Dress Codes for School Children in NEPA (renting, day care)

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

Originally Posted by WatsonWest

Actually, the West Scranton high school doesn't have uniforms, but a very strict dress code. It's all of the things that Western Wayne has except the clothes have to be solid colors, no stripes, patterns or lettering/logos.
They also cannot have the same color tops & bottoms ie. black & black.
No visible piercings except ears.
All clothes must fit properly. Now some of the girls come out with tight pants, but no baggy ones. Also no extra pockets.

The elementary and middle schools have the uniforms. It makes mornings a lot easier. I'm not sure why the high schools don't have them. The kids are used to wearing them by the time they get to HS, so why not continue?

All good things to have in place. And I bet these districts that you mention like Western Wayne/Scranton - I bet their administrators send them home if the attire is not proper.

[blip]

Well, I guess I'm the sole voice of dissent in this thread.

I view dress codes as the schools trying to do the parents job for them. I don't mind having some rules, like covering your torso from the collar bones down to the knee or something simple like that. But a lot of this seems to go too far.

My kids are still too young to personally have to deal with this issue, so I of course reserve the right to change my mind , but from what I've seen you have to pick your battles. If my 16 year old wants to get her eyebrow pierced, that's between her and me. (Especially if I consider it part of my culture to pierce eyebrows.) It's not about trying to be her friend.

If she wants to wear a colorful, collarless, striped shirt and baggy pants, I don't see how that's disrespectful. Clothing isn't disrespectful, attitudes are. The focus on dress seems misplaced to me.

I also think it's actually good for kids to express some identity and creativity with their dress and hair styles. Forcing everyone to dress like a preppie is lame. Sure, extreme cliquey-ness and label-conciousness are bad, too, but that's another job for an involved parent.

And, I can't say any of today's teenage fashion mistakes are any worse than the ones in my day.

[Summering]

Oh my, well ,some clothing is disrespectful. I recently saw a kid going into a store with the back of his slacks about resting on the "back of his knees".........
It is this disregard for what is decent and what is not that brings the need of uniforms in focus.

I think I would have loved it for my three girls, rather then going to every store in the tri-state area looking for clothes that suited each one. Each having their own particular tastes.........what a big job that was.

Just the thought of not having to do that brings a huge smile to my face.

There really was always too much of "brand, and who had what" in schools. I like the even playing field. Now, its all school..........Go there, work hard........nothing in the way of classroom structure.

I go for identity after school. Fun, frolic, and dress to the nines........but, gosh........
There is no place for slacks that hang to ones feet.

[WatsonWest]

I don't agree with everything in Scranton's dress code, but have had my daughter call me to bring in something else to wear because she didn't have a collar. IMO there was nothing wrong with her clothing but it didn't meet "code."
I see nothing wrong with stripes & no collars & eyebrow/nose piercings, but then where do you draw the line?
At open house the principle said that they can easily identify students from people who don't belong in the school by how they are dressed. Some of it does come down to who you know or have pissed off but all-in-all it's not so bad.
Like I said, it really cuts down on morning issues. I never thought I'd be for the uniforms & strict dress codes until I saw some of the things that kids try to get away with, mine included.

[poconoproud]

PV district has had talks lately of uniforms. The kids have just been banned from wearing hooded sweatshirts...and other things have been as well, and there has been talk of a strict code coming after the holidays.

[sues1]

[quote=TheHighHat;5567588]

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

High ; I totally agree there. I just cannot understand how some of these teachers go into schools with pupils dressed like that. Some of my friends are teachers and the stuff they talk about ; I have to remind myself that it is school.

I say bring back uniforms for public schools. My sons go to parochial and it is such a great thing to have uniforms. It teaches respect, education (as they arent focused on their style), and the kids are more willing to learn.

The problem mostly isn't the teachers but the Adminstration that does not back them up. When you bring it to the Principals attention, they take it out on you, so after awhile everyone has blinders on.

They should bring back something, yet the real issue is that the parents do not want to be parents - but friends. We all went to parochial schools to, there was strict dress code, but it was also have parents that were available and there when we got home from school. I agree with you, it does teach respect, education amongst other things. It is up to the parents, not the school to teach morals, etc. And obviously, in the example no sex education was taught.

Very sad.

Uniforms do not teach respect, parents are supossed to do that. I don't think uniforms make kids respectful, and willing to learn. There is nothing wrong with kids wearing their own clothes, but within reason. I also don't see how families can survive in this day and age without both parents working, i was a stay at home mom and my kids were no angels.

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

Originally Posted by Summering

Oh my, well ,some clothing is disrespectful. I recently saw a kid going into a store with the back of his slacks about resting on the "back of his knees".........
It is this disregard for what is decent and what is not that brings the need of uniforms in focus.

I think I would have loved it for my three girls, rather then going to every store in the tri-state area looking for clothes that suited each one. Each having their own particular tastes.........what a big job that was.

Just the thought of not having to do that brings a huge smile to my face.

There really was always too much of "brand, and who had what" in schools. I like the even playing field. Now, its all school..........Go there, work hard........nothing in the way of classroom structure.

I go for identity after school. Fun, frolic, and dress to the nines........but, gosh........
There is no place for slacks that hang to ones feet.

I agree 100 percent that slacks that hang down to one's feet is not for a school environment. I think it is terrible when young girls and boys go to school dressed like the "baggy pants" and the underwear showing and the girls that dress provocatively. What message does this send out?

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

There is a separation in schools - students singled out for what they are wearing. Did you ever see a goth - and how they are viewed from other students. I believe a dress code places a stronger focus on academic performance - where students are not comparing what they wear. There is research that will back up the fact that uniforms and/or dress codes decrease opportunity for showing any gang membership or even hiding weapons. Those baggy pants students could hide a shotgun in those pants. And, as Summering mentioned it decreases problems in the morning/fights on what to wear or not wear. Dressing appropriate for school increases pride in the student and pride in the institution they are attending.

[sues1]

Why is so different today than it was in the 70's, 80's and 90's?? Each generation has their way of dressing and expressing themselves. Why is this such a problem now? I don't think baggy pants down to your ass is attractive, i think they should be able to dress the way they want, but within reasonable limits. There are plenty more serious issues today, i do not think this is a big deal.

[I LOVE PA!]

How you dress is a direct representation of who you are. It is most people's first impression of an individual. I gre up in the 70's...and aside from a definite style we had...there was nothing back in that day that was sloppy, disrespectful, weird...what-have-you about our style of dress, make-up or hair. Hopefully by the time a child reaches High School, they are being groomed for the world in which they will WORK one day. It is not socially acceptable to 'express' your style..whatever it may be. In any Corporate office, bank, Doctors office, grocery store...there is a dress code. (or their should be) Why not teach these kids to have pride in themselves and dress as if they are preparing for their next step in life?
Along with the dress code comes another simple life lesson....FOLLOWING THE RULES. If you can't follow the rules...I don't care what your SAT score is...you won't make it in the local gas station. It is a life lesson than unfortunately needs to be taught in school because we can't count on parents to send their children to school looking respectful.
I was at the grocery check-out one day while the bagging girl was 'playing' with her nose ring. Apparantly, she had taken it out and couldn't find the hole to get it back in. I think it is GROSS for someone to be playing with their nose ring and touching MY FOOD. If this young girl hadn't had a nose ring...well...problem solved.