Elementary public school uniforms, opinions!

[Gilly]

My daughters school (which already charges me $400 dollars each year to attend, btw) has NOW decided to implement a mandatory school uniform. (Appppparently I missed this decision/vote, because I started my daughter only halfway through the year (we moved from ontario). There is also NO OTHER option for school for her to attend. This IS the only one she can go to. (The french school i contacted was NOT for her attending their school, as she would be the only anglophone child attending. Her current school is an English immersion school)

They sent home a price list, and a date for each family to come in for a fitting...

The order form is ridiculous! $40-55 dollars for a pair of navy blue pants, $65 for a dress/jumper, a blouse or a tshirt is 25-30, and on and on.... (How the heck will the family down the road from me with 5 kids in this school afford this!?)

What is your opinion of a mandatory school uniform in a PUBLIC school, for elementary school children? Does anyone else have their children in a public school with uniforms? A private school with uniforms? A catholic school with uniforms? Anyone?

(I don't know if you can tell, but I am REALLY against it... for many different reasons, but I just don't see the point, in all honesty... why the heck does my 5 year old neeeeed to wear a school uniform?! Very militant.)

[wanna_be]

As a kid, I attended an elementary school that also had a uniform. At the time, I hated it. The original uniform wasn't so bad but it changed by the time I was in grade 6 to a hideous one.

As a parent of 3 kids who attended secondary schools with uniforms, I can see the advantages. While it may seem like a large outlay of money to start, it is really all you are going to spend all year whereas without uniforms, you continually buy clothes all year long. You may even get more than a year out of the clothes if you are lucky. I do think they look pretty nice these days.

Most schools usually run a uniform sale each year to provide slightly used clothes at a discounted price. You may want to touch base with the school secretary to see if one is scheduled.

While I can understand that you are upset about not having any options, hopefully after a little experience with them you won't mind too much.

[kdoucette]

Could you find out about buying a different pair of pants etc? DO they have to be the ones they are selling?

I am of the opinion that uniforms can be a good thing for a school. It eliminates the kids "needing" those name brand jeans etc. It also enforces that school is a place for learning (and some play too of course), and kids sure look sharp in uniforms!!

[Gilly]

I suppose.. but then, these are YOUNG kids! My daughter doesn't have a CLUE what "brand name clothes" are!


And, even then... what about the kids that have to wear hand me down or used uniforms? Or, ones the parents bought a bit big, so they last longer (little kids grow FAST!) Won't they be just as ostracized as they were before, when they couldn't afford the brand names?

I understand that school is a place for learning... but come on. When you grow up, and get a job... THEN you HAVE to wear a uniform for your place of employment. Why make our children spend their ENTIRE lives like sheep? School is also a place where you learn coping behaviours for life- the WORLD doesn't go around dressed identically... why should all of the school children?

But then, it's just my opinion Heck, 98% of the parents of the school voted yes. I understand that MY opinion is of the vast minority.


(Plus, looking at the list of clothes... i don't know if I CAN purchase the clothes without extensive tailoring. The smallest size listed is a 5/6. My daughter is TINY. (also the youngest by a year in her class) and only wears a 3x. Hopefully she grows a crapload in the summer, eh? (I am hoping that they allow me to purchase clothes from other stores, like old navy has a "school uniform" section, etc etc... hopefully someone might carry tiny clothes) People that have their kids in schools with uniforms... where do you purchase the clothes? Only through the school? ANy good places with small clothes you can think of?

[Julie Andrews]

I am a firm believer in school uniforms but those prices are ridiculous!
Normally, the uniforms for schools in our area are pretty standard items that you can get from a variety of places so there's no monopoly by any one expensive place. A little competition goes a long way in bringing down prices.

[Ficbot]

When I lived in New Zealand, every school from Grade 7 up had uniforms. EVERY school. The one I worked in was pretty simple, just blue sweatpants (which could be bought anywhere) and a logo t-shirt or sweatshirt. But I babysat for the neighbour's kids, and their school was much dressier/fussier with the uniform. One of the reasons the parents liked the uniforms was for safety. It made it very easy to identify who attended the school and who was just visiting. And it made the kids really behave when they were out on field trips or in town, because any bad behaviour would get back to the school fairly quickly since everyone was so identifiable. And this may be because I am a teacher, but my opinion is, a little discipline is not a bad thing They can go home and wear playclothes and be themselves. Theer is nothing imho wrong with teaching them that there is a time and a place for things.

[ilovemykids]

I wish we had uniforms here. I like the purpose of them.
I also agree that the prices asked are outrageous! I hope you are able to find out if there is another option.

[Gilly]

I understand that I am in a minority here, with the dislike of uniforms. But, in all of the schools where I grew up, Not ONE had mandatory uniforms.

This isn't a sweatpants tshirt type thing, its the navy skirt and blouse and tie for the girls, and navy slacks, button up shirt, and tie for the boys type thing.... (well, according to the list of items we have to choose from....)
along with a few other things, like dress slacks for the girls, and different length sleeves for the shirts....
Lol, i don't know about YOUR kids... but, white is a TERRIBLE option for my messy little painting princess!

I dont think this is a matter of safety. The school is in the boondocks. we LIVE in the boondocks... and there are like.. 200 kids in the whole school (i don't know, but there aren't many!).. so, if you saw a stranger int he school, it is pretty obvious who it is! A uniform wouldn't change that. You can't ENTER the school, anyways, unless there is someone in the office, monitoring the camera, and she hears you buzz, or sees you come up to the door, and knows you.

I am not of the side of the debate, that says kids "lose their identity, and individuality" with their loss of choice of clothing. NOTHING of the sort. My daughter is an individual, no matter what she is wearing (as is every other kid). However, I seriously don't see the point in suddenly implementing this mandatory dress, in a school that DOESN"T have behaviouriol problems, ISN"T in a city, it ISN"T a matter of safety,etc etc.

Are the teachers going to have their clothing enforced to be like the students? What USUALLY happens? (Now, remember, I NEVER went to a school with a uniform, and none of my friends, etc did either).

Ack, I give up! Lol, but I figured that most of the opinions here would be FOR the uniform.... I think only my husband and i were AGAINST the idea at her school! I just can't picture my crazy little kid in a pleated navy skirt, blouse and tie.. what child DRESSES like that, by choice?!... I saw some uniforms in Ontario, that were simply denim/blue bottoms, and a red school shirt, or sweater. THAT I think is somewhat appropriate for todays lifestyle.. but starched and pleated dress clothes? For kindergarteners? EVERY day! Hmm.. I wonder if she can still wear her crazy neon pink high top converse sneaks? Those things are cool Probably not uniform friendly?

[momg]

i love the idea of school uniforms! my child knew what the nike swoosh was at 3.at easter she got a new bathing suit and said thats nice and proceeded to look for a name brand and when she seen the swoosh she said i love it! i think school uniforms takes the pressure off kids and parents i only wish they had them here.

[Kate]

I don't believe in having to pay to send your children to a public school. I don't believe in "activity fees" or uniforms. If the school wants the children to wear uniforms, they can pay for it, and since it's a public school the government has other places that the money can be a lot better spent. So in other words, no one should pay for uniforms cause I don't think they should even be used.

Go ahead at private schools. But stay away from public schools. Public schools should be available for all children no matter what their financial background. Everyone should be able to afford to go to a public school, and activity fees and uniforms don't fit with that.

I'm also against uniforms, because of all the time it takes enforcing school dress codes. Have a simple dress code. Don't waste the office's time by sending the child down to it because the aren't wearing the right kind of shoes.

[roseofblack25]

i dont like the idea of school uniforms especially for the girls do they allow them the option of pants? because i dont do skirts never really have and i dont think that it would be right to force a child to wear something they dont feel comfortable in

[bcteagirl]

I think school uniforms are a good idea. While it may seem strange to start so young, imagine starting it when they are older and have it in their head that they don't need it... good luck lol Plus, the older kids would complain that the younger ones had 'special privelleges' etc... You will spend less over the year because they can wear the same thing day after day.. I think a lot of the reaction to uniforms is simply because they are required... sort of a 'you can't make me' response from people... Same reason for lack of compliance with medical instructions (can you tell I am studying that right now... lol).

[blistex]

I definitely think uniforms are great for the kids~
Saves a lot of money!

[Young_Freebie]

I don't know if anyone has said this or not, but the one major plus to uniforms is that your kids will not be bullied for the type of clothes they wear!

It's those little things that count too!

[bcteagirl]

*Very* good point YF...