Public School Uniforms

My public school district instituted a uniform policy for K-5 grade last year. However, per state guidelines, the district has to give parents the ability to opt out of the policy to be achieved by hand delivering the required form to their child’s school principal. Since most of the children in K-5 have not yet developed an affinity for fashion or material approval the uniform policy was instituted with little complaint. There was approximately 85% participation and I was very happy; uniforms are a cost-effective and efficient method of clothing your grade-schooler.

This year the policy was revised to include middle school students, 6-8^th grade. Now we have a problem. As the parent of a middle school child, I was well aware of the peer pressure to purchase certain clothing and adhere to a fashion code. Middle school encompasses the age group 11-14 when children reach puberty and become more aware of their bodies, peer group and social surroundings. Girls especially are particularly severe in their criticism as to who fits in and who does not fit into the perceived popular culture. Unfortunately, parents at the urging of their child found themselves caving to the relentless pressure of conformity and purchased the “right” fashions to insulate their child from being ostracized at school.

I thought the uniform requirement would finally allow my child to get down to the business of academics without the relentless undertow of the fashion police. Excited by the prospect of a new banner of solidarity against the marketing and materialism and consumerism, I bought my 7^thgrader a uniform. With the school year rapidly approaching, my child and I conducted our own straw polls were both surprised to find that many of the middle school parents were opting out of the uniform requirement. I was saddened because in these economic times, I thought parents would flock to the choice as a respite from having to shop for overpriced designer clothing and from the seemingly endless materialistic exasperations uttered daily by their child. Unfortunately, I was wrong.