Uniforms/awards | ADHD Information

I couldn't afford the nicer clothing. My parents seperated for a few years when I was about 7-10 years old, and my mom was raising my sister and I on student loans and welfare. My dad was an alcoholic and pissed all his money away.

I went to school one day wearing a name-brand sweatshirt that my mom had gotten from the Salvation Army. One of my classmates said, "if you can afford a name-brand sweatshirt, you'd think you could afford name-brand shoes and jeans". And then she and her little cronies all erupted into laughter.

It didin't end there. If she wasn't making fun of my clothes, she was making fun of my hair, my glasses, something I said, the colour of my backpack, the way I held my pencil, or what I was eating for lunch for God-sakes. She was relentless, and so were the other kids who picked on me.

I'm just saying that, if a kid REALLY wants to pick on you, then they will, no matter what. If you are wearing a uniform skirt, then they will pick on the shape of your knees.

Maybe I just had a particularly terrible time with these bullies, hence my horribly pessimistic view.

Actually, I do see what you're saying, BC, and I do agree they'll find anything to bully.

I just saw on the Weather Channel there's a town called Embarass, MN...how embarassing!

[QUOTE=sonya_h]We have one school district here that did turn towards uniforms, and then the kids would not, could not, go to school without there "solid black nike air force ones" or "black timberlands". The would NOT settle for any of the mutiple styles of other solid black shoes we had in stock specifically for school uniforms.[/QUOTE]

Okay, the school required Nike's or Timberlands? Or the parents just bought them because they just needed any black running shoe??

Either way, a good example of how this stuff seems to haunt us no matter what we do.

I've never in my life owned a pair of runners that cost more than . The best pair of runners I ever owned were FREE - I got them at summer camp when I was 12, and finally threw them away when I was over 20.

Oh, sorry....

the school only required solid black shoes. that's all, they could be tennis shoes, boots, mary janes, oxfords, it didn't matter as long as they were solid black.

but the KIDS felt that since the trend at the time, THEY needed to have the nikes,.......(retailed at the time for about ) or timberlands.....(0) to be accepted.....and the parents ALWAYS just went right along with the flow....

In my opinion, I think uniforms are not needed. I went to a highschool that had a huge range of wealth. While clothing companies do target youths to "fit in" with their trendy crap, dressing how you want makes you an individual. Uniforms make everyone look the same but so do all of the latest styles. I would prefer my kid (if i ever have one) to have the option of dressing like they want (within reason) then feeling miserable in a uniform.

Dress codes that exclude certain articles of clothing is completely acceptable. As long as a valid reason is given, I see no harm. My highschool had rules where a few articles were not aloud but the reasons made sense. All except the rule where thongs were banned. I still wonder how they would check for that without getting a lawsuit.

This is just my opinion though.

Good morning peoples!!

I think that in a perfect world, school uniforms would eliminate the teasing and make the students individuality shine through within themselves and their personalities rather than their clothes. I think that the people tending toward school uniforms mean well.

But alas, we do not live in a perfect world.....take it from someone who worked in a sporting good store within the last couple of years, where they sold the "name brand" items. We have one school district here that did turn towards uniforms, and then the kids would not, could not, go to school without there "solid black nike air force ones" or "black timberlands". The would NOT settle for any of the mutiple styles of other solid black shoes we had in stock specifically for school uniforms. The begged and pleaded with their mothers in the store during back to school time, that if they HAD to have uniform, they NEEDED the black nike's or timberlands. ............my biggest quirk??....THE PARENTS ALWAYS BOUGHT INTO IT!! We would get in a fresh stock of the name brand shoes, say, on a thursday, and by saturday, they were all gone. THE PARENTS WOULD PUT IN ORDERS AND BUY -what they would call- "CHEAP, UNNAMED BRAND SHOES" JUST TO LAST UNTIL THE NAME BRAND SHOES CAME IN!! The other unnamed uniform shoes would just sit around and gather DUST while the name brand uniform shoes would come and go like hotcakes... that's what I don't understand

And I have to agree with BC girl that if kids can't pick at one thing, they will usually find other things to tease about. or make a "necessary" trend out of.

it is a sad fact of life...

sonya_h38412.4557638889 [QUOTE=GypsyWomyn]
I just saw on the Weather Channel there's a town called Embarass, MN...how embarassing!

[/QUOTE]

No worse than Intercourse, Pennsylvannia, or Dildo, Newfoundland.

I totally agree with the uniform thing. I have 3 daughters, and I totally support the uniform thing. They go to a church school with a lot of wealthy families, and if those guidelines were not set in place, kids would be wearing all kinds of ridicolously overpriced clothing. My children and the children there are very happy well rounded and they express themselves with their minds, (art work, dancing, sports or whatever they are good at. Our uniforms consist of k-2 navy jumpers w/ leggins in winter, and always with a pair of shorts underneath. the 3-8 grade girls wear navy skorts or pants and white or chambray shirts. boys wear the navy pants, shorts or khakis w/white shirts. No mini skirts we all wear the school sweatshirts. we order their things from lands end.

As for the awards, we have a relatively new athletic club, and since this is our only our second year with jv sports, we have given everyone trophies who participated. The big awards come with the writing contest, science fair and math competition.

When I was in school, we (girls) couldn't wear pants or slacks. We weren't even alowed pull over sweaters (only cartigans)...were thought to be too revealing. Can you imagine? Final exam week, since it was so hot, we could wear coolots. Come a long way, baby.

[QUOTE]I completely disagree with the argument that school uniforms take a way a kid's individuality. I think it's the complete opposite. With school uniforms kids can learn to look at each other's personalities and not their clothes. They have more time to find other ways to express themselves, whether it's through art, math, poetry, science, music, writing, etc. I don't see how obsessing over clothes promotoes individuality. It actually PROMOTES conformity because everyone is trying to look cool. A piece of plain clothing isn't going to stifle a kid's personality. But bullying, ridicule, and trying to look "cool" can stifle a kid's personality. [/QUOTE]

I strongly agree with GreenGiant (you're not scarey..nah, nah, nah, nah).

And I'm really sick of seeing these boys with their pants down to their knees! Do the girls really think that's cool?

I remember when I was in school, when I got home, my mother would say "Get out of your good clothes, put on your jeans." Then after I graduated, and wore jeans all the time, she would say "Why don't you put on some good clothes and get out of those jeans."

GypsyWomyn38411.9500231482[QUOTE]Let's face it, kids will still pick on each other and will still try to fit into the "in" crowd, whether they are dressed in Tommy Hilfiger or some no-name uniform. A piece of clothing can't cover human nature.[/QUOTE]

However, bcgirl, don't you agree that since clothing is such an important aspect of growing students, uniforms may at least delete one more thing to ridicule others for, especially those who can't afford the nicer clothing? I completely agree with the school uniform idea. Kids can be spoiled and shallow about clothing so it's important to teach them values. Uniforms can help send a message that clothes and money aren't everything. Kids need to know that you can be cool by being a nice person, by being artistic, smart, creative, compassionate, friendly, and many other qualities.

I completely disagree with the argument that school uniforms take a way a kid's individuality. I think it's the complete opposite. With school uniforms kids can learn to look at each other's personalities and not their clothes. They have more time to find other ways to express themselves, whether it's through art, math, poetry, science, music, writing, etc. I don't see how obsessing over clothes promotoes individuality. It actually PROMOTES conformity because everyone is trying to look cool. A piece of plain clothing isn't going to stifle a kid's personality. But bullying, ridicule, and trying to look "cool" can stifle a kid's personality.

School uniforms won't magically solve all of our school problems but I think it would definitely help.
scarygreengiant38411.9247916667 [QUOTE=sonya_h]

Oh, sorry....

the school only required solid black shoes. that's all, they could be tennis shoes, boots, mary janes, oxfords, it didn't matter as long as they were solid black.

[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=GypsyWomyn]

I strongly agree with GreenGiant (you're not scarey..nah, nah, nah, nah).

[/QUOTE]

Haha. Thanks GypsyWomyn.

[QUOTE=sonya_h]

And I have to agree with BC girl that if kids can't pick at one thing, they will usually find other things to tease about. or make a "necessary" trend out of.

it is a sad fact of life...

[/QUOTE]

I see your point but just because kids will find other things to tease about, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to stop them from teasing classmates about clothes. Murder is outlawed but there are still plenty of people who will find ways to do it and get away with it. No one would say, "Well if people really wanna murder someone they're gonna do it anyway so why make a law against it?" Okay, that's an extreme example but you get what I mean, right? I was teased for MANY things when I was in middle and high school. I was teased because I never said the right thing, I was too daydreamy and "weird" to the other kids AND for not wearing the latest fashions. If our school had uniforms, that would have been one less thing that I got teased about. School wouldn't have been perfect but it definitely would have been much less unpleasant.

Even though we don't agree on the uniform issue I think we are all well meaning. Long live school uniforms!

scarygreengiant38412.746087963

i was misunderstood.

I am ALL FOR school uniforms for the help they will do...; it's just that we did have one of the schools convert to them, and I was just saying it didn't work, at least not for that school. they were trying to get the kids minds off of so much NAME BRAND crap, because people were beating each other up to steal it, shoplifting and stuff like that...selling drugs in order to get money to get what they want..... paying more attention to THAT than to more important things, such as school work, and what's inside, the personality....

but my point was that it did not work, and that the kids still found other things to need, and shoplift over, and bully other kids because they did not have.

we live in a community like that anyway, around here a lot of emphasis is put on name brand stuff, and a lot of stealing and stuff like that happens....

perhaps school uniform would have a different affect in a different area....

(sorry, i seem to be getting misunderstood a lot here today....you guys please bare with me, i am DEFINITLY having one of "those days"!!!)

sonya_h38412.7584259259While I agree wholheartedly with dress codes that exclude mini-skirts, inapropriate or vulgar images and slogans, etc., I can't say I agree with uniforms. To me, they convey the idea that one should conform and not try to be an individual. You've got to take comfort into account too. When I was a kid, I LOATHED skirts. I would have been one unhappy camper if I was expected to wear a skirt to school everyday. Sure... a girl may be allowed to wear pants instead, but then the skirt-wearing girls would all tease her.

Let's face it, kids will still pick on each other and will still try to fit into the "in" crowd, whether they are dressed in Tommy Hilfiger or some no-name uniform. A piece of clothing can't cover human nature.
Who think is great idea. I think great because to many kids are conserned about what brand they have on.Down side we aren't all the same.I think school color polo type shirts with school name and mascot. Dark colored pants, skirts to knee. shorts to knee. Studies show kids who do this perform better.This still gives some choices. Also prepares nice dress for sucess attitude. They need this.I also herd giving awards at all sporting events isn't teaching kids some loose some win.Reality. They did a study saying the 20 year olds aren't work ready.The girls mini's what a joke can't where do a job. Here outlawed in middle.highschool. I love it. Our daughter not allowed anyway. kjvbTeasing on clothing ,yes kids are judged by it.They are liked by what they have on. The worry at to much of young ages. The inside is what should matter.Teasing kids should be taught not to do it by parents.In our family unecxeptable at all. I would teach my kid not excepted.Today anything goes. Parents today are to worried about material things. This won't make you happy just want more.I got everthing I wanted as a kid. Didn't keep me happy either.KJVB38414.6470023148

I believe parents are the ones mostly against them for school. Why they have for sports. Teasing is aloud because of tolarence of staff and parents in my belief.This would take focus of what you have on. Bratz to me are because of parents.