Mr. Toastmasters, Fellow Toastmasters and Special Guests! 

These shoes are not cool.  This shirt is too long.  That sweater doesn’t match my pants. Oh my, I can’t fit into this outfit any more. Anyone who has school aged children has likely experienced this panic in the morning at some point in time.  Or, perhaps you experienced it yourself when you went to school. 

There is a simple way to remove this frustration and to change our school systems for the better all at the same time. One solution that helps alleviate conflict, save money, relieve parental stress and improve student esteem, pride and performance. What’s that one magic solution? School uniforms.  

School uniforms, you say? Well, before you sign me up for the local Socialist Newsletter hear me out. My reasons for School Uniforms runs the gamut from psychological to economical to practical to educational.  

First off, if we want to teach kids that “it’s what’s inside that counts”, why not help them learn that lesson by emphasizing their character not their clothing. This helps kids to judge each other by who they are not what they wear. Kids today have a hard enough time coping with their existence. Why add to their stress by forcing them to compete in the fashion Olympics every day. Clothing creates separation between children. Our goal with our youth should be to create community not separation. Uniforms will help children to look at each other as people not mannequins sporting the latest style. 

Critics will scream: you are taking away a child’s individuality!

Of course individuality is important. But let’s be serious. Trendy, fashionable clothes are are not a sign of individuality… they are a sign of sheep following the flock. True individuality is determined on the inside. By your words, by your actions. Relying on looking good in their clothes gives kids one less reason not to excel in other areas of their lives. As writer Quentin Crisp once said, “Fashion is what you adopt when you don't know who you are. “ We need to inspire, to cultivate the other positive talents and attributes of our children. As we all know, when a person loses one of his senses his other senses become stronger. The same is true for clothing. When clothes are taken out of the equation a person’s other attributes are forced to rise to the surface. Personality, love, kindness, intellect, creativity. These are the attributes of individuality we need to nurture in children. We need to teach that individuality comes from the heart and brain not from the closet. 

My second reason for School Uniforms. 

Let’s give parents a break. The early morning crisis of  “What do I wear?” is a waste of time and effort. Parents are supposed to be raising children not fashion models. Parents should be spending their time teaching kids the most important lessons in life. “That Ralph Lauren and Gucci do not go together” is not one of them. Let’s give parents one less thing to worry about….And one less thing to pay for. Fashionable clothes can be ridiculously expensive. One study showed that most families spend an average of $500 or more a year for non-uniform clothing per child.  It was estimated that, on average $300 would clothe that same child with uniforms.  That 40% savings could go a long way to paying for more important family needs.  

Next let’s look at the educational impact of school uniforms. Does it really affect performance? Does it create a safer environment in school? Does it create more school unity? Yes, Yes and Yes. When Long Beach Unified School District adopted their mandatory school uniform policy, attendance went up. Why? Well believe it or not, there were actually kids staying home from school because they didn’t have the right thing to wear. And if they weren’t absent, they were often times tardy because of time wasted picking out just the right outfit for school. As for safety, since the adoption of the policy in Long Beach Unified, school fights and muggings went down 50%; sexual offenses declined 74%. the crime rate on Kindergarten though-8th grade had decreased by 86%.  Uniforms also helped to prevent trouble-making outsiders from coming onto campus undetected. Overall, Administrators felt that the use of school uniforms has resulted in more children coming to school and studying in safer environments. You can’t argue with those kinds of results. 

And what about school unity and pride?  Uniforms can create a better sense of unity, camaraderie and school pride among children. With uniforms, kids feel they belong; they are part of something greater than themselves.  When all students can look at each other as a part of a team rather than as individuals just out for themselves, the school environment can’t help but change for the better. 

Lastly, what about respect for school and for education? Proper uniforms would indicate that for students, school is a place of respect and formal learning.   

Imagine a world where children no longer judge each other by what they wear.  Imagine eliminating one more item for conflict between parent and child, students and classmates, teachers and parents.   

No need to imagine.  Here is the simple solution. 

copyright, Shelly Bright 2006
duplication or copying prohibited without express permission

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