Strollerderby

I'd say "yes" to the uniform idea.  I'd love to have my kids not have to worry if they have the coolest and newest fashions.  No more fights about what to wear or how to wear it.  And I have boys, can't even imagine having girls.  

As far as the whole grade thing goes, the school can only do so much when they are there, and if attendance rates are up, they are doing their job.  

As someone who wore uniform from nursery through high school, you can absolutely tell the "have's from the have-nots" and the "cool kids" from the "fashion victims".  

From my exerience (granted it was the 80's/early 90's), you had to think about

how short you wear your skirt,

if you allow boxers to peek out from underneath,

do you wear knee socks pulled all the way up  or thigh highs or no socks/stockings at all

canvas keds vs mary janes

blazer, pullover vest, or cardigan

and of course there are the hair/makeup/jewelry issues.

Kid's will always find a way to express their individuality - Uniforms or not.

Oh yea, and now I hate plaid.

I'm ok with uniforms as long as they don't make the kids wear some heavy dark material buttoned up to the neck in the hot months. And no mandatory tucking in of the shirts!! I would have been tempted to drop out of school before I would wear a tucked in shirt in high-school.

I live in Austin,Tx and I've seen some kids sweating miserably in the spring and fall (sometimes the winter) with their uniforms that are totally inappropriate to the climate.

LisaG is right--I wore uniforms for 12 years, and it's always possible to tell the haves from the have-nots. You'd be surprised at what kids can do just with socks and shoes.

But I didn't really mind the uniform, even in high school. It made getting ready for school a breeze.

LisaG is right... there will still be fashion trends to keep up with wearing uniforms.

And I am not a huge fan of hunter green plaids... and when I was in the first grade, my feet turned green from my green socks.

I must digress:

G.A.S.S. shoes were popular when I was uniformed (Kinney-- Great American Shoe Store, oh my I am dating myself) and it was always fun to try to wear away the G so that you had A.S.S. shoes!!

After private elementary and junior high, I went to the public high school and felt completely inept when it came to fashion. I was teased for wearing a chenille sweater in 11th grade-- little did everyone realize I was far ahead of the times!

So, do I like the idea of uniforms? I'm on the fence. I like the idea of uniforms because it simplifies a lot of things about clothing at schools. At the same time, sometimes just having  dresscodes can have the same results and still allow for individuality.

Not to mention that uniforms aren't always cheap.  I wore uniforms in elem. school and there was one place you could buy the approved uniform.  The cost added up.

BTW, what's wrong with embroidered jeans?  My infant has a pair and I think she looks cute.

Many parents, like teachers and police, will accept any half-brained knee-jerk "solution" to their "problems" such as, you know, dealing with kids who are going through the exact. same. things. that they went through at the same age, but somehow have completely forgotten about. Uniforms, like zero-tolerance policies, take the hard work out of raising/teaching children by frequently eliminating the need to make difficult, reasoned, and intelligent decisions.

I went to Catholic school for thirteen years. K-8 I wore the standard yellow-shirt and navy-everything-else parochial uniform which came from a single company. And let me tell you, those upper-middle-class brats had plenty of opportunity to assert their fashion and social superiority -- through their haircuts, accessories, book bags, pencil boxes, even their pens and pencils. Plus it came out in the schoolyard and lunchroom, between who they associated with, what they talked about, what they did in their spare time, what kind of car their parents drove, etc., etc., etc.

The point is that no matter what you take away, the phenomenon you tried to eliminate remains, it just manifests in different ways. Parents and school administrators like uniforms because the visually upsetting elements disappear. But the problems do not.

So to the parents who are happy that their kids are now neatly packaged in bland uniforms: Congratulations, you've eliminated the clothes problem, but you're still stuck with the vacation, toys, dating, makeup, activities, fundraiser total, cellphone, afterschool hangout, parties, and all the other *normal kid problems* that all parents have ever had to deal with.

I wore uniforms much of my school years as well, and agree there are tons of ways to assert individuality (and who says that can onlyor even mostly be expressed by your clothes, anyway?). My high school was all girls and we absolutely found ways to express ourselves. Interestingly, just today I got a mailing from my HS with pictures of current students, and I had to laugh--we were allowed to wear whatever collared blouse we wanted (I hate blouses to this day) and now they have to buy the uniform ones that have the school's name embroidered on them. So I am looking at the picture of these five girls and one's wearing Birkenstocks, one is wearing red Converse high tops, and another is wearing what looks like penny loafers. In another picture, a girl has her shirt knotted above her waist. They STILL are finding ways to express themselves through dress even though the uniforms are stricter than they were when I was in school there. I think if it imparts any signficant moral lessons, it would be that what a person wears does not define who they are. Not a bad thing for kids to learn.

Uniforms don't solve all problems, nor are they expected to. All the classist issues K mentioned still existed, but you at least had the chance to get to know something about someone without their clothes screaming "rich kid" or "poor kid" on the very first day. Plus, being dressed in ugly-ass uniform clothes five days a week made fashion MUCH more fun on the weekends.

BTW, Hotstuff? The only uniform related detention I ever got was for having my shirt untucked (we were supposed to keep them tucked in). I REFUSED to wear it tucked, but only got caught once. And almost 20 years later  I still think that's bullshit!

Uniforms don't solve any problems.  The kids are allowed to assert their individuality and DO any way they can.  You can tell the haves and have nots.  I HATE having to monitor uniforms and write kids up if they are out of uniform.

We changed our uniform to Any solid color collared shirt with sleeves, tan, dark blue docker type pants, shorts, skirts, jumpers, AND blue jeans.  They all have to fit at the waist.  No underware showing.  No sleeveless tops, and shoes must have closed toes.  They must be in dress code the first day they enter school or they will have to wear hand-me-downs from the nurses office.

We have had a tremendous problem with kids out of uniform and no one enforcing it.  I think this will work better for everyone.

I like uniforms for the simple reason you can look out across the playground and see who belongs and who doesn't.  We won't have that safety factor with the new dress code.

Our original uniform was polo shirts-white, red, powder blue and dark blue.  Bottoms were to be tan or dark blue.  No one followed it.  They wore all kinds of stuff.

Why shouldn't kids wear uniforms?

Better they learn early on what is and isn't acceptable attire. I wouldn't show up at a business meeting in jeans and flip flops, however much they "express my creativity"! Nor should kids show up for the "business" of learning dressed inappropriately.

I wore uniforms (one of which was an orange gingham summer dress with brown socks and shoes--yuk) my entire school career and, quite frankly, didn't give it two thoughts, because the choice not to wear uniform didn't exist!!!

i wore uniforms during my entire school career also and although i didn't like them very much at the time, now as a parent i would love them because it will be one less problem to deal with during the day: what outfit to wear? with all the other things you have to worry about, JUST ONE LESS THING, makes a lot of sense! but those who think that the uniforms will eliminate the natural competition between the kids are totally mistaken. we are all individuals and kids will find a way to express that individuality, be the socks, the headbands, the jewelry or the makeup.

anyway, i'm all for the uniforms!

I'm pro uniform, I don't think that it eliminate the "class" division issues - but it is one less thing I have to argue with my daughter about - this is what you wear to school - period, next problem please.  It simplifies the pick your battle philosophy I've been trying to use raising her; it's not one of the biggies.  

hate them all they do is hurt the poor who now have to buy new clothes every year when they normally wouldn't