Moms Weigh In On Uniform Policy

Moms Talk is a new feature on Woonsocket Patch!

We invite you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for mothers and their families right here in Woonsocket.

Each week in Moms Talk, our "Moms Council" of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions.

Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community will have a new resource for questions about neighborhood schools, the best pediatricians, 24-hour pharmacies and thousands of other issues that arise while raising children.

Moms Talk will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. How do you talk to our children about violence in the news? How can you help our children's schools weather budget cutbacks? What do you do when you disagree with your child's teacher?

So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with our council of 5 answering one question:

How do you feel about the public school uniform policy?

(mother of two)

As a mom, I think the children in Woonsocket look nice in there uniforms, however, my personal view is in less government. Also, I am not convinced our tax dollars will not be used to purchased uniforms for the children of Woonsocket in order for them to attend the public school.  I have seen plenty of government ideas start out simple and affordable and the next thing you know, you are paying and paying. Buying school uniforms is not what I want to do with my tax dollars. I feel a proper dress code should be in place and enforced for both the students and the teachers

My family's experience with the dress code has been mixed. I purchased proper uniforms for both of my children, which they did not wear until October. At that time, my children went to school in full compliance, but as time went on less and less students were in compliance. 

My 12th grade high school son did not want to wear his uniform. We told him that was his choice,  but he would have to face any consequence.  About four or five weeks into not wearing his uniform he came home and said the principal came through the class room and picked out a couple of students not in uniform. She then made them go to the office and gave them detention.

When my son questioned why she was not taking every student not in uniform, he was told not to worry about it.  However, I do know what the policy is for when a student is not in compliance, and none of the steps where  followed.  My feeling is you can not pick and chose what part of the policy you are going to follow through on or who your going to force it on.  It has to be the same for everyone.  That is why I have issues with the school readiness policy.  By the way, this is the first and only time my son has ever had detention or in any kind of trouble. 

, (mother of  two)

As mother of a fourth grade girl, I couldn’t be happier with the school uniform mandate. Well no, that’s not necessarily true: if I could, I would change one thing - the hideous colors. The gray, burgundy, tan and black seem to be the worst colors one could possibly choose.   

Aside from that, however, there are several advantages to having to wear the same basic style and color each day. For one thing, it eliminates any and all arguments between the parent and the child regarding what is appropriate and what is inappropriate.

Secondly, the uniform policy eliminates competition amongst the students. Which student has the most expensive, hip, or fashionable clothes is no longer an issue. Third, it cuts way down on clothing expenses, after all, how many variations of the same colors can you purchase? And lastly, and perhaps most importantly, it saves time! My daughter will stay in bed in the morning until the last possible second. If she had to choose her clothes every morning, her number of days tardy would be far higher than it currently is. (and choosing the outfit the night before doesn’t work. We women are prone to changing our minds)

As far as variations in the school uniform …naturally each child will want to add his or her unique and personal touch. Whether it be a pair of sparkly pink sneakers, a knee- length gray sweater dress, or a dark pink shirt in place of the burgundy, there are bound to be several differences. I have no qualms with this. In my opinion, If the school administrators want every student to dress identical, they need to provide the uniforms.

, (mother of three)

I have been 100% in favor of uniforms since the idea was first introduced. For my family it has worked out wonderfully. Not only does it make every morning a "no brainer " as far as wardrobe goes but it has really saved our one income family quite a bit of money thus far. As for the students, surely it was a hard adjustment for most and I'm sure a lot of parents struggled with some pretty tough resistance, but at the end of the day the peer pressure, social stresses and sometimes even bullying and ridicule it eliminates for many of our kids must surely be worth it .

On the flip side, I know many parents who are not in favor of the policy, which is their right, however, what I struggle with is the parent who says to their student "you don't have to wear a uniform to school." What kind of message are we sending our kids by allowing them to disregard rules? They are only adding to the problems we as parents are trying so hard to fix. Quite frankly, even if I were against the policy my children would be in uniform  because it is a policy in place and the expectation is that they follow that policy end of story. What we can do as parents is model and teach our children that they do have a right to agree or disagree with the policy but that there is an appropriate time and place for that debate.

I, for one, am proud to live in a community that is willing to really fight for a policy that has been quite controversial and unpopular. At the end of the day hasn't our community always had a wonderful student body to be proud of ? Adding a uniform to that student body can only enhance their school spirit , pride and readiness to learn , it's all icing on the cake.

(mother of two)

I fully back the public school uniform policy. The other day I happened to be driving by the high school as students were heading home for the day.  As I sat stuck in traffic I was as impressed as I observed a flood of high school students walking by dressed in khaki and black pants. This group, who will one day be part of our city's future, looked so respectable and most importantly equal.

I have two children who graduated from the school over 5 years ago.  They would come home disgusted and tell me how teachers were inundated with distractions caused by gang related, inappropriate and controversial clothing worn by students, most prevalent in the middle and high schools.  I'm sure that is not what teachers had signed up for and should not be part of their job description. 

I believe that the uniform policy is a first step towards rebuilding our school systems reputation as well as a win-win for teachers, students and parents.  Teachers can now focus on their number one job, their students.   Parents don't have to feel the guilt or pressure of keeping up with the "Jone's" kids.  

Yes, children have every right to express themselves, but that should be saved for the lives they lead off school property.  Would you let your child dress as they wish to a wedding, funeral, job interview, etc?  Of course not, it is about respect.  There is no room for egos in a learning environment and we should pay respect for those whose only goal is to better our children and prepare them for the real world.  

(mother of two)

The institution of a school uniform policy sounds like a pretty cut-and-dried issue. I am in favor of a uniform policy because it can build school spirit by creating a unified look or “school brand.” When I was in elementary school in New York City, you knew where people went to school by the color of their uniforms; green plaid for St. Mary’s, gray plaid for St. Peters. While teenagers will always find a way to have to their clothing reflect their individual personalities, a uniform policy should also serve to lessen the distraction clothing can bring into the classroom. It should cut down on competition among students for the most expensive or wildest or trendiest clothes.

The Woonsocket uniform policy is not so cut-and-dried, mainly because of deeper underlying issues. The socio-economic demographic of Woonsocket hampers uniform compliance.  The chief argument against the issue seems to be cost, that the uniforms are too expensive. Since approximately 32% of children in Woonsocket live below the poverty level, cost should be taken into consideration.

There should be a compromise. The goal of the policy is a good one, but the school board should have spent more time preparing for the policy to go into effect. If cost is truly an issue, there are ways to defer some of the cost of the uniform. Many private schools hold clothing swaps.  Someone at the school board could have gone to the city’s major retailers and asked for community partnership. The school board could go to the city’s major businesses and ask for donations. They could in effect set up a hardship provision. If you truly can‘t afford a uniform the school should be able to provide one for you.  

This provision would do two things. It would enable compliance with the policy for all families regardless of income and it would weed out those who simply don’t want to comply.

Another underlying issue is the lack of trust between parents and the school system. As a home school mom viewing the situation as an impartial observer, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of mutual trust and respect between parents and school officials.
More partnership between families and the school board is needed. Somehow the system needs to gain the parents’ trust and the parents need to engage the system in a more positive way instead of just criticizing. Both parties need to work together and focus on their common goal of educating the children of Woonsocket.