Yay or Nay: Public School Uniforms

[mominatrix]

So, the K-5 school we're (hopefully) sending the girl to is brand-new, September will be its first day.

The curriculum team is having a meeting today, and one of the topics is school uniforms. There seems to be a LOT of opposition to them among the parents, which I'm kind of surprised about.

Also, I think I'm strangely pro-uniform, which doesn't seem to jive with my crazy liberal hippie worldview. Maybe it's the commie in me coming out.

What say P&CE?

And what about fairly stringent dress codes, instead (say, something that says only solid colors)?



Oh, and anybody with firsthand experience, please, share!

[cookiemdough]

I like the idea of uniforms in both a private and public school setting.

[teflep]

Yay. Plus, makes it easier on parents IMO.

[Deleted]

I hate them.

Easier on parents my fucking ass. (not directed at you, Tef, just in general, from my personal experience.)

They don't fit right, they aren't cheap, they stain like a mofo, look grungy with a quickness, and aren't easily purchased all year round which is fucking ridiculous given I live in a county where everyone wears them, even the next county over.

Poor pinky looks like she's got a paper bag tied around her skinny ass waist and both these kids usually end up wearing high waters for half the year.

I.HATE.THEM.

[summer]

The Teenager Me made the Adult Me triple swear to never agree to school uniforms (facist!!!). But the Adult Me with a preschooler in uniform thinks they are pretty sweet. As long as they don't get all crazy regulating hairclips and shoes and that nonsense.

[Deleted]

Oh and you can get cheap ones at wallyworld but I mean cheap. They feel gross, the don't wear well, the polos look like ass after one wash and if you look at them wrong the knee splits. Do you know how much cheaper it would be if I could just dress them in generic jeans and plain tees? Do you know much longer that would last? Do you know much easier it is to find a fucking plain (non uniform) turtleneck in winter than one inexpensive, hard wearing cardigan for my kid to wear in their cold ass class room?

[summer]

May 29, 2012 12:07:58 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

I hate them.

Easier on parents my fucking ass. (not directed at you, Tef, just in general, from my personal experience.)

They don't fit right, they aren't cheap, they stain like a mofo, look grungy with a quickness, and aren't easily purchased all year round which is fucking ridiculous given I live in a county where everyone wears them, even the next county over.

Poor pinky looks like she's got a paper bag tied around her skinny ass waist and both these kids usually end up wearing high waters for half the year.

I.HATE.THEM.

DD's school chose WHITE polos for preschoolers, which I thought was beyond dumb. And they were mad expensive. But they are excellent quality and I have to say they wash very well, even after spaghetti sauce and strawberries. Quality is definitely key.

[eclaires]

I loved uniforms at my Catholic schools - I wish Jackson had uniforms.

That said, I think as long as you go with a uniform/dress code that has affordable clothing and good sizing options, they are a good option. My Catholic high school went with a really expensive company back in the day - and I could only wear the skirts b/c the sizing options were ridiculous for taller girls (all pants were floodwaters on me).

[Deleted]

Also, can I get some solid colored tights in school colors that don't get ruined the first time she wears them? Can I? White/ivory tights are bad juju for hot mess little girls and so are socks. WHY CAN'T SHE WEAR COLORED SOCKS OR TIGHTS???

whoooooooooooooooosaaaaaaaaaa!

Two weeks left, only two weeks left and she can wear jean shorts and tees all summer long.

[wawa]

Uniforms where you must purchase x items from x uniform store seem prone to the issues HAB so eloquently mentioned.

Uniforms like my neice's (public charter) where it just specifies solid pants, skirts or jumpers in khaki or navy with solid collared shirts in white, navy or light blue seem pretty simple and easy to deal with. I'm sure it makes it reeeeally easy to get her dressed in the morning.

I bought her a bunch of uniform friendly stuff for xmas and it came from kohls, target and old navy. I did end up buying her some stuff from the boys section, but i'm not sure that's really an issue.

ETA: they're also allowed to wear white, navy or light blue turtlenecks under their shirts or plain navy sweatshirts if it's cold. I don't think there is any sort of rule on tights or socks...but they are required to wear sneakers or other walking friendly shoes because the school is immediately adjacent to a huge park and they do a lot of stuff outside.

[OscarQ]

I'm pro uniforms. I think it keeps kids from focusing on stupid clothing trends.

As for quality...I did K-4 in Catholic school (uniforms), 5-8 in public (no uniforms) and 9-12 in Catholic (uniforms again). I graduated from HS 20 years ago so I'm sure quality has gone downhill since then but my HS uniforms were very well made - they were all wool (which sucked in September and May) but otherwise I bet they'd still be wearable today if I'd kept them.

[Deleted]

May 29, 2012 12:15:03 GMT -5 wawa said:

Uniforms where you must purchase x items from x uniform store seem prone to the issues HAB so eloquently mentioned.

Uniforms like my neice's (public charter) where it just specifies solid pants, skirts or jumpers in khaki or navy with solid collared shirts in white, navy or light blue seem pretty simple and easy to deal with. I'm sure it makes it reeeeally easy to get her dressed in the morning.

I bought her a bunch of uniform friendly stuff for xmas and it came from kohls, target and old navy. I did end up buying her some stuff from the boys section, but i'm not sure that's really an issue.

But my kids do have the uniform you're describing for the charter school. I just wanted to point that out. I should take a picture of this kid's pants. They were the best I could find that weren't $20 a pop and my god, paper bag, yo. PAPER BAG.

As for the trends, kids can tell who is wearing the it uniforms and whose mommy's been shopping at Once Upon a Child, trust. At petey's school it's all about the shoe game anyway so if you got your kid's kicks at payless, they're gonna hear about it. Uniforms don't address $115 dollar foot locker kicks.

[IIOY]

May 29, 2012 12:15:03 GMT -5 wawa said:

Uniforms like my neice's (public charter) where it just specifies solid pants, skirts or jumpers in khaki or navy with solid collared shirts in white, navy or light blue seem pretty simple and easy to deal with. I'm sure it makes it reeeeally easy to get her dressed in the morning.

This is what my H had and loved it.

Both of my kids wear uniforms (this coming year will be DS's first year doing so). The only thing I don't like is the expense but I assume I'd be spending at least half of that on clothing anyway. The uniform my DD used this year survived a zillion washes, didn't seem to stain at all, and looks as good now as it did in September. Bonus: she didn't seem to grow this year so we can use it again.

Her school has sale days during the year where students can sell their old uniforms on the cheap. Plus, I'm a fan of uniforms in the grand scheme anyway. If nothing else, getting dressed in the morning is cake, unlike what I hear from friends whose kids don't wear uniforms and who sometimes spend the morning in teary-eyed battles over getting dressed. Our biggest battle is whether DD will wear green or blue socks, and it doesn't matter anyway.

[mel726]

My mom always wished my schools would convert to uniforms because there was so much peer pressure regarding clothing at the various schools I attended. I wouldn't mind if DD had to wear uniforms to school.

[wawa]

May 29, 2012 12:20:25 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

May 29, 2012 12:15:03 GMT -5 wawa said:

Uniforms where you must purchase x items from x uniform store seem prone to the issues HAB so eloquently mentioned.

Uniforms like my neice's (public charter) where it just specifies solid pants, skirts or jumpers in khaki or navy with solid collared shirts in white, navy or light blue seem pretty simple and easy to deal with. I'm sure it makes it reeeeally easy to get her dressed in the morning.

I bought her a bunch of uniform friendly stuff for xmas and it came from kohls, target and old navy. I did end up buying her some stuff from the boys section, but i'm not sure that's really an issue.

But my kids do have the uniform you're describing for the charter school. I just wanted to point that out. I should take a picture of this kid's pants. They were the best I could find that weren't $20 a pop and my god, paper bag, yo. PAPER BAG.

As for the trends, kids can tell who is wearing the it uniforms and whose mommy's been shopping at Once Upon a Child, trust. At petey's school it's all about the shoe game anyway so if you got your kid's kicks at payless, they're gonna hear about it. Uniforms don't address $115 dollar foot locker kicks.

Yeah, the trendiness/$$$ BS is going to happen whether you have a uniform or not. Kids are assholes.

But I'm not understanding the uniform issue you're having HAB. Are you saying you can't find a single pair of khaki's that fit your kid at a price you're willing to pay? From the way you were phrasing it I was thinking there was only one or two brands that you were allowed to get. I take it that's incorrect?

I get that he's tall and skinny, so non-highwaters are an issue, but you only have this problem with khaki's? Not jeans?

Kids clothes sizing are apparently a whole new level of weird. Not looking forward to that.

[Deleted]

May 29, 2012 12:23:57 GMT -5 @amber said:

stop buying cheap ass clothes from Walmart! I won't even buy the worthless khakis from Target, they fall apart after one wash.
JcPenney has Izod uniform stuff, Gap Kids just had a 40% off sale on their uniform clothes (score!), and the best is French Toast- they're like the perfect & indestructible clothing. Both my kids uniforms (and my son esp plays hard) are still completely intact from the beginning of the school year. I'm very impressed with French Toast!

Awww, honey. You're so cute.

Now if only it had occurred to me to just buy more expensive clothes. Hmmmmm

[IIOY]

May 29, 2012 12:20:25 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

petey's school it's all about the shoe game anyway so if you got your kid's kicks at payless, they're gonna hear about it. Uniforms don't address $115 dollar foot locker kicks.

This is cray and I would stroke out if we were supposed to spend this much on shoes for the kids. They have two choices for shoes as per the school and both cost about $35.

[AJL]

May 29, 2012 12:30:01 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

May 29, 2012 12:23:57 GMT -5 @amber said:

stop buying cheap ass clothes from Walmart! I won't even buy the worthless khakis from Target, they fall apart after one wash.
JcPenney has Izod uniform stuff, Gap Kids just had a 40% off sale on their uniform clothes (score!), and the best is French Toast- they're like the perfect & indestructible clothing. Both my kids uniforms (and my son esp plays hard) are still completely intact from the beginning of the school year. I'm very impressed with French Toast!

Awww, honey. You're so cute.

Now if only it had occurred to me to just buy more expensive clothes. Hmmmmm

I was just looking at the French Toast website and boys pants are $14.98. It didn't look like a sale price either.

*note* - My children at 16 months and 4 years old. We don't have to worry about uniforms right now and I haven't had to buy any, so I effectively do not know what I'm talking about.

[KateAggie]

Not to answer for Hab, but I can totally see why jeans/tshirts would be more durable and more economical. Jeans are going to hold up better than khakis, and can easily be repaired with a patch. T shirts are going to look fine if they start fading, whereas a polo will look like it's old and needs to be replaced. Jeans and tees are also something you can wear outside of school, so you don't have to have 2 separate wardrobes for your kids.

[Deleted]

They do wear French toast uniforms and they still stain, wear funny, and are grown out by January with none to be found at a price I'm willing to pay. Sure, sales are great but they are never on sale when I need them and I'm not buying shit I don't need yet just for funsies. Also, around here, Target carries French Toast uniforms.

I know I sound like an asshole but this is the truth of my life going on five years of uniform buying. I'm shelling out $150 plus on uniforms alone at the beginning of the year even after sale stalking only to have all of that be hanging on by a thread come December. This doesn't include all the tights and socks, the jackets, the mesh backpacks, the cardis, the sneakers for gym, the second pair of shoes to help the first pair last longer, etc.

And yeah, wawa, I don't know what it is. Pinky can pretty much wear any pair of jeans I find off the walmart/target/old navy shelf and they look fine. Slap a pair of khakis on her ass though and I need industrial belts to hold them up and I have to threaten her life to get her to stop looking like I'm making her wear a leisure suit to school.

Also, they don't go on sale during the year, not here, not online, not where I can find. It was so much better when pinky could wear Carters/osh kosh from the outlets. I could find khakis there easy peasy. But her legs are too long now.

[Deleted]

May 29, 2012 12:35:34 GMT -5 AJL said:

I was just looking at the French Toast website and boys pants are $14.98. It didn't look like a sale price either.

Yes but I'm not buying just one pair of pants. I'm buying at least five pair, three for pete, two for pinky, more when the weather turns chillier.

It doesn't help that I still haven't replaced/repaired my washer and have to take the clothes to the laundromat which means they need to be able to get through one week before I have to lug it all across the street to wash.

Usually I try to rinse things out in the sink so the stains won't set or so I can get another day's wear out of them. But pinky's a pain in the ass about showing me. So I have to make them come do an inspection every day.

So annoying.

TWO MORE WEEKS. TWO MORE WEEKS

[AJL]

May 29, 2012 12:40:45 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

May 29, 2012 12:35:34 GMT -5 AJL said:

I was just looking at the French Toast website and boys pants are $14.98. It didn't look like a sale price either.

Yes but I'm not buying just one pair of pants. I'm buying at least five pair, three for pete, two for pinky, more when the weather turns chillier.

It doesn't help that I still haven't replaced/repaired my washer and have to take the clothes to the laundromat which means three

Yeahhhh....like I said: I don't know what I'm talking about.

[audnicole]

I have a serious dislike of public school uniforms. Dress codes... yes. skirts/shorts must be X length, no vulgar says, no sagging, no bra straps showing, etc.

I feel like school is a time to learn how to dress appropriately, and find out that life isn't fair. Have to give a speech today? Dress up. Field trip? Jeans and a Tshirt. Your friend has jeans that cost $$$? Well, to bad. Your mommy can't afford them (or refuses to buy you expensive jeans you're just going to rip up).

I don't have as big a problem with uniforms in grade schools, since I sort of feel like grade school is more about learning, and less about life lessons than high school.

[Deleted]

May 29, 2012 12:33:31 GMT -5 IIOY said:

This is cray and I would stroke out if we were supposed to spend this much on shoes for the kids. They have two choices for shoes as per the school and both cost about $35.

Oh I don't pay that much for shoes, trust me. lolol I buy them from payless, target, or wallyworld. Occasionally, if I see a good pair at Once upon a child, I'll pick them up but only for pinky.

[frlcb]

I hate the idea of uniforms, but everyone says they are great. DS is starting a school with them in the Fall and I am so not happy about it.

[Deleted]

I'm not so sure what's difficult to understand here. Yes, it would be lovely if I could just spend more money on their uniforms at the jump. However, that's just not possible. Well, I suppose if I expected them to get by with two pairs of bottoms and two tops for the whole year, I could. But that seems rather unreasonable, especially until I get the washer fixed.

And in my neighborhood, the fact that I have a washer or hookups for said washer are actually pretty impressive.

[Deleted]

I'm praying for high school, major. You don't even know. Girlfriend has to stop with this. I even make her change clothes the minute she gets home from school to minimize stains and tears. She's like captain destructopants the girlchild is. She's even done amazeballs things to better quality clothes I've picked up at once upon a child.

If I can manage to find some good quality twill, I'm going to attempt to make her uniforms this year.

[PinkSquirrel]

I don't have kids, but I will never be ok with the idea of uniforms for public school kids. Give them all the dress code you want, but they're kids and should be able to express themselves through their clothing and style. My cousins and my brother all went to private schools and none of them had uniforms. They had pretty strict dress codes and had to dress up every day, but even with the strict dress code they could incorporate some of their own style. As a PP said, I also think it's a good learning lesson that things aren't always fair/equal.

[copzgirl1171]

I really don't know where I stand anymore on this. I used to be all pro uniform because the idea of a child not being able to keep up with the Jones made my heart hurt but I also realize that dressing in what they like may make them more productive and attentive.

I know I couldn't concentrate with tacky polyester wool blend stuck to my ass itching my to death.

[Deleted]

May 29, 2012 13:05:43 GMT -5 @amber said:

I understand what you're saying, I just completely disagree with it. Sounds like you're just complaining about clothing your children in general. You clearly don't want to open your mind to possibility that high quality clothing is attainable on almost any budget. And yes, these stores do have sales all year long. I got Gap Kids uniform pants for $8 each on Friday. They're thick and they'll last.

I'm sorry, who is being closed minded here?

The person who is declaring that everyone just happens to be sitting on the scratch to take advantage of the occasional sale?