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Do American schools have uniforms?

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cornflake

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Interesting link! This in particular caught my eye:



What in the world would uniforms have to do with vandalism? :Wha:

I don't know, but just guessing - it may make the kids identifiable, or make them feel identifiable. It might also drop crime just by nature of making kids feel more a part of something - which is one of the reasons charter schools tend toward uniforms.

I heard a story on NPR about a charter school in, I think, Louisiana, (if I remembered more I'd go find it), that changed the language they used, to boost morale and feelings of empowerment among students. They weren't, in fact, called students, but scholars, stuff like that.
 

Myrealana

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The public elementary school my mom taught at in Colorado required uniforms.

Many of the public schools in the Denver are require uniforms.

However, the public school version of a uniform is usually different from the private school version. No blue blazers or ties. Usually the "uniform" is tan or blue pants or skirt and a school polo shirt or even a T-shirt with the school logo.
 

Jamesaritchie

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There are no Catholic schools in your entire state? I find that hard to believe. Also, parents in your area are odd - parents tend to love uniforms, in my experience.



.

I was talking about pubic schools, but we do have a catholic school right down the street, and no uniforms are required there, either. Shoot, even the nuns don't wear uniforms now.

For that matter, I knew a family that had four boys in catholic school way back when I was young, and they didn't wear uniforms then, either.

Parents here detest uniforms, and rightfully so, I think. The reason our public schools don't wear uniforms is because it's always put to a vote, and parents shoot it down by at least an eight percent margin every time. We already buy our kids the clothing we want them to wear, and now they want us to also buy uniforms? Nope, sorry.

One school system here tried to make uniforms mandatory without a public vote, and parents simply disobeyed it. Hundreds of kids showed up for school without the "mandatory" uniform, and they school was powerless against that much opposition.

We do have some charter schools here that have a tougher dress code than public schools, but no uniforms of any kind are required. Buys have to wear button down shirts and slacks, and girls have to wear skirts of a certain length, or slacks that aren't too tight, but they can be almost any style, and almost color, so that's not a uniform.
 

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And I have read that some public schools were switching to uniforms, though they were of this kind: Kids can wear dark pants - black, blue, dark brown. Or khaki pants. And the choice of shirt colors might be white, light blue, etc. (Shirts must have a collar, so polo shirts are okay, but not t-shirts.) In other words, a 'loose' sort of uniform. Girls could also wear dark-colored skirts. Sweaters are plain, dark colors. These 'looser' rules were to make it easier for lower-income parents to afford the uniform.

In schools like this, no sneakers, sweatshirts or jeans.

Teachers are expected to dress conservatively: For men, tie and jacket or tie and sweater, and dress pants or Chino-type pants. Women, dress or skirt, pant suit or 'slacks' with a shirt or blouse, maybe a jacket or sweater. For all teachers no jeans.

A dress code, however, is common in most schools, public and private. This is different from uniforms, however.
This is similar to the uniform required in my local school district. Students start wearing uniforms in third grade (K-2 schools are stand alone).
 

Sunflowerrei

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The uniform itself varies HUGELY by school. Catholic school kids dress in school-particular outfits. You can identify the school by the particular plaid or shade of blue, grey or green that's primary in the outfit if you know what you're looking at. Same for Jewish schools. The colours and what's allowed (some schools allow only jumpers, some skirts and shirts and sweaters, some pants and sweaters, some require blazers and ties, and on it goes).

That's true. The closest Catholic school kids have blazers and sweaters with the school's crest on them. There might be public schools that do that as well, but I doubt they go that formal. I had gym clothes with my high school's name and crest and whatnot on it, but not a full uniform.
 

StephanieZie

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I heard a story on NPR about a charter school in, I think, Louisiana, (if I remembered more I'd go find it), that changed the language they used, to boost morale and feelings of empowerment among students. They weren't, in fact, called students, but scholars, stuff like that.

I know what school you're talking about. I teach reproductive health there once a week. For the area that the kids come from (one of the worst parts of the city), they are surprisingly well-mannered.
 

asroc

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I went to a K-8 Catholic school and had to wear a uniform. Blouse, plaid jumper, the works. Although they're closed now and the successor school seems to allow polos.

From seventh grade on it was a DoDDS school and a public exam school. No uniforms, just the standard dress code.
 

Roxxsmom

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Interesting link! This in particular caught my eye:



What in the world would uniforms have to do with vandalism? :Wha:

I think there may be a psychological effect associated with being in a uniform, or with dressing more formally in general. It can make you feel like you're part of a unit, maybe even encourage conformity, or more "professional" behavior. It's the same rationale for having dress codes or uniforms in workplaces and uniforms in the military.

Whether this is a good thing overall probably depends on who you talk to and on how bad your district's problem with delinquency issues was to begin with.
 

Ken

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Yes, at our Catholic school, but you wouldn't know it. Girls hike up their skirts by rolling em up around their waists so they're practically miniskirts. Leave it to our youngsters to get around rules :-D
 
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