tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post8171900347559041461..comments2023-10-15T20:34:44.665-04:00Comments on Beverly Akerman: The Case Against School UniformsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-29986611657264104632015-04-07T11:46:18.246-04:002015-04-07T11:46:18.246-04:00Nice post sharing information related to Boys Scho...<br />Nice post sharing information related to <a href="http://affordableuniformsonline.com/school-uniforms/boys-uniforms" rel="nofollow">Boys School Uniforms</a>Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430089314961981831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-39778897519910234902014-08-05T10:22:01.969-04:002014-08-05T10:22:01.969-04:00i understand your arguments, but I am pro-uniform ...i understand your arguments, but I am pro-uniform or pro-dress code, whichever is the best for the school involved. My sons went to a dress-code school and my daughter went to a uniform school.<br /><br />I completely agree that parents should be able to say to their children "no, that's not appropriate for school' and "no, you're not wearing that." But I also believe that we need to pick our battles, and if this battleground is eliminated, it's something that they don't have to think about. Taking this out of the equation gives you that much more room for something else.<br /><br />I went to school in the 60s too - the girls in elementary school wore tunics but uniforms were gone by the time I hit high school. My mother was very anti-uniform and she refused to allow me to wear a tunic. The result was I was the only girl in the entire school population not wearing a tunic. I can tell you that this was not fun. The other students didn't like it and the teachers didn't like it. However, my mother's stance was she would take the school board to court if they did anything about it. No, it was not fun. Maybe this colours how I feel about uniforms, I don't know.<br /><br />My daughter got rid of her uniform the second she was able to, and she and the boys went to the standard teen uniform of jeans and tees when they went to CEGEP. None was worse for the uniform experience. In fact, my sons have always been comfortable in suits and dress clothes because it is what they know. I've watched some friends' sons struggle with this. While it's not the end of the world to adapt to dress clothes later than sooner, it is nice to see my sons comfortable no matter what they wear - dress up or dress down. A little thing, but life is full of little things.<br /><br />And a final note about private schools. Because of our public school options where we lived, we chose to send our children to private schools. Both schools were very generous and had a signifiant number of students receiving bursaries or some type of financial assistance. My children went to school with students of many ethnicities, faiths, and socioeconomic backgrounds, something they would not have done had they stayed in our area and attended our public school. They had friends who were extremely wealthy and friends who were on social assistance. if they stayed in our community, attending our public school, they would have been with kids just like them all the time, day in and day out never leaving the community unless they were with us, as a family. Putting our children in the schools of our choice forced them out of their/our comfort zone and into the world where they experienced things we would never have been able to provide if we had kept them close to home.<br /><br />I am not anti public school and sending them to public school was the original plan. But we need to make the right choices for our families.Marijke Vroomen-Durninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14436563110710429784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-56445060691323907662013-10-11T19:48:17.416-04:002013-10-11T19:48:17.416-04:00Hi Bev, I just had a few comments. First of all I&...Hi Bev, I just had a few comments. First of all I'd like to say that I was very much raised in the public school system until I entered high school three years ago--a boarding school in Canada. Once I began wearing a uniform I could instantly see its benefits. Mornings are now quicker, people are more open and accepting, and the school, as a whole, looks more presentable.<br /><br />Our uniform is quite simple; the students in the picture you posted (walking outside our dining hall) are in their formal uniform and it is worn for special occasions. We our proud of wearing this as we are able to showcase our achievements (colors ties, pins, etc) and represent our school. The day to day classroom uniform we wear is much simpler, consisting of a tucked-in polo with pants or a skirt. Polos and sweaters come in a variety of colors thus eliminating the prejudices against "races, religions and socio-economic groups" that you claim. You also seem to insinuate that private schools are not diverse; this is not only wrong, it is the opposite of the truth. Around 40 countries are represented here. Diversity occurs not only in "races, religions and socio-economic groups," but ideas; we can look past the superficial and focus on education because of our uniforms. <br /><br />I am proud of my uniform. Please don't associate our school to the ideas you propagate about the peppiness of uniforms by using a picture of my fellow classmates to illustrate your point when you don't know enough about our school.Sam Smithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-43083982617572836382013-03-24T15:01:28.766-04:002013-03-24T15:01:28.766-04:00So many distractions are eliminated by a school un...So many distractions are eliminated by a school uniform. Children (ie those who are not yet old enough to trust with the vote) are bombarded continually by advertisers persuading them to want the latest fashion fads, cosmetics and other unnecessary accessories. Dress choices reflect class, culture, economics and social status. Requiring a uniform WHILE IN SCHOOL just removes all these distractions from the learning environment, and eliminates one thing school staff have to police regarding their students' behavior. It's bad enough when a student is sent home for "inappropriate dress." It's worse that a school teacher or administrator has had to waste time sending them home. Kids have plenty of time outside of school hours to express themselves through their clothing choices.Robert K. Blechmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12552295127347803870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-5266258722068772852012-08-14T23:15:34.875-04:002012-08-14T23:15:34.875-04:00I think it's much more important to teach chil...I think it's much more important to teach children to be true to themselves and to think for themselves. Of course, we also have a responsibility to teach them boundaries. I'm not disputing that. In my opinion, it's much more beneficial for schools to have a dress code that states what is not acceptable and let the students choose from what is acceptable. For example, skirts may not be shorter than when you hang your hands down at your sides, spaghetti straps are not allowed at school, you may not let your underwear show as part of your style, clothing advertising alcohol or cigarettes is not permitted, etc. And I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but a dress code is not an effective form of distraction. Teens who want to cause trouble, will cause trouble, because there is usually a deeper underlying cause that needs to be addressed.S.L. Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03917834127135482985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-7162214937646523952012-07-18T18:25:30.441-04:002012-07-18T18:25:30.441-04:00My two sons (now 22 and 23) used faded blue jeans ...My two sons (now 22 and 23) used faded blue jeans and rock band t-shirts as a form of creative expression when they were teenagers. Things like making sure shirt tails are tucked in probably makes the wrong things seem important. It seems like you fostered creativity despite the uniform requirement.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05872444343533261864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-9889297727172221272012-07-18T10:36:43.930-04:002012-07-18T10:36:43.930-04:00Thanks for reading and commenting, Rosemary. My yo...Thanks for reading and commenting, Rosemary. My youngest child just graduated from high school. One of her first acts was to get rid of her uniform...on the one hand, I do think it gave the kids a sense of community. On the other: uniforms are for the military, that's what I keep thinking. School shouldn't be a restriction zone. Not totally, I don't think.Beverly Akerman MSchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06049705953923022347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-48742311800916484252012-07-18T03:02:48.087-04:002012-07-18T03:02:48.087-04:00Beverly,
Thanks for the insight of the past and ho...Beverly,<br />Thanks for the insight of the past and how we deal with issues that are so controversial as dress in the schools. Awareness in our children with the rebellous traditions is a positive move to finally gaining control in what has for decades or longer been a problem.<br />Thank You,<br />Rosemary "Mamie" AdkinsRosemary Mamie" Adkinshttp://www.exttraordinaryireland.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-81658962577082055762012-07-17T17:41:50.579-04:002012-07-17T17:41:50.579-04:00Hi Sandra
I assume you mean this? "If we hav...Hi Sandra<br /><br />I assume you mean this? "If we have a problem with the sluttish dress of some of our daughters, or the exorbitance of the latest trend in jeans, we should face these issues forthrightly, not cover them over with grey flannel! Buck up, I say! Learn to say “No, that is not appropriate dress for school.” No further explanation is necessary."<br /><br />Thanks for reading!Beverly Akerman MSchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06049705953923022347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-63100301006011993462012-07-17T17:27:30.278-04:002012-07-17T17:27:30.278-04:00I enjoyed your blog post, but I especially love th...I enjoyed your blog post, but I especially love that piece of sage advice--it makes a lot of sense to me and I think I may have unconsciously practiced it while our kids were growing up. Great blog!Sandra McLeod Humphreyhttp://www.kidscandoit.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-30746495122010340352011-08-28T11:48:06.751-04:002011-08-28T11:48:06.751-04:00someone i know once told me that, as parents, one ...someone i know once told me that, as parents, one of most important choices is to pick the level at which our children rebel. if we are strict about haircut & clothes, they rebel by wearing torn jeans or punk hair. but if we're totally permissive about everything, the kid has to take heroin to get our attention...i've never forgotten this advice. particularly because this guy's kid had taken heroin...Beverly Akerman MSchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06049705953923022347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2504008859438635433.post-49155628735566208602011-05-23T09:58:25.743-04:002011-05-23T09:58:25.743-04:00One of the biggest reasons for enforcing things li...One of the biggest reasons for enforcing things like "tucking in of shirts", and "doing up your top button" is because it distracts kids away from rebellion. They rebel against what they may view as the most menial rule, because they see it as the least necessary, and it actually prevents them from playing up in other areas.<br />Effectively, it's a sly but effective form of distraction used on children, particularly teenagers, to prevent them causing trouble.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com