i only think uniforms are a good idea cause i am not in grade school anymore. i am going to be an elementary teacher, so i am not sure if i want to teach at an uniform wearing school.

Is that our very own Sandy in the front row? ;)

My district didn't have a uniform plan, but now it does. Monday-Thursday, my niece wears a school shirt (they have a lot of different ones that they can order, all abour $6 a piece) with khakis. They have clear backpacks, so you don't see any problems with backpack brand, either. Friday, they can wear whatever they want as long as it fits in with the county dress cose.

As for me, I don't really care, but this is probably because I don't have children yet. :)

WOW that's cheap.
My skirt was 45, and then 65 when I got into adult sizes.
The polos were 23 a piece.
V neck sweater- 41.50.

Keep in mind you have to have more than one of everything.

You all bring up a lot of valid points in favor of uniforms.

I was actually exposed to both extremes - uniforms in Catholic school, then I transferred to a public school where there was no dress code at all (at least, not one that was enforced). People did show up dressed like hookers :rolleyes: and in some circles you had to have the "right" clothes to be accepted.

This is why I favor dress codes - a middle-of-the-road approach. The kids can be comfortable while also being dressed appropriately for school. You might even take it a step further and get more specific on the brands of acceptable clothes - sort of a "uniform" with more options - which would address the income issue, at least somewhat.

At a bare minimum, the outfits should be nicely designed, and there should be a warm-weather and cool-weather option. Sitting in a green-and-brown-plaid wool pinafore, blouse, tie, and wool knee-high socks in an un-airconditioned classroom in 90-degree heat is NOT FUN - especially when you have to look at your teacher who is wearing a nice lightweight cotton dress or suit!

I work in a private high school where we have uniforms. I think they are cute! Our students have more options than most other schools around us, but everything has to be bought through a central store.

Basically, guys can wear khaki or navy blue pants. Girls can wear khaki, navy blue or a plaid skirt. We even added this cute little plaid sarong/skort thing this year. Everyone wears polos in different colors or button down oxford shirts in plain white or blue striped.

I can honestly tell you that I would much rather have gone to a school that had uniforms than mine that subjectively enforced the dress code. My senior year we were supposed to only wear shorts that were two inches above our knees. :rolleyes:

You can't complain until you're a six foot tall female who has to follow a rule like that. :) I basically had to hang it up on nthe shorts, since I could never find ones long enough.

I like the idea of uniforms from a central supplier. Just any old khakis gets too complicated, IMHO.

I agree! I can look around the hallway anytime and know if someone is not supposed to be there because everyone wears the same thing. It's great, from a teacher's perspective.

Well, it's a public school and they're in elementary school. I guess they want to level the playing field for everyone so some kids aren't prohibited from having more than 2 or 3 based on price. I think the more you buy, the less they are, which is good for families with lots of kids.

If my son doesn't go to an exclusive school wear he has a cool crest on his blazer, I think I'd be upset.

-Rudey

Actually OTW those are kind of soccer-y looking. :)

I think a lot of the dress-code enforcement depends on where you go to school as well. I'm from a small town/small high school and even if I would have snuck a miniskirt to school and changed, all the teachers who knew my parents (which was most of them) would have let them know. But now if the teachers say anything they'll more than likely get their asses handed to them by the parents instead of the parents agreeing.