Catholic School Uniforms

[Yeoman]

In my city uniforms are worn in public schools. Both because of our high crime rate and also much poverty.

Interesting. I think that was common once, but is fairly rare now.

 

[Yeoman]

I went to the same high school that my father had, years before. When he went the boys all had uniforms for some days of the week, as they were all in JrROTC. No exceptions, it was mandatory.

The girls all wore a uniform that was much like what Catholic school girls uniforms are like.

My father told me that the parents at that time (1940s) liked the requirement, as there was a lot of lingering poverty from the Depression and that meant that everyone had some good clothes for school.

The girls quit wearing uniforms sometime in the late 50s or 60s, and boys no longer had to be in JrROTC some time in the 1970s. By the time I got there, there was a dress code but whatever we were inclined to wear met it. My kids have gone to the same school and they were trying to tighten up on the dress code the entire time, as the standards of dress have fallen so far.

But not just with the kids, when my son graduated I was amazed. There were no standards for adults either, which isn’t the way it used to be by quite some measure.

 

[tafan]

I know this is an older thread but I didn’t think I needed to reinvent the wheel by starting a new thread to ask/comment on this.

I’ve noticed many times that the Catholic school uniforms in the US include skirts that under normal circumstances would be considered quite immodest by virtue of how short they are. I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing them, much less allow my daughter to wear them. It’s one thing if they’re layered over tights in cooler months, but it is hot and humid in my area for much of the year, and I don’t see a proper way of wearing them.

Anyone have any insight on this? To be honest, I’m set on homeschooling regardless, but this is just another of a multitutde of reasons why public NOR private school seems like a valid option for my family.

This is certainly not the case in the Dallas diocese. I have not seen it anywhere. I believe it was a problem back in the 70s, but not in a long time.
Where have you noticed it?

 

[SusanneT]

Like 90% of English schools my kids all wear a uniform, which for my daughter is a skirt which is just below the knee (she is 8) - at her likely senior school they have actually designed their own skirts to control ‘interpretation’ of the rules which is about knee length and usually (this being the UK) worn with tights.

 

[John_Lazarus]

I had heard from my cousin in Toronto that one Catholic school banned skirts for girls because of the practice of rolling up the skirt to mini- or shorter length when not on school property.

Boys and girls now all wear slacks/trousers at that school.

 

[Rico_S]

Boys and girls now all wear slacks/trousers at that school.

I have 4 daughters at Catholic schools and I think I like this idea. IMO, the whole skirt thing just gets problematic as fashion trends change with the culture. And honestly, I would find it a bit degrading if my girls were asked to kneel down in front of teacher to check the length of skirt (that is how the uniform code reads now—5" from ground when kneeling).

I love having school uniforms, btw. It’s just so much easier to deal with…and much cheaper as the girls get older. I just struggle a bit with the whole modesty thing. It’s not that I don’t preach modesty to my girls, I do, but its just that modesty is most definitely a moving target. And it often feels…well…a bit sexist sometimes in a way.

 

[tafan]

I have 4 daughters at Catholic schools and I think I like this idea. IMO, the whole skirt thing just gets problematic as fashion trends change with the culture. And honestly, I would find it a bit degrading if my girls were asked to kneel down in front of teacher to check the length of skirt (that is how the uniform code reads now—5" from ground when kneeling).

I love having school uniforms, btw. It’s just so much easier to deal with…and much cheaper as the girls get older. I just struggle a bit with the whole modesty thing. It’s not that I don’t preach modesty to my girls, I do, but its just that modesty is most definitely a moving target. And it often feels…well…a bit sexist sometimes in a way.

I hate the idea. Our catholic schools should not me joining the rest of the culture in advancing the masculinity of women. That is degrading

 

[Rico_S]

I hate the idea. Our catholic schools should not me joining the rest of the culture in advancing the masculinity of women. That is degrading

Girls wearing pants is degrading?

The evangelical/puritan influence in devout catholic circles in the US (I assume you are in the US) seems so bizzare to me.

 

[tafan]

Girls wearing pants is degrading?

The evangelical/puritan influence in devout catholic circles in the US (I assume you are in the US) seems so bizzare to me.

Girls wearing pants? no
Forcing to girls to wear pants? most definitely.

Raising girls to be masculine is degrading. Trying to raise girls to be “just like boys” is degrading.