DCPS considering doing away with uniforms?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are high income and have kids at a high-performing uniform DCPS school. I love it for so many reasons. It makes getting kids out the door easier. It creates a sense of common experience among the kids. It sends the message that school is for learning, not a fashion show or competition to see who has more branded stuff. Most importantly, it encourages kids to find more meaningful and less superficial ways to express and differentiate themselves.

Uniforms don't have to be expensive: I buy short and long sleeve polos at Target and Children's Place for under $10 each, khakis for under $15, and jumpers on Amazon for about $20. I could not possibly outfit my kids in non-uniform clothes for less than than what I spend on uniforms. I also pick up used things up from the school's swap tables sometimes. There is no stigma to that because a uniform policy reduces clothing to a functional thing, like textbooks to be passed on after use, rather than positioning clothes as a symbol of style and money.

Its not expensive on your high income but it is very expensive for someone on minimum wage or on cash assistance.

No more so than the alternative of buying enough non-uniform clothing to get through each week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uniforms can definitely be a hardship for families. Some families will even keep their kids home from school if they don't have clean uniforms. My neighbor was principal at a small SE school, and said that they laundered uniforms there so that kids would have something to wear.

I also think it can discourage families from changing to a more desirable school, if it means they'd have to buy a whole new set of uniforms.

They would have the same issues with non u informs too. Title 1 schools do a donation and swap every year. There are dozens and dozens of free options for anyone. I love uniforms at our title 1. The people opposed are always insecure parents who are worried that other people will think they are poor. Our HH income is 300k and I love my kid in her uniform every day!

Why do you assume people who don't like uniforms in public schools are insecure? Our income is higher than yours and I don't like uniforms in DCPS because the reason for them does not seem to be evidence-based, and because they are not uniformly implemented.

Whats the evidence for non uniforms being better? None. So just implement a uniform. also, the most anti uniform people are rich, IB parents for hardy who complain every year and pose the question over and over "when will hardy get rid of uniforms. there are more in bound kids" meaning they think uniforms are for poor OOB kids only. Look we are "turning the school around" and my kid needs to express herself.

[Anonymous]

Hardy not only wants to keep its uniforms, the school wants to run a midnight basketball program at Jelleff. If only Maret would let them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hardy not only wants to keep its uniforms, the school wants to run a midnight basketball program at Jelleff. If only Maret would let them.

Careful there. A bit too much of your prejudice is showing.

[Anonymous]

I think if you are going to require uniforms to attend public school, then they should be provided for free. If they are encouraged, but not required, that's fine. I think the vast majority of Americans have the impression that only crappy poor public schools require uniforms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hardy not only wants to keep its uniforms, the school wants to run a midnight basketball program at Jelleff. If only Maret would let them.

Careful there. A bit too much of your prejudice is showing.

Urban public school uniforms and midnight basketball programs are both hangovers from the 90s, when they were thought to bring order and discipline to unruly inner city schools. You would think that Hardy would want to leave past associations behind and embrace the 21st-century.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think if you are going to require uniforms to attend public school, then they should be provided for free. If they are encouraged, but not required, that's fine. I think the vast majority of Americans have the impression that only crappy poor public schools require uniforms.

Yup.

[Anonymous]

I love all of your posts and lively discussion except for one point: we need to stop ignoring the extra cost of uniforms to some people. I got my daughters second hand uniforms too by stalking thrift shops - there are none obviously available at the school for free. It is harder to buy a uniform second hand than non uniform clothes, which are available for free as hand me downs or fifty cents at the thrift shop are readily available. I do not pay more than thrift shop prices for any of my children's clothes (just because I'm cheap). Also the preferred t shirt is a school logo t shirt and those are an extra expense you cant get at the thrift shop. All in all I have spent $200 on the uniform between thrift shop and logo t shirts and sweat shirts - all additional expenses. So some parents who would otherwise buy new clothes might save money but we need to stop ignoring the extra costs for some people by talking about the thrift shop and uniform banks which may or may not be a solution. I hardily agree that if schools want to use uniforms they should offer them for free for those who need them. Otherwise I find the arguments compelling on both sides.

[Anonymous]

Every low income school in DC offers uniform exchanges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love all of your posts and lively discussion except for one point: we need to stop ignoring the extra cost of uniforms to some people. I got my daughters second hand uniforms too by stalking thrift shops - there are none obviously available at the school for free. It is harder to buy a uniform second hand than non uniform clothes, which are available for free as hand me downs or fifty cents at the thrift shop are readily available. I do not pay more than thrift shop prices for any of my children's clothes (just because I'm cheap). Also the preferred t shirt is a school logo t shirt and those are an extra expense you cant get at the thrift shop. All in all I have spent $200 on the uniform between thrift shop and logo t shirts and sweat shirts - all additional expenses. So some parents who would otherwise buy new clothes might save money but we need to stop ignoring the extra costs for some people by talking about the thrift shop and uniform banks which may or may not be a solution. I hardily agree that if schools want to use uniforms they should offer them for free for those who need them. Otherwise I find the arguments compelling on both sides.

Agree that uniforms can be a hardship. And to those saying "poor families can just go to a thrift store," thrifting all over town may not be an attractive option for parents with busy work schedules, or who don't own a car.

[Anonymous]

I still don't understand how it's an extra cost. You'll need to buy clothes for your kid, whether it's a uniform or regular clothes.

When you have school uniforms, you just purchase less regular clothes. Your kids only need regular clothes for two days per week. There is less need for a big closet full of non-uniform clothing.

Exercise some self-control, folks. Having less stuff in your house will also teach your kids a good lesson in materialism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love all of your posts and lively discussion except for one point: we need to stop ignoring the extra cost of uniforms to some people. I got my daughters second hand uniforms too by stalking thrift shops - there are none obviously available at the school for free. It is harder to buy a uniform second hand than non uniform clothes, which are available for free as hand me downs or fifty cents at the thrift shop are readily available. I do not pay more than thrift shop prices for any of my children's clothes (just because I'm cheap). Also the preferred t shirt is a school logo t shirt and those are an extra expense you cant get at the thrift shop. All in all I have spent $200 on the uniform between thrift shop and logo t shirts and sweat shirts - all additional expenses. So some parents who would otherwise buy new clothes might save money but we need to stop ignoring the extra costs for some people by talking about the thrift shop and uniform banks which may or may not be a solution. I hardily agree that if schools want to use uniforms they should offer them for free for those who need them. Otherwise I find the arguments compelling on both sides.

m

This just means some schools do it badly. Our school has free uniforms available in a closet that’s totally open once a month so folks can even grab from it without anyone knowing. I don’t know what you mean by logo shirts being preferred? Maybe by the kids, but not by the school at least at my kids’ school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I still don't understand how it's an extra cost. You'll need to buy clothes for your kid, whether it's a uniform or regular clothes.

When you have school uniforms, you just purchase less regular clothes. Your kids only need regular clothes for two days per week. There is less need for a big closet full of non-uniform clothing.

Exercise some self-control, folks. Having less stuff in your house will also teach your kids a good lesson in materialism.

NO YOU DON’T NEED TO PURCHASE BEW CLOTHES ANYWAY. The fact that you post this shows your ignorance and entitlement. I have not purchased new school clothes for my 12 year old since he was born. Period

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are high income and have kids at a high-performing uniform DCPS school. I love it for so many reasons. It makes getting kids out the door easier. It creates a sense of common experience among the kids. It sends the message that school is for learning, not a fashion show or competition to see who has more branded stuff. Most importantly, it encourages kids to find more meaningful and less superficial ways to express and differentiate themselves.

Uniforms don't have to be expensive: I buy short and long sleeve polos at Target and Children's Place for under $10 each, khakis for under $15, and jumpers on Amazon for about $20. I could not possibly outfit my kids in non-uniform clothes for less than than what I spend on uniforms. I also pick up used things up from the school's swap tables sometimes. There is no stigma to that because a uniform policy reduces clothing to a functional thing, like textbooks to be passed on after use, rather than positioning clothes as a symbol of style and money.

Its not expensive on your high income but it is very expensive for someone on minimum wage or on cash assistance.

No more so than the alternative of buying enough non-uniform clothing to get through each week.

That's only true if your child stays in their uniform all day after school. Most kids change, so they wear two outfits per day, plus gym clothes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love all of your posts and lively discussion except for one point: we need to stop ignoring the extra cost of uniforms to some people. I got my daughters second hand uniforms too by stalking thrift shops - there are none obviously available at the school for free. It is harder to buy a uniform second hand than non uniform clothes, which are available for free as hand me downs or fifty cents at the thrift shop are readily available. I do not pay more than thrift shop prices for any of my children's clothes (just because I'm cheap). Also the preferred t shirt is a school logo t shirt and those are an extra expense you cant get at the thrift shop. All in all I have spent $200 on the uniform between thrift shop and logo t shirts and sweat shirts - all additional expenses. So some parents who would otherwise buy new clothes might save money but we need to stop ignoring the extra costs for some people by talking about the thrift shop and uniform banks which may or may not be a solution. I hardily agree that if schools want to use uniforms they should offer them for free for those who need them. Otherwise I find the arguments compelling on both sides.

m

This just means some schools do it badly. Our school has free uniforms available in a closet that’s totally open once a month so folks can even grab from it without anyone knowing. I don’t know what you mean by logo shirts being preferred? Maybe by the kids, but not by the school at least at my kids’ school.

Whatever the reason, if it's a hardship for some families, why not just get rid of them?