No. No uniforms in public educational institutions with mandatory attendance requirements. If private schools want uniforms, that's fine, but none in public schools. That's coercion, and it is immoral. Public schools do enough of that BS already, which is why our educational system sucks.

Maybe uniforms are a good choice and maybe they aren't, but until the public school system is on equal competitive footing with the private school system, there should be no mandate for uniforms. Let the public schools compete. Take away their fiat funding and let parents decide what to do with it. Use a voucher system, or something similar. If schools that use uniforms perform better, we'll end up with a glut of schools with every kind of uniform imaginable. If uniforms are ultimately viewed as detrimental, there will still be schools that use uniforms for people to choose.

I've always been against vouchers, but I can see your point WRT mandatory attendance vs uniforms I suppose.

Ah yes...here it is...the uniform argument I was thinking of. :hmmm: To be sure...check out the public charter schools that are uniformed schools and do complete on the same level as private schools.

http://www.mycsp.org/index.php

Except that the parents of kids in private school have to pay for the public schools AND private school.

I think the big issue with schools is NOT the school, it's the kids/parents. Charter schools, private schools, etc, select for involved parents and families that care about education. That's why private schools are better, not because the teachers are better, or the facilities. ALl the parents are willing to pony up thousands of dollars a year, so they clearly place significant value on education.

Valuing education, and not paying the money works just as well, IMO—unless the school has a critical mass of kids who don't value education.

This would never happen i should think.

If thats the way we will play it, i think that any family with kids in private school should be exempt from a certain percentage of taxes that support public education.

the thing about public education is that anyone from any walk of life has access to it...

the problem with that is... probably something like 1 in 20 actually want to be there.

True and I do.

I want to add an amendment to this idea, it only applies to hot chicks.:D

Hah.. heard somewhere today that one of the boys sent home, his father is Mexican :har:

Me too :)

The principal acted outside his authority. I am glad that the school district came out and stated that they are not in agreement with what this individual did. I suspect that there will be some disciplinary action taken against this individual. A review of California Government Code Sections 430-439 show no justification for the actions of this individual.

I feel that it is important to recognize that this was the act of an individual and not the California school system, nor the government of California.

What this individual did was wrong.

Did anyone catch that the name of the administrator who sent these kids home was Miguel Rodriguez?

Draw your own conclusions - I'm just sayin'.

That actually sounds like a Cuban name. :|\\

Concerning School uniforms..

This issue comes up pretty much every year here in Virginia. A few years ago we were discussing this with The Frau's daughter, who at the time was in High School.

The daughter was adamantly against school uniforms on the basis that it interferes with her freedom of expression.

I pointed out that she already wears a school uniform. She wears exactly what her peer group wears down to the brand and colour. There is no freedom of choice, there is herd mentality where ever has to wear the "trendy" stuff or be considered an outsider.

There are two advantages of school uniforms.

1. Expense. It will be cheaper and parents of modest means won't be pressured to spend more than they can afford so that little Sally can be "accepted"

2. If everyone wears the same uniform, the only way a student can express themselves is by developing a personality. Enabling a system where kids are socially evaluated on their personality instead of their father's credit limit is a good thing.

Of course I want to see the teachers in school uniforms too as we have some VERY HOT teachers in Virginia. :yep:

Why don't you help us out here. State your conclusions. Why just throw something out there and post "just sayin"?

Clearly you are trying to lead the reader into making some inference. Own up to it and just state your agenda. :yep:

Saying it is not bad, IMO. A hispanic with an agenda wanted to send a message that somehow the US flag was offensive on a day celebrated by people of Mexican descent—who are presumably also Americans since they are in an American school. It's clearly an agenda, or he'd have been equally offended by the flag flying in front of the school (and possibly in every classroom).

Would he have booted the kids on St. Patrick's Day for the same shirts?

Bastille Day?

What's the German version of defeating the French in a battle again? May 10 through June 25th?

The guy was totally out of line. If it was ME picking up my kid, I'd have gone into his office, and told him to retract it, or there'd be TV cameras here (and my lawyer). I'd do the same if some teacher started teaching magic in science class, too, BTW.