There are some big changes being made to The Dormouse's school next year and I went to a PTA meeting last night to get briefed on them. Every time I even say something about what the PTA is doing, going to the PTA, the word "PTA," etc., The KingofHearts laughs at me. He also thought it was super hilarious the day my PTA membership card arrived in the mail. I'll admit that being a card carrying member of the PTA is something I never aspired to in my life, but look at it this way, last weekend a friend offered to babysit for free and the only thing he wanted to do was go see a movie without animation, fart jokes or funny voices. We were home by 10:30 pm because he was tired and unable to think of anything else to do with our evening of freedom. In fact, one of the options for what to do after the movie that was floated around in the car was to sneak in the back door of the house while the baby sitter was there and go to bed. So I'm pretty sure this is not where either of us expected our lives to turn out.
One of the most vitriolic items at the meeting - at least among the parents - is the possibility of the kids wearing uniforms next year. There are some really angry parents who think it's akin to a communist society and other really angry parents really angry at the anti-uniform parents who think that uniforms will solve every problem that exists in the public schools. Try as I might, I cannot develop an opinion on this matter. I don't really want to go out and buy uniforms, make sure they're washed every day, that kind of thing, but that kind of just affects me so I'm trying to look at the big picture and develop an opinion based on more than just a resistance to change or what will inconvenience me. Anyone have an experience with school uniforms good or bad? I don't have a really compelling reason to want them or hate them and I'm curious about whether anyone can sway my thinking.
In general, I'm fascinated by the parents in the PTA and how they seem to make decisions, which maybe, deep down is the reason I make time to go: blog post material. The most vocal and outspoken of the parents there always seem to be taking every issue as a personal affront to their sensibilities and almost every issue ends up being about themselves rather than the kids. When discussing extra curricular activities that may or may not occur at the school next year, one mother was incensed that her fourth grader might not be able to participate because, "I don't get off work until five and I have to pick up my dry cleaning before I get home and if you don't have Latin club then it's going to inconvenience me." No mention of whether or not her kid WANTS to go to Latin club or the education he may be missing out on because he'll be deprived of Latin club activities and experiences, just: it'll be a pain in her ass if he doesn't go. Sure, I think it'd be nice if the school district asked me to personally submit my weekly schedule, preferences and habits in writing before they come up with any policy that will affect almost a thousand other children in attendance, but I'm not completely sure that's a realistic possibility.
I haven't figured out if my apathy is more about the fact that my kid is in Kindergarten and by the time she'll be old enough for any of these proposed changes to affect her in any way, they will probably all have been changed again, or if it really just doesn't matter to me in the slightest and I'll go with whatever the flow turns out to be. Or maybe it's about the fact that they are desperately seeking someone to head up their fundraising committee and I'm afraid if I make too much noise, they'll talk me into taking that over. And personally, I'd rather eat fiberglass insulation than work on any kind of fundraising committee. So maybe I'll just keep my opinions to myself until they are really desperate for someone to head up a committee I'd like to serve on... like the Play With Kittens Committee, or the Pie Taste Test Committee.
This morning, over breakfast, The KoH and I were discussing what went on at the meeting and I was explaining some of these brilliant thoughts and others. (Come on, you wish you were married to me, don't you? Such fascinating meal time conversation to which no one else has ever been privy.) I was yammering on about after school sports and The Dormouse, as usual, tried to butt her five-year-old self into our thirty-five year old conversation:
"Daddy, when I grow up I want to be an athlete."
We have a longstanding war in our house between the creative types and the athletic types. I am the advocate of all things musical and artistic parent and he is the you'll make me proud if you learn to wield a sword by the time you're six parent. Not that we fight about it; we both want the girls to be exposed to a variety of activities and hobbies, but we each clearly have our focus and it's always like a little victory when one of the girls is more interested in My Thing rather than the Other Person's Thing. And since we have girls, it's often hard for The KoH to experience those little victories.
The KoH started beaming and I could see him mentally putting a little check mark in the That's One For Me column that exists solely in his head as he said, "Well, that's great honey! You can do whatever you want to do. What kind of sport do you think you want to participate in?"
Dormouse: "I want to do that sport where you get a spoon and put and egg on it and try to walk to the end of the row without dropping the egg or the spoon. Either that or the one where you try to eat forty-two eggs in a minute."
So maybe I'll work on the PTA committee that is over bringing Egg-Related Sports into our schools. Because that one seems like a relatively low commitment level that would also irritate my husband at the same time. Win for everyone!
One of the most vitriolic items at the meeting - at least among the parents - is the possibility of the kids wearing uniforms next year. There are some really angry parents who think it's akin to a communist society and other really angry parents really angry at the anti-uniform parents who think that uniforms will solve every problem that exists in the public schools. Try as I might, I cannot develop an opinion on this matter. I don't really want to go out and buy uniforms, make sure they're washed every day, that kind of thing, but that kind of just affects me so I'm trying to look at the big picture and develop an opinion based on more than just a resistance to change or what will inconvenience me. Anyone have an experience with school uniforms good or bad? I don't have a really compelling reason to want them or hate them and I'm curious about whether anyone can sway my thinking.
In general, I'm fascinated by the parents in the PTA and how they seem to make decisions, which maybe, deep down is the reason I make time to go: blog post material. The most vocal and outspoken of the parents there always seem to be taking every issue as a personal affront to their sensibilities and almost every issue ends up being about themselves rather than the kids. When discussing extra curricular activities that may or may not occur at the school next year, one mother was incensed that her fourth grader might not be able to participate because, "I don't get off work until five and I have to pick up my dry cleaning before I get home and if you don't have Latin club then it's going to inconvenience me." No mention of whether or not her kid WANTS to go to Latin club or the education he may be missing out on because he'll be deprived of Latin club activities and experiences, just: it'll be a pain in her ass if he doesn't go. Sure, I think it'd be nice if the school district asked me to personally submit my weekly schedule, preferences and habits in writing before they come up with any policy that will affect almost a thousand other children in attendance, but I'm not completely sure that's a realistic possibility.
I haven't figured out if my apathy is more about the fact that my kid is in Kindergarten and by the time she'll be old enough for any of these proposed changes to affect her in any way, they will probably all have been changed again, or if it really just doesn't matter to me in the slightest and I'll go with whatever the flow turns out to be. Or maybe it's about the fact that they are desperately seeking someone to head up their fundraising committee and I'm afraid if I make too much noise, they'll talk me into taking that over. And personally, I'd rather eat fiberglass insulation than work on any kind of fundraising committee. So maybe I'll just keep my opinions to myself until they are really desperate for someone to head up a committee I'd like to serve on... like the Play With Kittens Committee, or the Pie Taste Test Committee.
This morning, over breakfast, The KoH and I were discussing what went on at the meeting and I was explaining some of these brilliant thoughts and others. (Come on, you wish you were married to me, don't you? Such fascinating meal time conversation to which no one else has ever been privy.) I was yammering on about after school sports and The Dormouse, as usual, tried to butt her five-year-old self into our thirty-five year old conversation:
"Daddy, when I grow up I want to be an athlete."
We have a longstanding war in our house between the creative types and the athletic types. I am the advocate of all things musical and artistic parent and he is the you'll make me proud if you learn to wield a sword by the time you're six parent. Not that we fight about it; we both want the girls to be exposed to a variety of activities and hobbies, but we each clearly have our focus and it's always like a little victory when one of the girls is more interested in My Thing rather than the Other Person's Thing. And since we have girls, it's often hard for The KoH to experience those little victories.
The KoH started beaming and I could see him mentally putting a little check mark in the That's One For Me column that exists solely in his head as he said, "Well, that's great honey! You can do whatever you want to do. What kind of sport do you think you want to participate in?"
Dormouse: "I want to do that sport where you get a spoon and put and egg on it and try to walk to the end of the row without dropping the egg or the spoon. Either that or the one where you try to eat forty-two eggs in a minute."So maybe I'll work on the PTA committee that is over bringing Egg-Related Sports into our schools. Because that one seems like a relatively low commitment level that would also irritate my husband at the same time. Win for everyone!
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February 4, 2009 at 12:35 PM
I lived in Australia for two years where ALL schools use school uniforms. I was always impressed by that, not because they were so stunning to look at, but it took the rich and the poor and dressed them all the same. You couldn't look out over a group of students and know who had money and who didn't. I think that there are parents who will always resist the idea of school uniforms, and I also think that they are largely those who want to show how affluent they are. The kids with less will never make a fuss out of being forced to dress like the rich kids.
An article that talks more about it. http://www.terrebonneparish.com/local/educational/schools/uniforms/uniforms.htm
Not to mention that a school uniform policy gets rid of all the really BAD fashions that come and go. Take for instance, the baggy pants and let your boxer shorts hang out fashion that has been so popular in so many places. Schools have been policing what children can and cannot wear to school forever, but it always comes down to someone's opinion. A school uniform takes all subjectivity away from the subject. If it isn't the uniform, it isn't allowed.
There will always be those who resist change. The CHANGE IS BAD crowd, but in the end people usually accept whatever changes are made.
February 4, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Oh I would go for it in a heartbeat. No pants with stupid words written across their butts is all I need to know. APPROVED!
Plus I'll admit I loved my knickers and knee highs.
February 5, 2009 at 12:36 PM
You should go to the APROD web site and read up on Dr. Brunsma's research on school uniforms.
February 5, 2009 at 4:48 PM
I have always loved the uniform idea. But possibly that's because I've never actually dealt with the uniforms themselves.
And your PTA meetings sound like the perfect place for blog fodder. Keep going by all means!!
February 6, 2009 at 3:08 AM
The school uniforms I've seen consist of two or three different colors of solid t-shirts and khakis or something similar - nothing fancy.
I never really cared about the school uniforms issue but like the idea that it's an equalizer. Most students I taught HATED the idea, claiming that it would rob them of the ability express their individuality. Big whoop. You're 12.
Like I say, I don't really care. In my opinion, it's just not worth caring about.
February 6, 2009 at 6:22 AM
@Monica: At first I liked the idea of knee highs and knickers (although I'm pretty sure what they're talking about will amount to khaki pants and polo shirts). But the more I thought of it, it made me think of a Brittney Spears video.... so... no.
@the rest: I appreciate your well thought-out comments and I'm reading all the links to articles. Yes, I can see school uniforms as a socio-economic equalizer but the thing is where we live, the economy does that. There really isn't a big class difference between the rich kids and the poor kids in our school because they're all pretty much working class poor kids. But if my kids went to some ritzy school in Potomac or that Sidley Friends school where the Obama girls attend, I'd probably be all for it. In my neighborhood, it just seems overkill.
In general, I think uniforms are just way easier on the administration at a school. Since there's no subjective way to interpret the dress code it's easy to enforce. But for me, as a parent who has no intention of letting her girls go to school in hoochie-mama tops or pants with "sweetness" printed across the butt... ever... I think it doesn't really affect us one way or the other. The dress code I instill on my kids every day is going to be way more important than whatever the school tells them they have to wear between the hours of 8 and 2.
Now... gotta go... one of the girls' scarves just accidentally slipped off to reveal an ear and I've got to put a stop to it!
February 8, 2009 at 7:19 AM
I sorta like the studies that say uniforms improve discipline. I think the jury's still out.