<p>And, a uniform does not stiffle creativity and individuality of thought or action. The students in uniform still create and express themselves in their class work, class participation, EC’s etc. rather than in labels, logos and look-at-me ensembles.</p>
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<p>Really? I imagine the fact that Washington is one of only 7 US states that has no state personal income tax is perhaps a greater motivation.</p>
<p>Boeing & Microsoft were started by locals, not sure about most of the tech companies. Personal income tax I don’t mind, but 10% sales tax gets a little old.</p>
<p>School uniforms aren’t a bad thing. They don’t do harm (except to those who find it harmful to dress like golfers.) They are, however, unnecessary. A facile answer to an unsubstantiated problem.</p>
<p>I hated my school uniforms that I wore for all 12 years (at a public school in Ireland) but I cannot recall a single memory of any incident where I was upset about anyone teasing me about my clothes in school since we were all in the same boat - in fact, we bonded over our ugly clothes. Imagine doing that in a “Mean Girls” environment in a US public school? I’ve had my daughter come home distraught because some princess made fun of the fact that she dared to wear the same jeans twice in one week! Not only do these witches obsess over clothes, but the amount of money they spend on designer labels is obscene (and yes, they know the difference between an “original” and a knockoff, and telling them that both are probably made by underage children in Asia falls on deaf ears). The money their idiot mothers spent on clothes would have been better served going to a college fund. My kids, who had my self-enforced “uniform” (a few outfits I bought specifically for school), are graduating from college debt free (the money I saved on clothing went straight to a 529 account). Whereas the princesses could not accept the schools they wanted to attend since their parents had no money to send them (and those fashionable clothes are now out of date and utterly worthless, even on eBay).</p>
<p>In jr high & high school, I bonded with peers over clothing.
I don’t think it would have killed me to wear uniforms provided it wasn’t uncomfortable.
But sharing ideas with friends, restyling our clothes so they fit better or so they were more fashionable. The 70s allowed for a lot of that, inserting strips of fabric in jeans, petitioning the school to allow girls to wear pants, then to wear jeans, I actually restyled almost all my clothes since I was too petite to wear jr sizes, and this was when children’s styles still looked like children’s and not 8 going on 18.</p>
<p>My youngest daughter and her friends bonded over the sisterhood of the traveling pants. They all embroidered their names on each others jeans. It was very sweet.</p>
<p>I would not choose school for my kid or let her choose the school based on dress code. This criteria would not be on our list of criteria for choosing school. This has been my experience, to answer the question in OP.</p>
<p>I agree, MiamiDAP. My youngest is now at a school with a modified uniform which is more like a strict dress code. On Thursdays they “dress for success”, or what one would wear to an interview (this is middle-high school) and on Fridays they wear college gear-anything from shirts to hats. But they could require yellow polka dot bikinis for all I care-it’s the single best school I’ve come across in the 24 years since my oldest started school. She’s thriving, happy and learning at her own pace. It’s a public STEM school and if that’s how the new one in Seattle wants to do things-more power to them. EDUCATION is the important thing.</p>
<p>Momzie…good points.</p>
<p>The dress code is a non issue for me in terms of choosing a school If I had had kids where it was a major part of their psyche, maybe I would have had to reconsider. Though none of my kids liked the various dress codes at the schools they attended, it didn’t seem to have any permanent affect on them, though it was a pain in the neck at times.</p>
<p>The problem I have with these codes at public school is that they do place another burden on those who can least take on more. When your budget is just about shot, you can barely get your kids off to school and you have problems up the whazoo, that your kid needs another uniform sweater for Big Bucks is not enhancing anyone’s life. I have found myself and my kids as well in trouble when for some reason the dryer did not turn on and the clothes in there were what had to be worn that day. It’s not a matter of just going to good will or a grab bag of clothes to dress your kids when there is a dress code, or worse, a specific uniform. Like all great ideas, it has its drawbacks.</p>
<p>I doubt any public school uni calls for a fancy sweater or even one at all. Most are very simple–chinos in one color and either an oxford or polo shirt in one color. For $100 you can easily have 5 sets.</p>
<p>Not sure I understnd the financial burden. I have seen uniforms at cheap places. If they wear uniform, then you do not need to shop for their clothes as much especially going to expansive stores at the mall. On the other hand, I used to buy kid’s clothes on garage sales. I wonder if second hand uniforms are also available, I bet they are.</p>
<p>The other thing is that after a fairly short time, there should be uniform sales for used uniforms. Though some will be worn out, many still have wear left after kids graduate or when kids grow out of them. I really think uniforms saved money.</p>
<p>MD, they have those for non uniform schools too. Salvation Army is one. Plus, without very specific guidelines, you have a much better chance of finding clothes that fit unlike at uniform resales.</p>
<p>It isn’t easy. You can always find a shirt or pair of pants or something to wear. Throw in a dress code, it becomes more difficult. Uniform…it can be crazy. I am speaking as a mom who did not have a lot of problems and could afford the clothes and was not sick worried about money and other problems and it was difficult. Kids will end up staying at home because they don’t have the clothes to wear. It happens even at some private schools. To put this kind of extra burden on families who are already challenged is one more impediment to their kids getting to school and getting an education.</p>
<p>If they are THAT challenged there is no hope either way. Please, lamest excuse ever.</p>
<p>Thanks, barron. Glad to know I’m hopeless. Yes, those kinds of challenges did happen to me. Luckily, I switched over to public school where it was obviously less of an issue. But seriously, glad to know.</p>
<p>Emerald
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<p>I restyled my catholic uniform on a daily basis…before school, rolled up at the hem, top two buttons on blouse open, before class, unroll hem, button all buttons and put on sweater, after school re-roll hem, undo buttons and stash sweater. Oh, and then there was the endless possibilities in the area of men’s boxer shorts which were the under skirt addition of choice. Of course, if one was in a truly rebellious mode, one could always don a bra of bright color which would show through the white blouse, or sneak in some weird shoelaces. </p>
<p>I guess in a way this caused a greater development of individuality and creativity since we had such limited items to work with ;)</p>
<p>Curious event happened during my HS senior year - our dean of students died. She was probably 150 years old, a nun who retained the old habit, who stood with her hands behind her back in front of her office during the 3 minutes we had to run between classes. She would simply point at whatever the offending item was and state ‘take care of that missy’. At her funeral, in one of the most beautiful churches in our city, about 75% of the student body showed up, voluntarily, in full dress uniform. Blazer, white knee socks, skirts (unrolled), bloused (buttoned), code compliant shoes and those that still had them - an occasional beenie. Wouldn’t trade a minute of it.</p>
<p>DS does not wear a uniform. He did however purchase his class ring and wears it as often as possible. He’s been asked by a number of kids from public schools why he’d wear a HS ring. His response, because he is proud to be where he is and it is a symbol of brotherhood. Wouldn’t trade that either.</p>
<p>If you can’t figure out how to pair some blue chinos and a red polo or whatever the std. combo is and keep a reasonably clean set for 5 school days, yes you are that hopeless. Sorry. Must be very difficult.</p>
<p>I’ve attended both private and public high schools, so I’ve experienced both ends. I wore a Catholic school uniform freshman year - knee socks, pleated skirt, polo, sweater, oxford, etc. I LOVED wearing the uniform. Of course we hemmed and rolled up the skirts (they went below the knee normally, no thanks) and wore pretty accessories to show our individuality, but wearing a uniform was SO easy. You never had to worry about what to wear or if you had the coolest clothes, it just worked. It looked good on everyone and was incredibly (surprisingly) comfortable. My parents probably spent the same amount on uniforms as normal back to school shopping, and if I had stayed at private school, those uniform pieces would have lasted me all four years. (And no one would have known they weren’t new!). On Fridays we were allowed to wear school sweatshirts, which was comfortable but I always ended up feeling worse on those days because it didn’t look as effortlessly put together, it just looked effortless. Seniors are allowed to wear any solid color oxford, which is a cool “senior privilege.” It was also a bonding thing. Just wearing the uniform made me feel like a part of something larger than myself, and who doesn’t want that? I guess as seniors it brought the seniors together as a class.</p>
<p>I don’t regret transferring whatsoever, but every morning when I’m stressing about what to wear, I look at the uniform hanging in my closet and miss it so much. I usually end up with leggings and a sweatshirt, which is super comfortable and equally easy, but not nearly as nice. I understand financial concerns, but uniforms can be as cheap (if not cheaper) than normal clothes. It’s often more expensive to buy normal clothes because of the pressure to wear the newest, most expensive stuff. I know it’s cliche, but uniforms <em>are</em> actually an equalizer.</p>