South Carolina principal forbids 5th grader to wear Obama shirt to school

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Personally, I am a fan of dress codes and uniforms for school and the problem would be solved entirely.

Yeap.

I agree for children up to 8th grade, but High School should be about students finding their own identity and expression, IMO.

You are such a crazy ol hippie.

They can find their own identity and expression out of school.

Seriously, we had to wear uniform until 16. I don't think that had any effect on my ability to 'express' my individuality.

Neither did I. There are pretty compelling practical reasons for uniform codes - allowing kids to wear their own clothes can create a class divide (the haves and the have-nots) that contributes to bullying.

...or a student can wear a plain t-shirt and tattered jeans as a protest. Pressure to fit in, from my experience, dissipates in high school. By then, it's more about individualism and expression.

By high school, eveyone is trying so hard to be different, they all look the same.

It's not so much about trying to look unique, but finding your own identity....and high schoolers may stumble about doing it, but IMO, it is natural and necessary psychological process of self identity.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Personally, I am a fan of dress codes and uniforms for school and the problem would be solved entirely.

Yeap.

I agree for children up to 8th grade, but High School should be about students finding their own identity and expression, IMO.

You are such a crazy ol hippie.

They can find their own identity and expression out of school.

Seriously, we had to wear uniform until 16. I don't think that had any effect on my ability to 'express' my individuality.

Neither did I. There are pretty compelling practical reasons for uniform codes - allowing kids to wear their own clothes can create a class divide (the haves and the have-nots) that contributes to bullying.

...or a student can wear a plain t-shirt and tattered jeans as a protest. Pressure to fit in, from my experience, dissipates in high school. By then, it's more about individualism and expression.

But again why is "individualism and expression" only about outer appearance? I hate to use a cliche but whatever happened to "building character"?

In any case - that wasn't my experience. Even with a uniform code - the areas that it didn't accommodate (gym footwear for instances), you'd still see kids using fashion labels to single out the "losers" on the basis of their "substandard" trainers.

[Peikko 1,575]

Personally, I am a fan of dress codes and uniforms for school and the problem would be solved entirely.

Yeap.

I agree for children up to 8th grade, but High School should be about students finding their own identity and expression, IMO.

You are such a crazy ol hippie.

They can find their own identity and expression out of school.

Seriously, we had to wear uniform until 16. I don't think that had any effect on my ability to 'express' my individuality.

Just my understanding of child development - when adolescents reach high school, they begin to think abstractly. It is a time for them to define themselves.

I would agree if it was a 24/7 deal, but it's not. Wearing a uniform at school and having the freedom to wear what one likes at home provides even more 'context' for children to develop. For one thing, they get to understand that there is appropriate and inappropriate wear for different environments. Win/win.

They need to express their individualism within a social context and their whole social life has been centered around their school life.

Since when? Sheesh, all the kids I know have oodles of 'social contact' that has nil to do with school.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Pressure to fit in, from my experience, dissipates in high school. By then, it's more about individualism and expression.

You must have attended high school with a bunch of hippies!

Indeed, and a very 'liberal' school. The only thing we were at school to do was pass exams - well, we did have a few artsy subjects

It's in high school that I learned teachers were people and cheating was easy.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Personally, I am a fan of dress codes and uniforms for school and the problem would be solved entirely.

Yeap.

I agree for children up to 8th grade, but High School should be about students finding their own identity and expression, IMO.

You are such a crazy ol hippie.

They can find their own identity and expression out of school.

Seriously, we had to wear uniform until 16. I don't think that had any effect on my ability to 'express' my individuality.

Just my understanding of child development - when adolescents reach high school, they begin to think abstractly. It is a time for them to define themselves.

Yeah they define themselves as "losers" when the rich kids bully them for having "sub-par" fashion labels.

Why must they define themselves through appearance anyway - isn't that only skin-deep BS?

It's not just what the wear....it's part of the nonverbal communication that happens in society.

[Peikko 1,575]

Pressure to fit in, from my experience, dissipates in high school. By then, it's more about individualism and expression.

You must have attended high school with a bunch of hippies!

Indeed, and a very 'liberal' school. The only thing we were at school to do was pass exams - well, we did have a few artsy subjects

It's in high school that I learned teachers were people and cheating was easy.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Steven, you psychobabble mumbo jumbo is making my hair hurt

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Personally, I am a fan of dress codes and uniforms for school and the problem would be solved entirely.

Yeap.

I agree for children up to 8th grade, but High School should be about students finding their own identity and expression, IMO.

You are such a crazy ol hippie.

They can find their own identity and expression out of school.

Seriously, we had to wear uniform until 16. I don't think that had any effect on my ability to 'express' my individuality.

Just my understanding of child development - when adolescents reach high school, they begin to think abstractly. It is a time for them to define themselves.

Yeah they define themselves as "losers" when the rich kids bully them for having "sub-par" fashion labels.

Why must they define themselves through appearance anyway - isn't that only skin-deep BS?

It's not just what the wear....it's part of the nonverbal communication that happens in society.

What sort of nonverbal communication are you referring to? That's pretty general.

Plenty of nonverbal communication goes on regardless of what a person wears.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Steven, you psychobabble mumbo jumbo is making my hair hurt

Here, let me pass the peace pipe so you too may be enlightened.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Plenty of nonverbal communication goes on regardless of what a person wears.

/flips PD the middle finger

[spookyturtle 9,466]

It's not so much about trying to look unique, but finding your own identity....and high schoolers may stumble about doing it, but IMO, it is natural and necessary psychological process of self identity.

You're probably right, it's been going on for a long time, whether it was the white tee shirt and jeans look or the goth look of today. At least we were cool in my day and not a freak show like now.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

At least we were cool in my day and not a freak show like now.

Heyyyyyyyy.... we have the Fonz in the house.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Plenty of nonverbal communication goes on regardless of what a person wears.

/flips PD the middle finger

/Returns AJ the arm/fist gesture.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

At least we were cool in my day and not a freak show like now.

Heyyyyyyyy.... we have the Fonz in the house.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

What sort of nonverbal communication are you referring to? That's pretty general.

Plenty of nonverbal communication goes on regardless of what a person wears.

What I mean is that expressing individualism isn't just about putting on type of shirt, but all the other elements of nonverbal communication, how a person carries themselves, their body language, etc..