Why I Wish My Kids Wore School Uniforms

As a parent of three kids, one of whom is entering the state of his life where he wants to dress fashionably (you know: camouflage, flames, butt hanging out the top of his jeans), sometimes I wish all schools would adopt a uniform. This would save me the headache of trying to buy clothes we both agree on and probably save a boatload of money in the fall. I can't think of a single reason why I would not prefer to have a uniform in my kid's school. So why are public schools that require uniforms so few and far between?

According to an article in the Houston Chronicle, uniforms in public schools are more prevalent in less affluent geographic areas. This makes perfect sense to me because the less affluent probably are more willing to sacrifice fashion and expressions of individuality in the interest of spending less on school clothes. I guess kids are going to be kids and want to wear what they see people wearing on MTV, while parents will be parents and choose their battles.

Now that I am older and wiser and look back on my high-school days and some of the fashions, I realize that I would have benefited from a uniform dress code. First of all, I admit that it often distracted me. I was busy preening myself, admiring the shoes of the guy next to me, or the way the clothes clung to the girl across the room. Fashion today pushes the line much further today and I can image how much more distracting hip-huggers and bare-midriffs would be to a teenage guy. I did well in school, but would have probably done even better had I paid more attention to the teacher than those around me.

Also, I spent so much money on clothes to keep up with the fashions! I remember that every time IOU would come out with a new sweatshirt, I had to run out to the mall to pick one up. I didn't need it-I had a whole closet full of them. However, I couldn't stand to be the one without one. A standard uniform of khaki's and polo shirts would have cut back on how much I spent on the mall, which would result in more money put away for my college or fewer hours I had to work washing dishes.

Most disturbingly of all, I remember the gang colors. One gang would wear red and anther would wear blue. If a 'red jacket" would see a "blue jacket", trouble was the result. I am not naïve to believe that a dress code would have stopped gang violence, but I think it would stop a lot of the nonsense on school property.

I also remember that there were student's who simply could not afford the latest fashions. As cruel as we were, the kids who didn't dress "cool" weren't "cool" and therefore were considered outcasts. It is a shame, looking back, because some of the "uncool" really were good people. Having a school uniform would have help eliminate ridding a divided student body on the basis something so trivial as what brand of jeans the students could afford.

Proponents of school uniforms will say that it violates the student's rights of free expression. I fail to understand how khaki pants and polo shirts will warp the development of the student as an individual. If nothing else, I think it will help the individual grow into a better person who realizes it isn't the clothes that makes the person-just as in The Emperor's New Clothes.

I know that every Sunday morning before church my kids fuss and moan about wearing collared shirts. I imagine that proponents also will argue that if the kids are uncomfortable in school, their productivity will suffer. I think that this would be good preparation for the real world, where you have to dress a certain way for the office and are still expected to be productive. How anyone can say they are more comfortable with their butt hanging out of the top of their jeans, tripping over the cuffs of their ratty jeans, and wearing 20 pounds of chains is beyond me.

School uniforms are a debate that has been ongoing for many many years, but in the whole scheme of obstacles in our school system is relatively small. While I'm a realist and don't believe that kids will have model behavior and get good grades because of magical khakis and polo shirts, I certainly don't think it will warp their young minds. The practicality, efficiency, and professional image that school uniforms portray certainly make it a worthwhile change.