School Uniforms
For QuirkyChick:
1. Kids don't have much say in many things in their day. They are told to get out of bed, told to brush their teeth, told to sit down and listen to their teacher. On and on throughout the day they are told what to do. Let them at least have a say in what they wear.
2. Kids need to learn many things in their youth and that includes how to pick out and match clothes to wear.
3. School uniforms are a creativity killer. My daughter is a colorful dresser. She puts together shirts, bottoms, shoes and accessories that I would never DREAM of putting together and she looks GREAT when she does it. If her ability to mix and match fashion is hampered by a uniform now she may lose that sense of style forever.
4. Grandma shops for school clothes in this house cuz she likes finding cute stuff for the kids. Grandma doesn't have a lot of hobbies so let's not take grandma's fun away from her by forcing her to buy 10 pairs of navy pants and white shirts for the kids.
5. If my kids school ever votes to enforce a uniform policy I'm giving my son a purple mohawk and piercing his nose.
6. The idea that kids that dress in uniforms for school are somehow better focused is bullshit. I don't buy it. Kids aren't focused ever. Who the hell comes up with this crap? Children? Focused? ::rolls eyes::
7. Status is determined by a variety of things, clothing is just one of them. Others include the Cadillac Escalade that the kids roll up to school in and the house they live in. My kids don't just interact with their friends at school. They KNOW that the kid that they eat lunch with lives in a big ass house on the lake and they know that we do not. What are we trying to hide from the kids? They know. After implementing the uniform policy should we also require all children to arrive in a standard yellow bus and forbid them from interacting outside of school hours? Bullshit.
8. If everyone looked the same this would be a boring damn world. DI.VER.SI.TY.
9. Is there a student in school that is dressing inappropriately? Perfect. Suspend them. Don't punish the rest of the student body because a couple kids can't dress in accordance with some very basic guidelines.
That's all I got off the top of my head...
posted by Kathy Howe @ 5/02/2006 08:27:00 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I've always sort of leaned toward school uniforms. And I'm frankly not all that easily swayed. But you know what?
Those are some DAMNED good arguments.
You've just given me a lot to chew on, as you always do. Which is why I adore you so.
actually, my very artistic and quirky and unique daughter was always the one in favor of school uniforms. I'd give you her arguments here, but it would take an entire post of its own. You've seen the photos of how she dresses, though, kh.
I'll email ya if you ever wanna know. :) if you're curious. She still leans that direction quite honestly. At her very advanced and brilliant age of 18. heh.
My kids have attended a school where uniforms were required. You can be certain that kids still find a way to make their uniforms "better" than the other kids, so it's never a matter of uniformity--not really. On our first day at the uniform school, my kids walked in, standard length plaid skirts and white polos intact, and we were met by a girl who's parent had allowed her to micro-mini the hem on HER skirt, thereby making it a whole different outfit. Hello Britney Spears.
Having said all of that, I believe that uniforms are a better reality. Let's face it, we all wear a certain "uniform" every day--I work in an office, and my uniform is dress clothes. My ex's uniform is a suit and tie. If either of us dug ditches for a living, then we would have a kind of uniform for that.
I very much believe that, until they have completed their education to their satisfaction, that school is a kid's "job". That's what they do. And just like any other job, there should be a certain expectation of appearance. Why not have it like a lot of us do and say, Uniform M-Th, Friday casual? To be sure, it is a subtle thing, but, it is more realistic and real-life educational for a kid to know, "For _______, I have to dress like _______, and for my own time, I get to dress however I want to." And if they get out of school and decide that they're never, ever gonna work in an office because they can't stand having to dress a certain way? More power to them.
Now, I'm not on some crazy pro-uniform rampage or anything....I'm just saying they are not a bad thing. One of the things that I teach my kids is that yes, they can dress however they want, do almost anything they want, but it is vitally important to be aware that, like it or not, society WILL have an opinion about how you present yourself. I don't have anything against piercings, for example, and I tell my daughter that, but I also tell her that unfortunately, small minded people WILL judge you, and you will miss opportunities because of it. I'm a competent and intelligent person, but I can assure you that if I showed up for my job interview with any kind of facial piercing, my chances for employment would be diminished. It sucks, but that is the truth. Could I excell at some other job and thumb my nose at all office/cubicle type situations? Absolutely. Is it harder to make a living that way. Yes. And these are the things that I impress upon my kids: Presentation is EVERYTHING, and, perception is reality. Doesn't matter if I'm a great employee if the boss gets the idea that people who have their noses pierced could never be great employees. Her perception/reality is going to leave me completely screwed.
Just a few thoughts...
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