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Many schools are now requiring their students to wear uniforms. While this has long been a norm in some private and parochial schools, many public schools are now changing their dress codes to allow only uniforms. Although many parents and students welcome the change, others vehemently protest having to wear uniforms. Both school districts and those opposed to uniforms have some good talking points on uniforms.

School districts have many reasons for bringing up uniforms as a possibility. For primary schools, uniforms are usually presented to parents as being easier for the kids; it takes much less time in the mornings to decide what to wear if the choice has to be a uniform, and often small kids have problems deciding what to wear or don't want to wear what a parent chooses. Economic reasons are also cited and parents are told that uniforms are less costly than name-brand clothing and that the student will not need a large variety of outfits if uniforms are adopted. Having everyone look similar as to soften the differences between socioeconomic levels is also sometimes mentioned as a reason for adopting uniforms.

Secondary schools that have students wear uniforms often do so to prevent students from wearing gang colors, immodest clothing, or outlandish outfits. While some schools require students to choose from only a few pieces of clothing, such as khaki slacks or skirts, polo shirts, etc., others put limitations on regular clothing, such as no logos of any kind on shirts. Schools that have frequent violations of their present dress codes often investigate uniforms as a solution to that problem. Uniforms are said to support school spirit, since everyone will be dressed similarly, and to reduce discipline problems, as uniforms help students stay focused on learning rather than on what other students in their class are wearing.

When a school district decides to look at the advantages of adopting mandatory uniforms, they usually put the issue on a school board meeting agenda to allow the public to express views on the subject. Many students, of course, will be opposed to uniforms since this is another rule that they will have to obey, and clothing is seen as an extremely personal issue to many. When adopting uniforms, many school districts begin by requiring primary students to first begin wearing the uniforms, and then move up a grade each year until the entire district is wearing them. Other districts let the parents decide, and there may be certain schools where students wear uniforms and others where students wear regular clothing. In some areas, parents and students have few problems adjusting to the uniforms, especially if started in lower grades; in other places, parents and students mount protests and appear at school board meetings, write letters to the editor of the local newspaper condemning uniforms, and let as many people as possible know of their distaste for dressing students all alike.

Why would a parent or student be opposed to school uniforms? Some say that uniforms are not attractive and limit the student's individuality. Others say that even though the school district mentions uniforms are less costly than regular clothing, the student will have to have another set of clothing to wear outside of school; the student will probably want to change clothes after school and that will lead to the parent having to buy and maintain more clothing, rather than less. Many rebut the school's theory that uniforms will make all students alike, neither rich nor poor, by pointing out that students already know who is rich and who is poor, and that in the real world people don't all dress alike to eliminate differences. Since many students see dress as an expression of their uniqueness, opponents to uniforms say that self-expression will be stifled if everyone has to dress alike. While school districts desire input before adopting uniforms, student input if usually not that important to them, as most students would be opposed to uniforms; parents, however, are sometimes supportive and sometimes very much opposed to uniforms, and their input is important to school board members.

Some opponents to school uniforms say that requiring students to wear uniforms is taking away their liberties; they cite examples such as communist China making everyone wear the Mao pajamas. After uniforms are required in schools, some parents even sue the school district to try to get an exception for their children to not have to wear uniforms. Although some districts allow parents to opt out of uniforms for their children, others do not; some do allow for students with religious reasons to opt out but not those who just have a personal dislike to uniforms.

Many large school districts, especially those in large cities, have adopted uniform policies, and several states also regulate school uniforms in schools. Safety is often cited as a reason for uniforms; if everyone on a campus is dressed very much alike, intruders can be spotted more easily. There have been cases in many areas where students have stolen expensive clothing, such as designer sports sneakers and jerseys, from other students at school; wearing uniforms would lessen this type of incident. Most school districts that adopt a uniform policy usually provide some kind of financial assistance program for those who can't afford the uniforms. Having to buy uniforms for several children all at once could be expensive, and assistance programs range from donated uniforms from other students who have grown out of them to contributions from local business partners or grants. Schools often say that wearing uniforms helps with discipline problems, as students concentrate on learning instead of disruptive clothing; many schools also encourage neatness with additional rules such as having shirts tucked into pants, etc.

As a former teacher, I am in favor of school uniforms. When schools are not firm on enforcing dress codes, or when dress codes are too lax, students do not have a serious attitude in school. If a student comes to school dressed like he's going to the beach, then that's the attitude that he will have. While teaching at a high school, I sponsored a service club that had out-of-town, overnight conventions once a year. There was a dress code for meetings at the conventions that specified dress-up clothes- jacket, tie, and slacks for guys and dresses, suits or tailored pantsuits for girls. The students complained about the dress code when they went to conventions, but once there they took lots of photos since everyone looked so nice. They were able to see other clubs' members looking their best too, and although some kids protested the dress code by wearing shower caps or hiking boots with their dressy outfits, they still wore the required parts of clothing and just had a little fun.

The state of Louisiana recently tried to pass a law forbidding pants that are so large that underwear can be seen more than a few inches above the pants' waistline. At some schools, overly large pants are allowed as long as they are uniform pants and the shirt is tucked in; at others they are not allowed. One school in the Houston area has uniforms that consist of jeans and a plain white T-shirt; this is something that almost every student already has in his or her wardrobe. Teachers have a much easier time of enforcing the dress code when a uniform policy is in place; I got very tired of having to check for so many different violations, and it disrupts the classroom when students constantly have to be sent to the office for violations.

My granddaughter has recently started a preschool where uniforms are worn, and she loves wearing the cute outfits. She has to wear either a navy blue or green polo shirt with navy or khaki slacks, shorts, skort, or skirt. On Fridays she can wear the school T-shirt with jeans. Her morning routine has been much simplified; previously she agonized over what to wear each morning. The school has a large box full of uniforms that other students have outgrown, and the parents price them and put in an envelope for payment; some are free and most are very low cost. All of the polo shirts have to be monogrammed with the school's name and logo; for preschool this is certainly a safety issue, as students are easier to keep up with while on trips. When started at an early age, wearing uniforms can become a status symbol in itself, and it's an easy way to spot students from one's own school while out in the community.

I hope that more schools adopt uniform policies. I think wearing uniforms makes life easier for parents and for students, and once all students begin wearing uniforms, many who were opposed at first will jump in and want to dress like everyone else. Allow students to express themselves through their schoolwork rather than through clothing; for those who feel stifled, there's always that other life after school and on weekends.