Dress code and uniforms : School.

AT FIRST, PATRICIA Bullock was having none of it. “I was pretty sure the world was going to end,” she laughs. Bullock was then entering Grade 11 at her new school in Regina, and she was less than enthused to learn that she’d have to wear a uniform. Consisting of a white blouse, navy dress, and a polyester A-line jumper with a “very ugly” school crest, it was an outfit that emphasized function over fashion. And yet, Bullock warmed up to the uniform pretty quickly—if not its look, then at least the way it simplified things. “That is actually what I found, that it was incredibly freeing.”

Although in Canada we don’t have a culture of wearing uniforms to school, the larger debate over dress codes and what kids should or shouldn’t be wearing to school is very much alive. For some parents and school districts, the answer lies in school uniforms. The idea has been gaining some traction in recent decades. In the U.S., over a fifth of public schools now require uniforms, up from around 12 percent in 2000. Stats for Canada are hard to come by, but school uniforms are fairly common in Quebec and in Catholic schools in southern Ontario. Here in central Alberta the idea is still fairly new, but with a number of local schools and programs opting for uniforms over civvies, it’s an option that’s worth taking a deeper look at.

In St. Albert, the Cogito program at Elmer S. Gish requires uniforms for its elementary students. However, Paula Power of St. Albert Public Schools notes that there have been “no discussions to expand that to other programs or schools, as we’ve not heard anything from parents indicating there’s an interest.”

Coming into Fashion

Bullock is now the mother of a teenage daughter who recently graduated from the Nellie McClung Girls’ Junior High, a program within Edmonton Public Schools. A noticeable aspect of the program is the uniforms worn by its students, known as “Nellies.” The basic or “number one” uniform consists of a blue-and-green tartan kilt and tie, white oxford shirt, navy cardigan and knee socks, and black shoes. The uniform wasn’t the primary reason that Bullock’s daughter chose the program, but it helped it stand out.

“She was just attracted to the idea of being in that [all girls] community,” Bullock says. “It was a smaller school, which is also appealing, and just being able to explore some diversity, I think that was important as well.”

Pros and Cons

The reasons why can likely be found in the positive things people often associate with uniforms: academic achievement, discipline, hard work, and the like. Harry Potter probably hasn’t hurt, either. Interestingly, in the U.S. the idea of uniforms has caught on strongly in many inner-city, low-income neighbourhoods. Worried about gang influence and unnecessary competition in clothing, education officials have increasingly turned to uniforms as a way to encourage professionalism among students.

Proponents of uniforms often point to the clothing aspect as a reason for implementing uniforms. They see clothes as too much of a distraction for students. Like adults, kids have a tendency to size each other up based on fashion choices, and clothes can further reveal income differences between families. Then there’s the cost, in time and money, of purchasing clothes and deciding what to wear each morning. The research is rather inconclusive, but does point to some positive effects of uniforms. A 2011 study out of Texas, for example, suggests that uniforms help improve attendance and graduation rates.

However, that same study did not find a link between uniforms and grades. Opponents are also quick to point out that uniforms are frequently

seen as symbols of conformity and a way for school administrators to exert authority and mitigate personal expression.

Then there’s the cost. Oddly, this one winds up being an argument both for and against uniforms. It can be a lot to pay upfront, although the clothes do tend to last a while, possibly saving parents money in the long run. According to Bullock, the kilt alone at Nellie McClung costs around $100, but in three years she only had to buy two, along with one sweater and two. Not including shoes, she estimates she spent around $700 over three years. She also points out that schools help out through used uniform sales, and many students donate old uniforms once they’ve moved on. Whether the additional cost is a burden or a bargain may depend on the specific uniform and the perspective of the person paying for it.

What do kids think?

“It puts up a lot of barriers that have nothing to do with learning, and at the end of the day, have nothing to do with life.” t8n