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When my first son attended school in grades K-12, I was totally against school uniforms. Wearing school uniforms represented "rigidity" and "conformity" and "being controlled" by authority. School uniforms seemed counterproductive to encouraging freedom of thought and creativity. Choosing new school clothes each year was a way to "make a statement" about who you were without ever speaking a word. When my second son attended, my opinion had changed completely.

While many people associate wearing uniforms with attending private school, more and more public schools are adopting school uniforms for students; some even have school uniforms or a specific dress code for teachers. Some schools define or designate a "school uniform" to be one particular outfit or perhaps a particular color scheme. For this article, a school uniform can certainly fit that definition, but public schools have broadened the definition of "school uniform" to include some choices. For instance, the uniform for winter months may include black or beige dress pants but in the summertime might also include black or beige "dress" shorts. Our district's school uniform allows for solid color polo shirts in green, white, gold (yellow), purple, orange and pink. Students may still wear shoes they are comfortable in and for gym class, they change to a school approved uniform; usually, t-shirt and shorts with the school logo. Our budget for school clothes has decreased 50%.

For students, benefits for wearing school uniforms include:

1. More time for rest or breakfast. When students know what they are going to wear, they can catch a few extra minutes of sleep or have time for a second piece of toast before hopping on the bus.

2. Less attention to "designer" or "brand name" clothing. Students can "dress up" or "dress down" for "after school" activities, social events in the community and when "hanging out" with their friends. Further, families can budget for those clothing choices rather than feeling obligated to buy school clothes because that's what everyone else is doing. Removing designer labels from the classroom reduces the stress often associated with wearing clothing that may be cost prohibitive for families.

3. Professional clothing, professional conduct.For high school age students, and particularly those in technical and vocational schools, wearing their professional uniforms such as "scrubs" for the medical assisting students were chef aprons for the culinary arts students generates a professional

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