bucks, which we get back. We also buy from this shop at times, other times from a Uniform shop (new).<br />From a parents point of view, it is excellant as there is <br />1. no disuccion as to 'what he can or can not wear"<br />2. the cost is kept to a minimum for clothing.<br />3. all the kids are prefectly happy<br /><br />He will not wear a uniform to University. They don't have them.<br />It is a 'no brainer'.<br /><br />Here is something else that may be different.<br />In industry, a lot of businesses (in fact most i would say) have 'Corporate wardrobes' for staff, which is really just a Company Uniform. Never heard anyone complain. Most comment is that it is an excellant idea and makes clothing yourself for work very simple.<br />In our business we have this too. My wife always wears our business uniform when merchandising or visiting the chain stores we sell too. <br />The managers all know who she is, where she comes from, what her name is (that is on a name tag), and they too have the same system. She always looks neat and tidy, never has a problem with her wardrobe.<br />Cheers<br />Phillip

 

[Boomyal]

Re: School Uniforms

That is a good endorsement KP. Unfortunately I am generally* for school uniforms for all of the good reasons that you mention.<br /><br />The caveat is that school uniforms are totally un-American. The rub is, IMHO, that parents who have traditionally controlled their children have become increasingly un-American. They have all but abdicated by either loss of traditional rearing or by over indulgence of their progeny. Hence the need for such drastic Orwellian solutions.

 

[txswinner]

Re: School Uniforms

It is my fault, in the 60's I went to school without socks, wore my shirttail out, had taps on my shoes til principal had woodshop teacher pull them off in front of a bunch of my friends, and do not tell but chewed gum in class.<br /><br />My vote For School Uniforms. Rights are limited as are responsibilities for one's actions for minors.

 

[txswinner]

Re: School Uniforms

And I also believe teachers should have a dress code. The BS that how you appear does not reflect how you are preceived and therefore you acceptability just does not prove out. <br /><br />The arguement: Clothes do not make me a better teacher or whatever.<br /><br />The answer: Would dressing under a code make you any less able to preform your task.<br /><br />Why you think Male Judges still wear dresses???

 

[gatorboaterUF]

Re: School Uniforms

I like the idea of uniforms. i have to wear one to work everyday, for the basic uniform of the day i get 11 shirts 11 slacks 2 hats and 2 pairs of boots. i get up in the morning don't have to worry about what i'm gonna wear that day and put it on.<br /><br />I do some volenter work as a mentor at a school for trubled teens where they have to wear a uniform. <br />The kids there look very neat and profesional. It helps teach disaplin, they are suposed to keep it neat and pressed and are held resposable for the way they look. I think its much nicer then when i go by a highschool and see the girl with her rear hanging out her short tight shorts and the guy wearing oversized pants that hang down and untucked t-shirts. The way some public school kids look is just a discrace.

 

[Homerr]

Re: School Uniforms

Uniforms? Mmm. I dunno.<br />There should be some sort of code.<br /><br />Get rid of the clothes that look dirty, ripped, or so loose they hang around their ankles.<br /><br />Personally, I don't let my kids wear anything like that. Either they wear decent clothes... or they can go without!<br /><br />Same applies to piercings. Girls get earings.... boy's don't.... and they certainly don't pierce anything BUT their ears.<br /><br /><br />H.

 

[badandy]

Re: School Uniforms

My son is too young for school but I agree because it solves a lot of problems. Hard to gang affiliate when every one is dressed the same, rich kids cant make fun of poor kids for not having the "right clothes", avoids exposing body parts that shouldn't be exposed, and avoids offensive t-shirts. I know when I was a kid it was everything you could do to push the limit on that last one.

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: School Uniforms

The concept of expressing one self through clothing always struck me as laughable. The greatest and mose diverse set of individuals I ever met was in the militaary, and we wore uniforms! We also cut our hair the same and walked the same etc tec..but we all had a much clearer concept of self than anyone struggling to identify themselves through a hair cut or clothing choice.<br /><br />The gang issues is a real one and serious. It is fine to say parents should control their kids but often they dont, or they encourage gang affiliation because that what they know. In the mean time teachers and other kids are having to co-exist with them and try to reamin safe.<br /><br />When I worked in an adolescent psych hospital I recall a teenager who lived in a "poorer" section of The Park Cities and was subjected to a "tag check" in the girls restroom. When the other girls discovered she was not wearing designer lables the public riticule and humiliation was so intense she made a very serious suicide attempt. Obviously this was a huge loss of perspective on her part but at that age high school is the entire world-period. And these issues become compressed and exagerated. A uniform might have prevented a near tragedy and given that girl a chance to build an identity and self esteem without needing medical and psychiatric intervention.<br />My girls dont have a uniform policy at school but they do have a dress code, their extracuricualrs do have uniforms however and they wear them with pride. <br /><br />My lesson to them is that you are who you are based on the values you hold true and live by and that will shine through no matter what you wear or drive or where you live.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: School Uniforms

I went to Catholic School and we wore uniforms. I believe it does put education first and peer pressure second.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: School Uniforms

Catholic girls in school uniforms was invented as a way to torment and frustrate boys.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: School Uniforms

i like school uniforms. i think they are H O T