School Uniform Policy & Its Scope-soliciting opinions in the Lounge....

[spacelady]

My daughter attends the Mobile County Public School System in Alabama. OK, Strike One. This county established a uniform policy before she started school. Not happy, but compliant because it's the Law. She is now in 4th grade. No problems, excellent student, but that's not the point. She is in intermediate school grades 3-5.

Early this summer, they drastically changed the uniform code to eliminate Khaki skorts, which was a staple of her school wardrobe. I am one of thse parents who buy children's clothing in the hope that they may be able to fit in the next year. I wrote and stated my concerns before school started. Got stonewalled & then Katrina hit & I decided it wasn't that important.

However TODAY, it is starting to turn chillier & daughter wanted to wear long pants. After school she said her teacher told her that those pants were not acceptable. The thing is, these are the SAME pants she wore last year (still fit) and they totally conform to the written policy. Called principle & told her I could not buy her an entire new winter wardrobe & she had no response but that they were not the correct FABRIC. Mind you, they had no rivets, were not jeans material & not cargo pants, etc. What next? I have contacted school board, thinking of ACLU. Sorry so long.

[cssmall]

1. Mmm. See that's what causes uniforms to go wrong.

I believe in uniforms that are sold by the city or the county and are the same for all. Full price for the people that can afford it, free to those who are barely making it. But, fabric is a bullshit reason.

[spacelady]

3. Well if they are going to be so picky, they can provide them just like

the US military--with our tax dollars! See how everyone loves uniforms until they have to pay for them? This IS public school after all! Geez, I'm not trying to be contrary, just wish they would pick some rules & STICK WITH IT!

[cssmall]

6. I wholeheartedly agree with you!

[Lars39]

2. Have you been given fabric samples?

[spacelady]

4. Good point--Of Course not--they are just being vague because they do

not have a "uniform" uniform policy and they know it. Mobile County public schools is a HUGE school system and each school's uniform policy is up to the discretion of each school. See what I'm dealing with?

[Jamastiene]

5. There it is. I've said this would happen.

Many proponents of the school uniform codes say that the "clothing market" is too expensive in the regular world for many kids' parents to be able to afford it. They say the uniforms level the playing field for poorer students. The fact is that is does not. Not only does it cost more to have to buy "approved" school uniforms, but it costs more to have to buy street clothes for the kids in addition to that. They'll need two wardrobes with the school uniform requirements. They will not want to wear the uniform in regular life too. Seeing what happened to your daughter proves me right. I have always said that being forced to buy clothes to conform to some stupid school uniform policy would be more expensive, not less.

For the record, I'm against school uniform codes.

[cssmall]

7. That's why they need to be done correctly.

Students whose parents can afford easily pay full price, whereas those who cannot do not pay at all. That is fair, right? Uniforms are fair. I saw a brilliant young man drop out because his parents couldn't afford to have him dress to where he would not be teased. He grew discouraged and gave up. At least, with FEDERAL regulation, done CORRECTLY (I'm not yelling at you, just making a point that the government actually has to do something right), we could solve a lot of problems. However, this case is bullshit.

[Jamastiene]

13. I'm still against the uniforms deal, but I can see your point.

In this specific case it sounds like the school is creating the same fashion fad problem they claim to be fighting. The standard needs to be the standard and not change year to year. Changing it year to year just looks like "the latest fad" happening on the school's whim. A uniform is a uniform. They need to stick to one policy or scrap it altogether and go back to the drawing board. There is no reason they cann't be reasonable. While I am against the whole school uniform idea ( I pick my battles and this one isn't my passion, per se), I can see how the intention was meant to be a good one. Too bad in this case they forgot the original intention of uniforms and decided to make fashion statements that change year to year. That sucks.

[spacelady]

8. Yes, you are absolutely right & it only gets worse.

Right now, daughter is not hugely fashion conscious, but that is creeping up on the horizon. The thing is, I am not trying to fight the uniform policy, I am just objecting to the arbitrary changes that force me to buy new clothes when last year's clothes still fit and in actuality conform to the written policy. But then they say the FABRIC is wrong. Not the style & not the color. WTF??

[hippywife]

16. They say the uniforms level the playing field for poorer students.

That's what "they" say, alright. But I can tell you after going through Catholic school and everyone wearing the same uniform, it was still abundantly apparent who the rich and poor kids were.

[Jamastiene]

17. Precisely.

It's always a known fact who has money, because the rich kids don't ever shut up about how much money their mommies and daddies have. They know they can be president one day even with no effort just because their mommies and daddies are rich. Hmm, sounds like a certain president we know of, doesn't it?

[hickman1937]

9. Is this a public school?

Public education is supposed to be free. If you agreed to a uniform code when your child started at that school, and conformed to it, but now they've changed it in such a way that is unaffordable to you, I think they have an obligation to buy your child the clothing that will make it possible for her to get her education. Consult a lawyer. Many will do the initial consultation for free.

[spacelady]

10. You are absolutely correct, however it is not an affordability issue

for us, per se. It is an issue of why the change & I don't receive a definitive answer about style or color or brand, just FABRIC and the only one who has seen the pants is her teacher, but her teacher is not the problem. It is administrative communication & enforcement. However, I am thinking of taking them on not only for my behalf, but on the behalf of those who ARE strapped for money & can't question authority.

[spacelady]

11. And that was my 911 post. Going nukular, in my own small way. n/t

[hickman1937]

12. The administration is your employee as a tax payer.

If they established a uniform code, then arbitrarily or whimsically decided to change it, they are accountable to you for an explanation at the very least. The run around might be an indication that some fundy group is bulling them into decisions that don't serve anything except their own self interest. JMO.

[philosophie_en_rose]

14. Opt out of the policy.

I think you're entitled to opt out of the uniform requirement for any reason you want. If you want to dress your daughter in uniform-like clothing, that should be your choice.

To be honest, I don't understand how they have the time to quibble over fabric.

[tjwmason]

15. That's a dress-code rather than a uniform.

That's the problem in this case i.m.o.

I strongly favour uniforms, they're pretty much universal round here and I wore one for practically all of my school career. This is a uniform, including school tie, blazer with school badge on &c. A half-arsed dress-code gets the bad elements of uniform (doubling up on clothes which won't be worn outside) without the good elements (pretty much total excising of fashion from school).

On edit - the other problem here (which I forgot to address) is again unrelated to uniform per se, that is that changes are being made. There does have to be a level playing field so that parents can plan ahead; uniform changes should be kept to an absolute minimum.