School Uniforms

On the front page of last week's Elk Citian, my colleague (I've always wanted to use that fancy schmancy word) Amanda Friesen penned an excellent article on various opinions about Elk City implementing school uniforms this school year. Now, I'm not technically a Elk City girl any longer, but in my heart, I will always be. But, I do not live over there, nor will my children attend school there. However, I've always been one to form opinions on everything.
If I were a current student, I would be upset about the school uniforms. If I owned a local retail business, I would probably be really upset. But, I've personally talked to people who support the idea of the school uniforms and, truthfully, I don't know enough about the subject to give much opinion outside of my first two sentences.
So, I want to hear what you think. If you aren't local, please don't shy away from giving your two cents. Maybe you grew up wearing school uniforms, maybe you didn't. Simply, I want to hear what you think. Go ahead and take the poll, but leave a comment, too. I'm just curious about what you are thinking. I filed this under complaints and grievances because I assumed you were either pissed about the uniforms or are pissed at the people who are pissed about uniforms.

12 comments:

Me Myself said...

I have mixed feelings about the uniforms. On one hand, I'm really glad that they went to uniforms. Kids in Elk City (as well as other schools) really judge people on the quality of their clothes (and always have). I think the uniforms will help the problem, but only slightly. There will still be kids who insist on their parents only letting them wear brand-name khakis and they will make fun of those in faded glory or other cheaper brands.

The part I'm not so happy about is how strict the uniform is. I see no reason to not allow the kids to wear sandals or coats in the classroom (those classrooms were freezing sometimes!). I don't see the use of not allowing cargo pants (which seem to be the only type of pants in some stores).

I was excited to hear about the navy blue pants at first because my mom-in-law had found my son a ton of navy blue pants (cargo, of course) last year for $.50 a piece and she bought him about 10 pairs. Since he normally doesn't wear navy blue pants, I was glad to see that I could use them, until I saw the "no cargo pants" addendum. So now they'll go back to just sitting in the closet. I'm a bit frustrated at having to buy all new clothes for my son, since he can't really wear any of the ones that we already had (we would have been set for the start of school if there was no uniform).

So overall, I like the idea, but I think they made it too strict and financially, it's impratical.

Shonda Little said...

What size are the cargo pants?

Anonymous said...

I have put my thoughts off long enough, I have 3 children who are or will be attending Elk City pre, middle, jr, and hight school, I really hate the idea of the school uniforms, I feel that I take great pride in the way my 3 boys dress, they always dress very apropreate, so even though I know the schools have had some rather challenging students in the past I strongly disagree that this is the way to get our students attention, all of our children are going to have to figure out in an early age that rules are ment to be followed and not by taking the choices away from them, they need to know that their are consiquences for their actions by punishing the ones who make the wrong choices not by punishing the children who chose to follow the rules what are we really teaching them, that even if you do right that some times thats not good enough, I teach my boys that with the GOOD comes good, and with the BAD come bad. I think in order for the school uniforms to be past I feel that it should of been the parents choice and only the parents, we are the ones who have to work to provide for our children I think it should be our choice on how and what we spend our money on, considering now insteade of one change of clothing it will be at least two now...one for school...one for when they get home. So as for me I feel we are letting our children down taking away the hope that they grow to be smart young men and women capibable of making their own choices. I stand strong that I am against the school uniforms and will continue to encourage my chldre to stand strong in their beliefs but to except that some things that we may not be able to change doesn't always mean that it is the right way.
JOSIE BENNIGHT

Anonymous said...

I also have mixed feelings. My eight year old going into the 3rd grade has been a problem with school clothing options. Last year, 2nd grade, she honestly went through 3 outfits in one morning trying to find something to wear. This was after we had the normal battle of choosing her clothes the previous evening. I am excited out of pure laziness. I did have to purchase a new dresser to hold the seperate wardrobe that I have acquired. I couldn't throw away their "practical" clothes. They will need them. I was excited not too long ago to find a ton of long sleeve shirts at a garage sale because it would make me ill to spend "full price" on clothes that they couldn't even wear "full time". So, yeah, it will be easier, but, my little girl is a pretty trendy girl and she is going to miss it. I have, of course, spent alot of time purchasing hair-bows and making jewelry for her to feel some individuality. I also have a little girl going into pre-K and she just doesn't care either way.

Anonymous said...

My little bro is going to be a sophmore and he is major pissed about the dresscode along with my my family , I am on the fence about it I don't see where its going to help or hurt if anything. The good thing is that it is holding everyone to the same standards and I feel that it should be like this.

Me Myself said...

The cargo pants are size 4 and I only have 6 pair left...my aunt called and took 4 pair of them for a little boy she knows who lives in Sayre.

Anonymous said...

I don't care either way (I don't live there anymore though). One of the biggest problems I see is people who already struggle to buy their kids clothes at all will have trouble buying these EXTRA clothes. My sister's oldest went to a school in Arkansas that had a dress code several years ago and she had no issues (they now live back in EC, but attend Merritt). They also had a program that if your child outgrew their uniforms you could donate them to the school so they could give them to families who had trouble affording them, which I think is a good idea. When we lived in TX most of the schools in the town we lived in had a dress code, seemed to work fine there. I don't believe that the school my son will attend here in GA has a dress code (he won't go for another year), but I don't think it would bother me any as long as it's not completely outrageous.

Anonymous said...

My sons exact words are "Mom this dress code is sooo lame!" But that is coming from an eight year old! but I explain to him this is one of those things that you have to do in life and just because we may think that it is "lame" that it's a part of life. There will always be things that you may not agree with but you deal with it. I am not saying that I agree with it, I mean the no jackets in the classroom and not letting them wear sandals is going a little far.
My wallet has diffently felt the pain of buying a new wardrobe! I think that we should get a tax credit since the school has went to this extreme!

Anonymous said...

I have mixed feelings as well. I feel like if the dress code would have been enforced to begin with. I think that after the first year of it, they will probably not be as strict about them. As for all the people who are refusing to support fundraisers b/c of this you are just hurting your kids. The money for the fundraisers go for improvements to the schools, and remember it was not the teachers who voted for the dress code. People are mad, I get it, but going against the schools and not supporting them is hurting your kids worse than the uniforms they have to wear, isn't it? I think they are cute, and getting my son ready in the morning will be much easier now!

MYM said...

I don't like them, never did. But my niece wore one all thru high school and loved it. She said it made everyone equal, and since she grew up in a very rich area, and they weren't wealthy ... she was grateful.

Anonymous said...

I can see both sides of this, but having been involved directly in law enforcement I know this is NOT going to solve their problems. When I went to school here, not so long ago, they were strict on enforcing the dress code. I really thing that's all it would have took to get the kids to dress right! There are still going to be the kids w/the named brand clothes & cheaper brands and the uniforms aren't going to change that some think they're better then others just because of a name. The gang problems are still going to be here, though not serious like the larger cities they are here, and a dress code isn't going to change that. I hate the dress code because it does cause us to have to buy 2 wardrobes instead of one! and I think there should be more colors added, I'm not putting my 6 year old in a white shirt!! The school board obviously doesn't care about what the parents think or they would've gave us a real say, or vote! I would be happier if I had proof that the majority of the parents wanted this!

Anonymous said...

guess i should've read mine 1st, I ment to say that they were not strict on the dress code when I was in school.

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