Weaving identical polyester strands of material around our pubescent youngsters may have been all the rave decades ago. The Germans made good use of it as their children learned how quickly a book will burn as they kept perfect time marching in Berlin. School uniforms are best left to crazy idealistic despots hell bent on world domination, desperate couples in search of that "zing" needed in their sex life, or Catholic schools.
School uniforms are seen as a savior to school troubles and problems. Make them look alike and the issues should disappear faster than their spirit and drive as they get ready for school every morning. School uniforms are merely a plaid band-aid laying limply over problems crisply creased Grey pants nor knee high socks can truly help defeat.
Let me give you some examples.
1. Teen pregnancy. Kids will be kids and a uniform won't stop two kids from conceiving a kid. Overlooking the time it takes to get that sweater vest over your girlfriends hairspray cemented coif, clothing is flying off our children whether it is a part of a set or a signed Randy Moss jersey.
2. We can not possibly blind ourselves thinking mockery and bullying would be non-existent in a uniformed world can we? In personal experiences, it takes one hair to be out of place, one crater zit to form on your nose, or one unfortunately mistimed expulsion of flagellance in the middle of English class for our classmates and friends to pounce upon you with the ferocity a big game cat saves for a wounded Gazelle. Let us all open our eyes and realize the necktie and Buster Brown shoes won't save an awkward acne filled teenager the embarrassment of being humiliated at least one time in their lives.
3. The last time I had checked, drug addiction is not miraculously cured at the sight of breathable cotton. In fact, having to look at the same clothing all week long might have some of our students pining for some good hallucinogens, just so they can stop seeing Burgundy and Grey down every hallway at the school. Drugs ooze their way into our children's lives if they are wearing blue jeans or pleats.
4. Since when are there no fights in schools with uniforms? If bullying continues and drug use burns on, what makes us think violence will not follow along? After being pelted by instant mashed potatoes at lunch time, you and your ninth grade girlfriend's honor must be upheld, someone is getting a can of opened whip ass. Surely school uniforms do nothing to quell the raging rapids of rumors flowing through schools and when one of those rumors gets to the wrong person? Well get ready for some haymakers to be thrown.
Schools do enough to break the will and desire of kids on a daily basis, we should not have to include making them all dress alike as well. This idea of conformity is wrong. Make everyone the same and problems will go away. No one is better than the rest. It borders on Communism. While the zest for life is still bright within their bodies, let our kids express themselves. Even if it is with striped spandex pants and a hot pink tank top. This opens the doors to freedom and being "one's self". It also helps our poorly dressed and fashion handicapped kids gravitate towards the other 'Project Runway' rejects. How in the world will we know the grunge kids from the goth kids without being able to read the Nirvana t-shirts or looking for the black trench coats?
We live in a society that says it embraces diversity? Welcomes the different? Why then are the governmental agencies that teach our children so adamantly against this diversity? I do not think some things are appropriate for walking out of the house let alone sitting in Conversational German in. Understand, I do believe in tactful censorship for public places and for minors living under my roof but I also believe in letting our children be able to have some freedom of expression before corporate America grabs a hold and chokes the Birkenstock's right off of them.
Let's begin to educate our kids in a way that does not condescend. Let's open our ears and shut our mouths for a moment and listen to our children. Let's not kid ourselves about the sway of a school uniform. Let us not pretend a school uniform in public schools will prevent a kid who has been pushed over the edge not to load his Glock 9mm and bring it to school.
Kids can be horny, viscous, addicted, and violent. We think slathering a mixture of droll uniforms, a faux understanding of what kids are going through, and lame out dated instructional video's and lesson plans will be the magic wand to take away the ills of our schools? We forget that kids can also be thoughtful, creative, intelligent, and articulate, even while they cover up in vintage tee's from Target and American Eagle jeans. Adulthood is smirking at the crops of children finishing their schooling and heading into the "real world". The next 20-30 years of their lives to be spent conforming to the will of empty suits and guys who play golf at country clubs more than they spend time at work. For now, leave the uniforms to totalitarianism, dull marriages, and God.