Uniforms are the great equalizer. Whether you are rich or poor, you all look the same. No one feels the pressure to wear $150 shoes or have the latest (way overpriced) teen fashions.

This is coming from someone who wore a uniform from age 6-18....

I wore a uniform k-12 and loved it. Most of the people I went to school with liked it, and the adults I talk to now who wore uniforms as kids all prefer them for their own kids too. The kids I know in city public schools who wear uniforms like them, and the schools we are considering for our kids all require uniforms (private and public). I think there can be a coolness factor when kids are considering uniforms, but I think once they are forced to wear them they start to appreciate the ease and all the other benefits.

i hate school uniforms!!!!!!!!! UGLY!!!!

I think school uniforms would be good for public schools because in Edgewood Middle school ( My school ) There is a lot of cussing, violence, and a lot of people are really mean... so if somebody came up to me and said you look ugly i would slap them first and then say you are wearing the same thing as me!! Yea now that what im sayin!!

I am a junior at Centennial High School, and I find this debate interesting because I was just having a conversation with some of my family members who are teachers on this very subject. They said that the day the students were very well behaved was school picture day, when everyone was dressed up, and not in shorts and t-shirts.

I wore uniform from k-5 and had no problem with it. I think uniforms help keep kids from teasing others about the type of clothing they wear or what brand it is.UNIFORMS ARE GREAT!

I;m not sure if anyone is still reading this thread, but I think that it's not only the wearing of the uniforms that helps create (or can help - it has to be intentionally done) a culture, it's the process of deciding on uniforms that brings people together to debate, discuss, argue and basically be involved. Want parents and kids to show up for a report card night? Tell them that there's going to be a debate about uniforms - if your school doesn't have them, say that you are thinking about getting them, if you already have them either say you are going to drop them or that you are thinking about going to dress up uniforms (ties, dresses, formal-wear, something). People will show up. People will be involved. People will argue, get their feelings hurt, and with some planning, realize that they can come together. Oh, and then they can meet with teachers to discuss grades.

I know I'm in a tiny minority here but I think uniforms are BS. I understand we're in Baltimore City and there are gang problems but if somebody wearing a particular color leads to a fight than we need to have a community mediation meeting with those students and their parents and peers. Uniforms sweep those problems under the rug or outside of school grounds for someone else to deal with. But I thought the entire point of school was to educate and address these problems, better here than anywhere else.

Have faith in the students, treat them like adults and they often rise to the occasion. Treat them like incapable children in a prison and they'll respond accordingly. If they make poor decisions, then address those decisions and have clear, consistent consequences in place that are enforced. No self respecting "hippie" (as IO might claim to be) could support this large restriction of freedom!

I've got my hater shades on and I'm ready to defend myself, bring it on.

Oh goodness. If the only reason for uniforms were to prevent gang clashes in classrooms then I would definitely agree. I don't think it has anything to do with that. My third graders have been researching schools for a project in which they are designing their own schools. Most are choosing to have a uniform policy as an element of their school design. The words "gang" and "prison" did not come up. Rather, the students recognize that it is a way to represent their school and, because they are proud of their school (the actual school they attend), they see the uniform as a source of pride. It's more like a team uniform than prison gear.

A team uniform which EVERYONE at the school is OBLIGATED to wear? Sure some students may like it, maybe even a majority (doubtful in my experience), but I guarantee others won't. They all should have a choice in the matter.

Another non-gang related plus of school uniforms is they let socially ackward kids avoid the whole "don't dress like a dork" issue. You can still get ridiculed for the wrong shoes or haircut, but I think it simplifies life a great deal. At some point you develop the self-confidence to wear what you want and ignore people's judgement (pretty much...), but I don't think that happens until high school at the earliest. Given the level of bullying that goes on at schools, this isn't a superficial plus.

Corey:

First off I said I was a hippie, never said I was a self respecting one. glad to clear that mess up.

Second off, as others have stated there are other reasons besides the gang thing that uniforms address. IMHO here they are:

1) Culture: Creating culture (and anyone who knows me and doesn't know I am IO will when they read this) means creating common language, common rituals and having common dress. When we think about the beat generation, the hip(ity) hop generation or any other culture we can point to these things. When trying to create a school culture uniforms play a large roll in this as it represents common dress. Do we all need to wear suites and ties? No, but something in common helps us indentify each other as members of the same community.

2) In larger school buildings where there are many or even just a few different schools or programs, uniforms helps maintain safety - I can look down the hall and know who belongs and who doesn't. Sure people could trick us, but that doesn't happen.

3) As with 2 (above) in the building, outside the building we can quickly identify who is in our school - at the bus stop, in the parking lot and so on.

4) As for personal freedom, I am all for it, in fact those who know me know I do a lot of drum beating about the 1st amendment and all, but as with everything there is a balance. What we can all agree on is the need for a positive school culture, we can all agree on wanting a safe school where outsiders are easy to identify, what we can all agree on is we want schools to be a place where we have to streach to find things to tease each other about. So, once we agree on those we can take creative steps to get to those things. Uniforms might not be that creative, but they are a solution to some of these things.

Fianlly, as I said, the biggest thing for me is the process and conversations that come out of this type of discussion inside the school with parents, community members and students. As Bill Clinton might say (if he were me), "It's the process stupid!"

What I have found at my new school is that there ar eplenty of places within the uniform debate for students to find voice and for people to get "wins" that they need to feel buy in. When we first started all we heard about was how awful the uniforms were (and they are BTW), now we don't hear it. It's only been 13 weeks.

Hi I am a student at a public school that is considering a school uniform... i beleive that if you make us wear school uniforms and have restrictions on how we wear ou makeup and hair then all personality will be lost... no sense of art or anything... we may form "GANGS" but most of them arent violent we call them cliqes or posses now a day... if you make us wear those things.... then you will have ROBOT CHILDREN .... no personality.... look at it from our point of view.......

My advisory made a petition for a revised uniform policy they're going to circulate during last period today. I don't even agree with their new policy 100% but I'm just excited that they are organizing, learning the value of self advocacy and realizing the power they hold. Complaining does nothing, it takes work to bring about change. Here's their petition,

"New Uniform Policy Petition

We propose that the current uniform policy be modified to the following:

-Keep our collared shirts
-Make the blazers and sweaters optional
-Shoes can be any color
-Choice between
-Jeans
-Cargos
-Shorts (with set length)
-Skirts (must be knee length or lower)

We are keeping the shirts and scholars still have the option to wear the clothes they already purchased. We are not completely changing the policy.

Scholars act professionally and respectfully whether they are in or out of uniform. During dress down days there were fewer issues than normal. Our clothing does not control how we behave. We can still be determined no matter what we wear. We have more enthusiasm on dress down days than normal days because we can express ourselves. The modified uniform policy does not go against the PRIDE model, it actually supports it.

If scholars choose to violate our new policy then we support the consequences we already have in place. Scholars will not be able to complain as much because they actually had a say in the new policy.

We do not want to be like every other school, we want to stand out. Our new policy still has people representing BFA but they also have individual freedom.

We can do an even better job of transforming ourselves and our communities if we are comfortable in the regular clothes we wear and we have the ability to express ourselves.

If you agree with what we are saying than please sign the petition!"

Whether they succeed or not I hope we can have a fruitful reflection about the action.

who wrote this website? if you ask me i hate school uniforms.

I Hate school uniform

W3ll...STUd3NTz((M3))Sh0ULdNT B3 F0RC3d TO WEAR SUCh HiD3OUS CLOTHiNG...!!! STAff SAy ThAT STUd3NTS BLAZ3 ON UR Cl0Th3Z W3N NOT N UNiFORM, bHUT!!!! fR0M kN0WLEDG3, PpL TALk AbOUT PpLZ UNi'Z TOO!!!!!! UNiFORMz R UGLY, AND ShOULD B3 iLL3GAL!!!!!
-LuVv((WiTH HATE)), T3SHiA B

I don't think kids should have to wear school uniforms because they have their own rights to wear what they want.

uniforms are bogus.
right on braaaaaaaaah