Are there school uniforms in canada

I did, however, appreciate one thing about that scratchy, icky-green, perspiration-inducing, polyester outfit: having one less thing to think about on harried mornings. So, as an adult, whenever confronted with the uniform debate, I was firmly on the fence.

For some kids, school is already a nuisance — unless you count recess and gym. Why give students another reason to feel negative about school? Yes, a fraction of students do like uniforms, but research shows that most do not. Many children are fussy about clothing. Restrictive clothing and youngsters are not a good mix. My own boys used to feel uncomfortable wearing anything besides elastic-waisted pants and soft cotton tees.

Girls crave comfort too, and some have an additional beef. Many feel awkward in dresses and skirts, a mainstay of most uniforms. Uncomfortable kids are not in the best frame of mind for learning. I had practical reasons, too. Plus, the knees in jeans hold out a lot longer than those in twill trousers.

Finally, I realized how counter-intuitive it was to add uniforms at a time when our schools were promoting an appreciation of diversity. Uniforms are another barrier to letting kids just be who they are. The school's uniforms will be re-evaluated at the end of the year, but DeMaeyer believes they'll stay. She's had kids attend schools with no dress code, with a dress code and with a uniform — and the latter is her favourite.

She's interviewed many teachers and administrators who say students are more focused, better behaved and have higher attendance records and academic achievement when in uniforms. They also say it's easier to spot a stranger at school when everyone is wearing similar clothes.

But, there's no empirical research to support these claims, she says, because it's hard to account for other variables when studying one aspect of a school. And, anecdotally, there are strong reasons to oppose dress codes as well, she says. Some parents feel their authority over what their child wears is being usurped by the school when uniforms are mandated, she says.

Others find uniforms more expensive than regular clothes and a strain on the family budget as parents still have to buy regular clothes for their kids to wear after school. Often, uniforms have to be purchased from one vendor at the start of the year, she says, which eliminates the potential of finding a good sale, shopping at a thrift store or using hand-me-downs from family members.

Uniforms also don't eliminate socio-economic differences in the classroom, as students can still find ways to wear costly jewellery or designer shoes, Cruz notes.

At the Brampton school, students are permitted to buy their bottoms from regular retailers as long as they are the right colour and length, DeMaeyer says. While Cruz finds uniforms easier and sees more schools in her state moving towards them, she doesn't necessarily believe they're the right solution to the recent dress code protests.

Instead, she'd like to see schools involve families and students in collaborative conversations to create more buy-in about appropriate clothing. Students may even surprise schools and vote in favour of uniforms, she says, adding one of her daughters missed the convenience of her simple morning routine after graduation.

DeMaeyer, too, received positive feedback from students who say they find it much easier to get dressed in the morning now and felt less competitive about their clothing.

The majority of the students' parents also felt the uniforms have a positive impact, he says. The notion of allowing students to express themselves through their clothing is one that's embraced at Blyth Academy, which has headquarters in Toronto and 11 campuses in Ontario.

There is a flipside to this point of view. Jeff Aitken, head of St. John's-Kilmarnock School, says uniforms reinforce a sense of community among students and instantly identify them as part of a tight-knit group.

Uniforms also level the playing field because there are no designer brands to suggest that some students are more stylish than others, or that some families can afford more expensive clothing, Dr.

Aitken says. Hewat at McCarthy Beatties says safety is among the top benefits of having a school uniform. The convenience of uniforms also gets a lot of thumbs-ups from parents and students, who no longer need to rummage through their closets in the morning in search of something to wear to school, Ms. Hewat says. Cost-savings is also a key consideration, she adds, as parents do not need to buy as many clothes for their children.

For further cost savings, some schools run used uniform programs, where parents can buy another student's outgrown items at a discounted price. At St.