A school in Philadelphia has made a decision that schools all over the country ought to consider.

Wednesday, May 10, 2000

A school in Philadelphia has made a decision that schools all over the country ought to consider. Students at this public school will wear uniforms next year.

The theory behind the decision is simple: when students dress alike, there are fewer cliques. That means that a student would be less likely to suffer because he or she looks different from his or her classmates.

In a school district where students do not have the option of a Tommy Hilfiger or Polo outfit, there is more of a chance that they will learn something more than reading and writing. They might actually learn not to judge a book solely by its cover.

Socioeconomic boundaries would be less noticeable and there would be a whole lot less focus on outer appearance as a measure of the quality of the human being. Well, that is the theory anyway.

Asking children to wear uniforms is not the solution to all the problems that plague our schools. There is some other work that must be completed, too.

But eliminating some of the barriers that separate students – stereotypes that put them in a particular slot throughout their school careers – we just might teach them that there is much more to a successful life than the right pair of jeans. And, as an added bonus, we might just save their parents a little money.

Uniforms are a good idea for all schools – public and private – to consider.