A well written letter Darkhybrid - congratulations. I have been a high school teacher for around 30yrs now - taught mainly in state schools but a brief stint in a Catholic school. I have taught in schools where students wore uniforms and in schools where there were no uniforms. From my honest observation schools where uniforms were worn seemed to develop a greater sense of school pride and spirit. Talking with parents the over whelming majority prefered having their kids in uniforms - mainly because of the tremendous peer pressure for kids to maintain a standard of dress which was set resulting in costly fashion changes and seasonal changes to fashion as well. And we all know that last years fashion certainly wont be "in" for the current year. Kids tend to set their own fashion statements which suits some - but is difficult to maintain for others especially if they are not the same size as the trend setters. So I come to the conclusion that as a teacher I see less hassles and less stress on kids and parents if uniforms are part of the school ethos and now-a-days uniforms tend to be alot less rigid and more options within the uniform standard which caters for a much wider range of the school students physical differences. Cheers. Kiwilad.

thanks for the compilement

darkhybrid
Very well said! You are an incredible young lady! Your parents must be very proud of you!
Ree
( a mom of Catholic school children)

I think your post is very insightful and helpful. I hope you don't mind if I weigh in with an opinion that is slightly critical of the uniform. I have not been in a school where uniforms were required, and I would be very interested to hear whether the problem I am about to discuss has appeared in the school context. Often people are surprised by my idea when I share it.

I served in the military for over five years. During that time, I enjoyed wearing a uniform and the feeling of comraderie that it fostered. One big downside, however, is that wearing the same clothing as the men and women around me made me feel much more body-conscious. I am a woman with a classic hourglass figure, and unfortunately the cut of the uniforms in the military were not very flattering to my figure. It was very flattering on men and on women with less "curves," such as women with smaller chests or hips. The fact that we all had to wear the same uniform inevitably made our body shapes and ultimately, our flaws, much more noticeable.

In terms of school uniforms, I usually hear that there are only 2-3 options of pre-made pants, skirts, or dresses to wear. Thus, the girls with different body types are being put into the same outfit which, I wonder, must lead to some comparisons among body-conscious teens. I wonder if there might be a solution that could involve more tailor-friendly cuts or styles (which a pleated skirt is not!) or something else.

Just my thoughts...

My niece has that problem with her school uniform. She is larger than most of the girls her age and already wears women's clothing. Girl's school uniforms do not come in women's sizes, although the boy's uniforms are offered in men's sizes. My niece has to wear a boy's uniform top to get one that is not too tight on her. Then the rules require the top to be tucked in. Because of her size she feels uncomfortable doing this. So now she feels even more self conscious about her size and shape. This is a public school and her family cannot afford a private school. To me it just seems wrong to require children to wear something that is not available in all sizes, and to make the parents pay for ill fitting clothing that makes their children feel uncomfortable with their bodies.

i liv in scotland and all school children here have to wear uniforms but we dont have a set uniform apart from specific colours for each school my son has to wear grey trousers grey jumper or the school jumper with logo, white shirt ( long or short sleeve) tie, or polo shirt with logo, black shoes he also has a blazer and a raincoat with the school logo the girls can wear grey skirts, trousers, pinafore or summer dress it could be any style or from any shop just as long as its the right colour,

i also wore a uniform at primary and secondry school and i felt more comfortable in a uniform as i didnt feel left out if i didnt have the latest designer clothes etc i think my son looks very smart and he loved picking out his uniform its also easier when any children are playing truant as the school can be alerted i think unirorms should be compulsory in all schools

The claims are that uniformed students do better academically, behave better, are more respectful, etc. etc.etc. Must be made of magical cloth! I honestly don't see my daughter being any smarter because she dresses like 800 other kids. What happened to individuality? And not all uniforms are the same - you can easily tell the cheap ones from the more expensive ones - the social scale is still there. If I can pass on one concept to my kids it is this: don't be a sheep! The good Lord made us individuals for a reason.

I attended a high school that had uniforms and I have to say I was a big fan of them. Our uniforms were made by a large company that made them for a number of different schools (each in their own colour, pattern, etc.) so if you needed a special size you could order it through them. I agree that not being able to find uniform pieces in your size would be very upsetting, especially for teens. We also had the option to order the uniform kilt in a longer length (there was a minimum length that no one could go above) and some of the fuller-figured girls chose this because it made them more comfortable.

All parts of our uniform had to be purchased from the chosen company, except for the shoes (which had to be solid navy blue or black). The clothing was of excellent quality, and I only had to replace a couple of shirts within my 5 years there (and this is what I wore daily, so it got a lot of use/abuse). It was also more expensive by regular clothing standards resulting in a higher upfront cost, however it did eliminate purchasing the "cool" clothes that changed all the time. Good thing, because my family was not well off and they wouldn't have been able to afford that - this put me on a "level ground" and eliminated a lot of the biases. We were allowed to wear normal clothes on one day a month - typically the last Friday of the month

I'm not in high school anymore, in fact I've also graduated university and am now in the professional world. I think wearing uniforms helped to prepare me for what I would need to wear to work, and to learn how to be comfortable in "dress up" clothes on a daily basis. Coincidentally, our school had the best academic record out of the 5 high schools in the city - it was also the only one with uniforms. I'm not sure if one had anything to do with the other, but I can tell you that there was definitely more respect for teachers and supervisors at our school than at the other schools.

And I have to say, if the only way you can express your individuality is through your clothing, you have a problem. In the workplace you have to stand out among your coworkers, and it's best not to do it through your wardrobe choices!

Dress alike, think alike, think alike, act alike. It's an insidious process of neutralizing everybody. If you are contented being a corporate clone, wear your uniform, but don't inflict your herd mentality on me. I'm a free spirit and I want the right to my choices! (Wearing bright yellow today!! and happy about it.)

"Dress alike, think alike, think alike, act alike. It's an insidious process of neutralizing everybody."

If that's a rule, fortunately someone forgot to tell me about it. ;) I think I'd make a fairly unconventional-thinking clone.

Are you a conspiracy-theorist, by chance?

I'm not going to spar with you, Olga.
Nature made some of us to be conforming and some to be non-conforming-it takes all kinds to make the world balance, no?

My objection comes when the conformists try to enforce their viewpoint on the rest of us, and this always seems to happen with various "factoids" to back up their rationale. Such as uniforms make kids smarter, better behaved, etc. etc. BTW, if that were true,I would opt for people in Congress and all levels of government being immediately put into school uniforms! I think our US president and vice president would look fetching in a plaid pleated skirt and blazer. Maybe they would behave better and make smarter choices.

Wear your uniform, your grey, brown or navy suit and your sensible shoes with enjoyment in the idea that you look exactly other people, Olga. Be happy following all their rules. We need "rules" people like you in medicine and law careers. Just don't try to force it on me or my kids. Have a little tolerance for those of us who have a different viewpoint.

Its not entirely Âall about the uniform . These students who are wearing a uniform are attending private or catholic school. These schools are strict, have little to no tolerance for disrespectful, ill mannered children. They strive to instill strong values along with high levels of academic achievements that will stay with them into their adulthood. I believe all these values go hand in hand with wearing a uniform.
Children are dressed neatly everyday. They are not allowed to wear jeans hanging off their buttsÂ, skirts so short, shirts with offensive pictures / writing, or every part of their bodies pierced. Everyone has their own opinion on these issues. It is truly not for everyone and I do respect that , but I do find it offensive for some to say they do not have individuality , they are clones , etc. you are now talking about my children.

My kids love their school, their friends, teachers (and ..their uniforms) They are happy kids and live a normal life . They are well rounded kids, the uniform has not scared them. They have hobbies and interests of their own just like each and every child .. It truly puts a huge smile on my face when people tell us how polite and respectful they are. There is not a right/wrong way.. We are individuals from who we are, and what decisions we make in our own lives, not what we wear.

Ree
olga_d .. Best to you!

My daughter is in the 11th grade and attends a high school where uniforms are worn.

And not all uniforms are the same - you can easily tell the cheap ones from the more expensive ones - the social scale is still there.

Here, uniforms can only be bought from one store and are ALL of the same quality. Depending on the school, students have plenty of options to choose from - it all depends on which clothing articles the school chooses as part of their uniform category.

Here, kids have a choice on whether or not to attend a high school with uniforms or not. I must say that the "uniform schools" are starting to get overcrowded!

Speaking with several kids, the first thing they say about WHY they chose a uniform school:

1) everybody's clothes are the same style with different options, so everybody is on the same level playing field

2) everybody is on the same "social scale" and people like you for WHO you are and NOT by what you're wearing.

3) don't have to worry about what you're gonna wear every day

4) school is more displined and respected, which makes them feel safer

IMO, it's not about being forced to dress all alike, act all alike, etc. It's about having less "peer pressure" in many areas. Trust me, just because they all dress alike does not make them all ACT alike. Every person's personality shines (stands out) because of the fact that they all dress alike.

Buying uniforms might be expensive at the beginning but well worth it in the long run! It's made out of very good quality material too.

I've also noticed from my daughter's school (especially from some of her friends in the 9th grade) that the kids who don't like to follow rules changed to a non-uniform school.

And it all depends on the school too. My daughter first attending a French Catholic High School (2 years) and then changed to an English Catholic High School to better her English cuz she wants to major in English. Both schools have different priorites. One is more lenient regarding uniform infractions, tests, etc., and the other is more strict regarding uniform wear, tests, cell phone, walking in the hallway during lunch hour, etc.

As far as which kids tend to be smarter - Kids who are not serious about their education and tend to "act up" in class tend to ruin it or make it harder for those who do want to learn because of the constant disruptions. They are in EVERY school too, as are drugs! In my DD's French school, disruptive kids were often ignored by the teacher and/or given too many chances. In her English school, the teacher tells the kid that if he's not interested to learn in his class, then leave! No ifs, ands, or buts... and right off the bat... which is a good thing!

School essays/reports: French school kept extending deadlines, English school firm on deadlines or face "grading" consequences.

Why Uniforms should be banned
Why? Why should we the children of Calderstone (or any other school) endure this torment! For doing nothing but just practicing our constitutional rights as a citizen or our independence as people. Is our error that we wish to communicate our selves through our outfits? If uniforms are going to be placed then you are removing our free will of expression. I demand a stop I will give three logical justifications on why we shouldnt have uniforms. The foremost reason concentration within the classroom, the second reason the cost of placing this/purchasing this "so-called helpful rule", to finish I would want to state the behavior inside the school as well as outside.

Firstly I would want to clearly state my first reason which is concentration within the classrooms. How does concentration increase due to wearing a school uniform compared to a normal outfit? There is no research testifying in favor of higher levels of concentration but there was a research conducted by David.L from the University of Alabama which was a experiment of concretion and the relationship of clothing the result of the experiment was a fail that uniform didnt raise concentration or raise academic levels. Research aside many Principles of schools assume wearing a uniform increase concentration because a child doesnt have to worry what to wear etc. This is bunch of rubbish, children focus better in a comfortable environment and also a comfortable outfit which they will have a decision too. In addition concentration is a choice of a person its a persons own will to concentrate and focus clothes dont make decision people do. It is already hard to for a child to keep his concentration does wearing uniform have a special power that makes kids in to obedient robot? Lastly I would want to say uniforms will only make a child more aggravated and really getting them mad to due the fact of wearing the same thing every day.

Secondly I would like to discuss about the money wasted on something so useless. From a finical point of view the argument in favor of having school uniform doesnt make sense either. Believe it or not to make a custom made uniforms cost a lot of money due to the fact that they are produce in limited numbers and that they are made by polycotton and not by cotton. Also many parents are saying that because their childs school has uniform they dont need to buy as much clothes. Well they are wrong because not only does the parent have to purchase the school uniform for winter, summer, and sports but has to buy other clothes for social gathering and going to the mall etc. So you are spending more money rather than saving it! Plus school also tries to make a profit out of the sale it creates. So therefore from a consumers point of view it a huge loss.
Lastly I would want to state that the behavior issue with some people say has been resolved with uniforms. Many teachers as well parents say that bulling issues have been solved well they are wrong like I stated in my first paragraph clothes do not control what a person does it is the person own will to decide what to do. In addition many school have uniform to stop kid from showing gang colors or any other misconduct well I would like to say again they are fully wrong it is proven that kid are more often to join a gang due to represent a school, or a city they are from. Furthermore to my argument kids will try to rebel against this act and will try rebel until they get it their way. I can agree if a stranger were to come in the school you can easily tell if he was a stranger because he isnt wearing a uniform. But with all the staff and janitors in the school dont they need to wear a uniform too. It really seems unfair that the staff doesnt have a uniform and we do.

I would like to conclude that have a school with uniform would have huge disadvantages. If you want all kids to have the same clothes why dont you make our hair color the same to. They way I would descirbe a school uniform is a disciplinary fashion.

Thank you for you time on reading my essay im only 13 and i strongly disagree on uniforms.

unfortunately after having the system shoved down my throat by overzealous admin for the past 12 years i have to disagree

most of these alleged benefits can be contridicted outright and disproven , and the remainder can easily be rendered so negligient that they are little if any importance at all, so that were they of any minor signifigance, even then, they would be insignifigant...

social levener....perhaps but to a minor extent, and in fact such a claim draws out personal more sensitive traits , such as ones that cnnot be fixed so easily as clothes, to be ridiculed

spirit and discipline are both unnesessary concepts in modern academia, so i dont see what good enforcing them does

gang colors............thats stupid
gangs have symbols, slang, hand signs and custom molded pistols.....alll of which are manageable without uniforms

uniforms on top of those promote negative equality and universal hatred of those who enforce them, degrade academic performance through irritation , demeaning or just plain insult to my face logic types, they do not promote social growth, they do not increase intelligence(rather they lower it), they look idiotic half the time, and most of all they offer no real world application other then the rules of an older generation , which is a genertion 30-40 years older than current and whose rules are insufficient in regards to our more informal and increasily decrepit culture, they offer no job experience(a ridiculous claim), they do not lessen money expenditures and they only serve to line the school pockets and keep up the schools detention quota

so, what was good about them again............oh yeah....nothing

note that im not bashing anyones opinion, simply vomiting mine into a conversation in hopes that someone else will have an epiphone and realize how stupid uniforms are in schools

I think it takes a lot of individuality to be able to shine in a crowd that all looks a like. When you go to school where everyone wears uniforms everyone stands out more because of their personality traits those who smile, those who are pensive, those who are stylish in other ways, etc. I was a "nonconformist" when I was young until I realized that the "nonconformist" crowd was the most conforming of all.

Most schools that have uniforms are private so the good news is if you don't want to wear one-don't go there.