School Uniforms - McKinney,TX

I used to think some of the things that you do until my children started school at a school with a uniform policy. I used to think that the uniforms stifled individuality. Frankly, the kids just find different ways to be creative - they have unusual shoes, socks and decorate their backpack since none of those things are affected by the uniform policy.

We do have to periodically vote back the uniform policy and it overwhelmingly passes. I personally like the policy. My kids can wear red, navy or white polo shirts with tan or navy bottoms. Pretty simple. I can buy this stuff at Target and resale shops pretty cheaply. They can re-wear last year's uniforms as long as they fit without anyone knowing. The policy is pretty lenient and does not require us to buy uniforms from a certain place..i.e. a $30 polo shirt. It really does make the mornings SO much easier. There is no question about what the kids will be wearing and no question about what is appropriate.

I think kids are going to be cruel about certain things regardless. I don't think that uniforms increase that at all.

I like a uniform policy but it doesn't have to be super formal - suit jackets, tie and skirts/dresses, etc.
Polo shirts and non worn out jeans (no hip huggers) for all would work just fine as far as I'm concerned (as long as no belly buttons and butt cracks are showing).
The idea is you want clothing that is not distracting from a learning environment.
Pants hanging below the behind, bra straps, cleavage (front or back), super short shorts - you don't need any of that in the classroom.

I was huge into the punk scene in high school. I also attended a Catholic all-girls high school and wore a uniform every day of my school life from 1st-12th grade.

I can tell you in no uncertain terms that going to a school that requires uniforms (even down to the color of our socks and shoes) had no bearing on my social need to experiment with my looks and wear crazy outfits and dye my hair. I still shaved my head in the summer and wore a dog collar around my neck to dances. Wearing a uniform to school taught me that there is a time and place for everything, I didn't need to be (as my mother used to jokingly say) "expressing myself all over the place". I had plenty of time to focus on my outward appearance outside of school, school was for learning. It was great being at an all-girls school, hardly anyone wore make-up or did their hair for school. It was bare faces and pony tails/banana clips/hair bands for 4 years, for the most part.

Bullying is the same everywhere. My kids have gone to a Montessori school and public school, and I can honestly say it didn't matter where they went, bullying occurred and was dealt with swiftly.

I find that some people who have an issue with uniforms and dress policies actually have a harder time adapting to new situations and tend to be less liberally minded. They can't seem to accept that they are the same person no matter what they are wearing and have a need to constantly be expressing themselves by how they look, not through their behavior.

Well in my country all school children wear uniforms and of course I wore one when I was at school. There are no problems learning dress codes or how to dress ourselves appropriately. It allows children, no matter their socioeconomic status to start with a level playing field.

I'm not a morning person. I hate figuring out what to wear every day for work, and I miss the job I had where I had a uniform for that reason.

When I was a kid, we were poor and didn't have much in the way of nice clothing. I was frequently made fun of. I remember wishing that I could wear a uniform like my cousins (who went to Catholic school) so no one would make fun of my clothes.

i wore school uniforms up to the age of 14. i didn't love it then, but i sure do in retrospect. we didn't have gangs, but i was from a moderate income family in a school full of high rollers, but no one knew or cared. in school we were all the same.
kids have plenty of opportunities for self-expression. 'denying' them self-expression in this one tiny area won't stunt them. if it comes down to it, teaching kids not to blurt out 'wow she's fat!' is also denying them self-expression. or giving them bedtimes. kids are much more nuanced than we give 'em credit for. and since they wear clothes outside of school, parents have plenty of opportunities to discuss appropriate clothing mores with them.
i think the pros of uniforms way outweigh the negatives. bullying begins with a state of mind, not a state of dress. if a bully is going to bully, the uniform will neither encourage nor deter it. it needs to be addressed on its own.
khairete
S.

I was a child who came from a lower socioeconomic status, but whose parents scrimped and saved to send me to the best private schools they could. When I was in high school, I went to an elite girls' boarding school, where most of my friends were millionaires if not billionaires. These girls flew to school on their own private jets. My parents drove me to school in a 10 year old Camry. I was SO grateful that we wore uniforms! There was no way that I could compete with the wardrobes of these girls. My clothes came from K-Mart, or secondhand, or my mom made them. Those school uniforms were a lifeline to me - they made me equal with my friends, at least while we were in uniform. Those uniforms allowed me to shine - I was a smart kid, there on scholarship, and graduated with highest honors. I think if I'd been wearing my own shabby clothes, I'd have felt self-conscious, and everyone would have known that I came from a poor family. Fast-forward twenty years, the topic of finances came up at our high school reunion. Several of my friends were actually shocked that I had come from a poor family and had been there on scholarship. They never knew!

So in my opinion, there's no amount of "self-expression" that could change my mind on this subject. Uniforms are a great equalizer. My kids are individuals with great personalities, whether they're wearing navy blue pants and a white shirt, or whether they're wearing Abercrombie jeans and a J. Crew sweater! (And believe me, after having been SO self-conscious as a poor kid going to school with rich kids, my kids are always dressed in the latest stare of fashion... thankfully we can afford that, but should people have to?)

I think that you need to stop worrying about this, especially since you don't have this issue at your own child's school. You're over-thinking. And it's NOT just about gang activity. That's pretty naive of you to make that "leap of logic".

Children learn just fine how to adhere to societal rules about dressing, whether they wear uniforms or not. And kids will use any excuse to bully. Glasses and acne, weight and braces have been "highlighted" for decades, well before uniforms. You aren't going to be able to stamp out bullying just by pushing people in regards to what children are or aren't allowed to wear to school. That's not a fight you should be trying to fight.

My kids wore uniforms in grade school - I was 1000% for them! Made it so easy for so many reasons, like no fighting about what they could wear; no competition with other kids about better/more expensive clothing, etc.

I also really liked that the school had a uniform exchange - instead of just getting rid of the uniforms, we could go in and exchange them for the next size, etc. It was great.

As for kids picking on each other - unfortunately, they're going to do that no matter what. I was made fun of because I have red hair- during the time I wore a uniform as well as in high school wearing regular clothes - it didn't matter.

Good luck!!

I love the idea of school uniforms and would be fine if we had them here. When I was a kid/teen I always belonged to organizations outside of school (girl guides, cadets) where I wore uniforms and I liked the uniform part of it. I also had a job where I wore a uniform for years and it sure simplified things.

We moved from a school that had uniforms to one that didn't. I was so glad when we no longer had to have uniforms. I hear people say kids can't get made fun of BC of their uniforms. So not true. There were kids in our school that their parents counts afford the uniforms so they wore stained clothes that were too big. Those kids could be picked out of the crowd and it was sad. I disagree with uniforms. My children are in public school and therefore should not be forced to wear anything. That's just how I feel anyway!

My sons attend private schools that require uniforms. I like them with a couple exceptions. Their school requires that the uniforms be purchased at a particular uniform store and you have to pay to have the school logo embroidered on (at $5 a pop for a shirt that gets pretty expensive). Also the clothes there in general about twice the price of getting khaki's or navy blue pants from Target or somewhere else.

Another major problem I have is schools that require girls to wear skirts. Skirts restrict playing and I think it's unfair to require girls to wear them even if it's just once a week for their chapel day. It's not the 1950s for goodness sake.

Our school uniform is Khaki's, Navy pants, Black pants, then a Red, White, or Navy pullover style shirt. They can wear shorts of the same style too.

That's a bunch of combinations, at least a month of wearing something different. I don't have to spend a bunch on jeans and that's pretty much what it's cutting out. My kiddo likes to wear slacks instead of jeans too.

I have about 15 pair of each color of pants for him, in different styles too. Some are sportier and some are more like slacks. Some of the black and the navy pants have elastic waists and some are button/zip with a belt.

I think it is a bunch easier. Plus everyone in the school needs them next year so I always have a buying group that needs what I have to sell or donate to the school.

The girls can wear skirts, jumpers, and sometimes I see them in pants. I was a girly girl and would have worn a dress every day. The solid jumpers are cute and when their out of school they can wear them with other tops.

To me it seems they have a lot of leeway as to how they dress and make it their own.

I LOVE uniforms. Clothes shopping is much easier and you can't tell the kids with money from those without. IMHO, what's WRONG with the youth today is that people think they need to give them freedom to "express themselves" with everything so kids don't learn to follow rules, even the ones they don't like. There are plenty of other opportunities for kids to "express themselves."

My daughter had a uniform when we lived in Dallas (khaki or navy bottoms, white top), and I was so happy when we moved to New Jersey and she didn't have it any more. I understand all the reasons behind having one, especially in a large ISD like Dallas (where it IS needed because of eventual gang activity, and it helps even out obvious economic disparity). At first I didn't mind it, since there was leeway with what could be worn as long as it fit the color scheme and wasn't jeans or t-shirts. But then I realized I was having to buy two sets of clothes - school uniform and after-school/weekend clothes - so my clothing budget actually seemed to go up. Plus my daughter just didn't get to wear things she really liked wearing.

A parent at our school brought up at a PTO meeting a year or so ago the idea of school uniforms. It was dismissed fairly quickly (maybe she didn't realize it wasn't something that could be instituted at a school vs district level), but I was definitely in the camp of let them wear what they want. Within reason of course - all the schools have a dress code to adhere to. In my opinion just enforcing the current dress code goes a long way with keeping out distracting clothing.

But I do agree with the post below that said the bullying does not depend on uniforms or not. It's about the insecurity of the child doing the bullying, and adding uniforms into the mix is not going to increase it (nor will taking them out decrease it).

My two oldest wore uniforms in high school. My two youngest girls wore them from grades 6 through 12. YES! to uniforms!

Let me tell you why:
1.) It eliminates the "fashion olympics" and the stress that accompanies it.
2.) My daughters' rooms were much cleaner once they weren't trying on 2 - 4 outfits a day to get ready for school.
3.) Some families have one idea of what's appropriate school attire. Other families have different ideas. In my house, uniforms eliminated the "is it OK to wear that to school or not" battle.
4.) We are not morning people in this house. Anything that makes the morning easier is a good thing! Just pick up your kilt, throw on a white or blue polo and be done with it, already.
5.) MOST IMPORTANT: Rather than eliminating individuality, uniforms highlight it. When everyone is dressed the same, you are forced to learn about the PERSON rather than assuming something based on attire and appearances. You must engage in conversation and pay attention to actions and behaviors to see who someone is rather than making a snap judgment based on what they look like. When you go in a fine jewelry store, you'll notice the diamonds are shown against black velvet. That simple backdrop draws your attention to the gem. Each of our kids is their own kind of jewel. Let their sparkle shine!

Funny enough, the kilt my girls wore became a badge of honor for them and for their classmates. It represented a place of belonging -- and many of the girls (yup, an all girls' school) took their kilts to college.

I love that my kids wear uniforms. It's cheaper, for starters, and yes there is no fight over what to wear in the morning. That part is huge, when DH and I are trying to get both kids out the door so we can get to work in the morning.
One less thing to produce chaos.

My children go to private school so they have to wear uniforms. The only thing I dislike is that they have to be purchased from one specific uniform place and it is pretty spendy
We do have a used uniform shop at school and that is really nice.
But the kiddos do have their own unique personalities and on free dress you can really see it. ( we do have rules about free dress day as well)
I like uniforms and believe it or not my kiddos do as well.
Many blessings

Like some of the other moms that posted, my parents did not have the resources to put me in "Luv It", Gloria Vanderbilt or any other name brand jeans. It hurt *my* self esteem because I felt I was not a "good" as the other girls in Elementary or Junior High. By the time high school rolled around *my* uniform was Levi's, a concert t-shirt or a flannel shirt. Because it was comfortable, and it fit *me*. So needless to say the cheerleader/jock/student council students shunned me, and I was embraced by the freak/dopehead/troublemaker students. I think I would have thrived in a uniform environment........ I don't think I would have learned what jealousy and envy were at such a young age.