I did my entire academic career in public schools, without uniforms. There were times when kids were teased for what they wore; but what they wore was a reflection of the lifestyle they led, the music they listened to, and their personalities…things that would have earned teasing regardless of what they were wearing. Most of us would have regarded being forced into uniforms as punishment. Ironically, it was often the well-dressed, stylish kids that had the least success, academically–their fixation with their clothes was not the reason, I’m sure, but rather symptomatic of their priorities. And in a situation like that, changing the outside isn’t going to change what’s inside. So, personally, I feel like it’s a great deal of fuss over a ridiculously cosmetic issue.

I’m not in school anymore but if i had the choice i would have liked to wear a uniform, I think they can be flattering and with the dress code guidelines the schools here have now I don’t see the difference. Here the students can only wear plain T-Shirts, some have to wear plain polos and khaki pants. This pretty much prohibits freedom of expression anyways so why not go to uniforms. Instead the kids not have to buy their whole wardrobe for school and weekends plain, when if there were uniforms the weekend clothes could be whatever they desire and they would have a lot more money for it. I know a few high schoolers that would much rather have it that way and I completely agree.

The whole idea of being a teenager is to have the ability to express yourself. With school uniforms you still know who is rich and who is poor. It does nothing to solve this dilemma. People who are rich will still be able to purchase and use other things that others can’t afford(such as expensive backpacks, purses and etc). Trying to make everyone look the same or act the same is impossible. Just because they look the same as the rich person doesn’t mean they will want to achieve the same as a one. They will still do what they want when they want. I think the best choice is a strict dress code cause even with uniforms some people will be able to purchase more than others and keep better care of theirs therefore distinquishing the rich from the poor. I can almost guarentee that with the imposition of uniforms in school the school does get a part of the profit from the purchase if not all of it if they are the only entity selling them.

i think it’s wrong to make students wear uniforms. Everyone who says yes is gonna say it makes the school look better and not fight over who’s wearing what. That still makes no sense because if i wear a uniform its not gonna make me any smarter.

Uniforms do not change if someone if poor or rich. Uniforms will also not stop bullies for picking on someone for what they wear. In some cases people who wear uniforms get ridiculed more than those who do not. Not everyone can afford uniforms. I had to pay around 300 dollars for my uniform, and that’s every year.

I think uniforms are just an excuse for teachers and the school to get the students to conform and once again use their authority. I myself have to wear a uniform and it just started this year for me(i’ve worn em before for 8 years and didn’t for one year but then my school now changed it). They also think it promotes a better image for the school. A better image for who, am there to learn not look good for a school.

ok i personally hate uniforms! well at least mine, i understand uniforms and that they make evryone equal..ok i can live with that ,by the way you still get made fun of school uniform or not. but my school is taking it too far! i am a girl and the girls skirts have touch the floor when you kneel , so you can’t see your knees, and they are making us wear knee socks , which i hate because it feels as if my calfs are being suffocated, black shoes and a white shirt that must be tucked in. no hair in your face so no bangs. i mean they want us to be nuns! and they say in a bulliten that they want us to learn about ourselve and develop. how are we supposed to do that wearing clothes THEY chose for us. i am in 8th grade so during the year we have to dress up (dress or the blouse/skirt look) we have to wear closed toed shoes ,the neck line can only be three inches down from the collar bone, there has to be sleeves like on a t-shirt and you have to wear stockings. i can’t wait to graduate. i have been wearing a unform since 1st grade and its been gettuing worse…an the equal stuff is b.s. because you get made fun of if you follow the rules and look like a nerd because the “cool girls” wear short skirts and all that….and i still have 4 more years of uniforms ..i just hope they don’t have the same stupid rules at the highschool. oh and one more thing you waste a whole lot of money on unforms because you need new sweatshirts and polo shirts because they put a new logo or something like that and if you don’t wear the new ones you get detention so i would ratehr buy a couple of jeans and shirts and i wouldn’t give a damn if people mind i wear the same shirt like 3 times a month because i didn’t waste money and i dress how i like to..

I hate the very idea of uniforms. No one is ever going to talk about their favorite books! And frankly, I don’t care what other people are wearing. I don’t talk about it with my friends. It’s never a topic that concerns us.

And ‘taking away student’s differences?’ That’s basically the slogan for those idiots that want to morph kids into mindless clones.

I do well in school as well, and making me wear the same thing everyday for the rest of my school life will not, I repeat WILL NOT make me more focused. If anything, I’ll be more rebellious to the school staff and the moronic school board than I am now.

I agree with your mother but there are other reasons for the uniforms. 1. This way parents don’t have to some how get you the outfit you want, even if they can’t afford it . Just to make you happy. Right now you don’t care if they can or they can’t afford it, you just want it. 2. Is that every job as a dress code to follow, that you would have to get use to it. You say you don’t want to look like everybody in uniforms, well you are, when you want to get the expensive items like the others. All of you are still dressing the same. Uniforms are cheaper then the outfits and shoes you buy at the store. You also save on wear and tear on your expensive clothes to go out. This is my opinion.

Here’s the deal. The idea of school uniforms is not entirly bad. There are some benefits. But, ideas don’t always work like you think they would once they are carried out in reality. Most of the peole that think that uniforms would be a good idea, never had to wear them. They don’t realize the negative impacts…

I had to wear uniforms and I hated it. It takes away some of your individuality. That is not a good thing. We are all different. We should learn to celebrate our differences and be proud of them. The fact that people are all different is what makes the world go round.

Uniforms also discourage creativity. I was only supposed to wear cetain colors of nail polish to school. Why? Because I was told by our principle that he wanted us to be “apple pie eating people”. Whatever that means. Basically he wanted his students to follow the norm. If everyone every where followed the norm and didn’t try to be creative or inovative we would never have any new ideas spring out of our society. No new art, no new technology… I’m not saying that uniforms breed a group of people that can not think for themselves. I rebelled against those ideas in my life.

The thing is, the philosophies behind uniforms, the reasons why people think kids should wear uniforms, are all flawed. They can actually teach kids very very negative concepts.

Do you want your child to feel like it is bad to be themselves? Do you want them to think it is bad to be creative? Do you want them to think it is good to be just like everyone else and follow the crowd? When people can learn to think for themselves, and be comfortable expressing their own ideas, this world will be a better place.

Think about one last thing. Most of the people that followed Hitler were conforming. They didn’t come up with the ideas themselves. What lessons do you want your children to learn?

I realize that everyone has very strong opinions about this subject and I agree with alot of you.

I do not believe uniforms are a good idea. No matter what you say you will never take away ridicule and teasing. Even if kids are in uniforms they will find other ways to tease. It’s a part of life that everyone has to learn to deal with. Making a kid were uniforms for the 12+ years they are in school is ridiculous. Kids have to use those first 18 years to find their own identity. How are they to find and identity & friends with similar interests if they are told what to wear everyday of their life. Yes, I do realize there are weekends and after school functions to express themselves through clothes, but it is definitely not that same. I had to choose what to wear everyday to go to school..you know what? It helps you learn to make quick decisions when your in a rush, it helps you think about what you want to say on yearbook picture day, you are defining yourself. When you grow up and become part of the work environment more than likely you are going to have to choose what to wear everyday! Most companies do not require uniforms. So if you grow up for 18 years knowing exactly what you HAD to wear each and everyday your going to have a tough time adjusting when you wake up and hour late one morning, haven’t picked out your clothes yet, and have a meeting in 30 minutes…where those of us who have always had to pick clothes out everyday will have the upper hand!!

I also don’t think it helps take away distractions…a cute boy can catch my attention, no matter what he’s wearing. A funky hair do or color is also distracting. If there’s just someone I don’t like, that can be distracting. Your success in school depends on the person and their desire to achieve…not on what they are wearing, so why should the be forced to look just like everyone else.

I thought we were a society of freedom. Not conformity.

I have attended both uniform and non-uniform schools, and am convinced now that the wearing of uniforms is absolutely and completely counterproductive to the goals we should be trying to achieve for children in school.

Ideally, school children should be learning not only the facts from books, but it is the opportunity to figure out one’s place in the universe of constant interaction. This DOES involve self-expression, experimentation with not only things but also attitudes and thought processes. How better to suppress this than to standardize one of the greatest modes of self-expression in children that age?

Moreover, it is well known and well proven that uniforms perpetuate gender and racial roles and stereotypes. Intuitively, one would think that eliminating differences between the dress of rich and poor, black and white, would teach us the value of diversity and racial understanding, but the opposite in fact happens. When the only visible difference between students is their skin color, young children tend to focus on this, as the only noticeable “difference”, and the subsequent torment is inevitable. Moreover, the fact that uniforms tend to be sexualized to match whatever cultural norm is deemed appropriate at the time, means the perpetuation of sexual stereotypes is inevitable. My uniform school had rules on female uniforms including:

1. Skirt must go past knees

2. Knee socks must be worn and come above the ankle

3. If a uniform shirt is worn, the top button must be done up.

I’m not sure if other uniform schools are similar, but you can see that the “rules” reflect conservative and old-fashioned ideals of women being “prude obedients,” rather than being expressive and independent. Certainly my vote would be to ban uniforms since they reflect an archaic, sexist, “big brother” society we should have tossed away years ago.