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20 Cards in this Set
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As of 2008, 22 US states specifically authorized schools to institute dress codes or uniform policies. Michael Colasanti, "School Uniforms and Dress Codes: State Policies," ecs.org, Mar. 2008 |
Most parents and educators support mandatory school uniforms. A 2013 survey by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and uniform manufacturer Lands' End found that a majority of school leaders believe their school uniform or formal dress code policies have had a positive impact on classroom discipline (85%), the school's image in the community (83%), student safety (79%), school pride (77%), and student achievement (64%). [32] A poll administered by the Harford County, MD school system in 2007 found that "teachers and administrators were overwhelmingly in favor" of introducing school uniforms. The poll also found that 58% of parents wanted a mandatory uniform policy instated. Madison Park, "School Uniforms Poll Bares Generation Gap," baltimoresun.com, Dec. 23, 2007 |
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The first school district in the United States to require all K-8 students to wear uniforms was Long Beach, CA, in Jan. 1994. David L. Brunsma, The School Uniform Movement and What It Tells Us about American Education: A Symbolic Crusade, 2004 New York Times, "School Uniforms Growing in Favor in California," nytimes.com, Sep. 3, 1994 |
School uniforms may deter crime and increase student safety. In Long Beach, CA, after two years of a district-wide K-8 mandatory uniform policy, reports of assault and battery in the district's schools decreased by 34%, assault with a deadly weapon dropped by 50%, fighting incidents went down by 51%, sex offenses were cut by 74%, robbery dropped by 65%, possession of weapons (or weapon "look-alikes") decreased by 52%, possession of drugs went down by 69%, and vandalism was lowered by 18%. [64] A 2012 peer-reviewed study found that one year after Sparks Middle School in Nevada instituted a uniform policy, school police data showed a 63% drop in police log reports, and decreases were also noted in gang activity, student fights, graffiti, property damage, and battery. [25] A 2010 peer-reviewed study found that schools with uniform policies had 12% fewer firearm-related incidents and 15% fewer drug-related incidents than schools without uniforms. [69] A 2007 peer-reviewed study found that, in schools with historically higher rates of sexual violence, sexual attacks were less likely if uniform policies were in place. School uniforms also prevent students from concealing weapons under baggy clothing, make it easier to keep track of students on field trips, and make intruders on campus more visible. Frank Quatrone, superintendent in the Lodi district of New Jersey, stated in Feb. 2011 that "When you have students dressed alike, you make them safer. If someone were to come into a building, the intruder could easily be recognized." John A. Gavin, "Schools Find Stricter Rules, Uniforms Can Lessen Bullying," northjersey.com, Feb. 8, 2011 |
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Students at Eton, one of England's most prestigious schools, were required to wear black top hats and tails on and off campus until 1972. David L. Brunsma, The School Uniform Movement and What It Tells Us about American Education: A Symbolic Crusade, 2004 |
School uniforms keep students focused on their education, not their clothes. A bulletin published by the National Association of Secondary School Principals stated that "When all students are wearing the same outfit, they are less concerned about how they look and how they fit in with their peers; thus, they can concentrate on their schoolwork." A 2010 University of Houston study found that elementary school girls' language test scores increased by about three percentile points after uniforms were introduced. [1] Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, when she was a 2008 US presidential candidate, advocated school uniforms as a way to help students focus on learning: "Take that [clothing choices] off the table and put the focus on school, not on what you're wearing." Chris Hammons, Principal of Woodland Middle School in Coeur d'Alene, ID, stated that uniforms "provide for less distraction, less drama, and more of a focus on learning." |
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School uniforms create a level playing field among students, reducing peer pressure and bullying. When all students are dressed alike, competition between students over clothing choices and the teasing of those who are dressed in less expensive or less fashionable outfits can be eliminated. In a 2013 survey by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and uniform manufacturer Lands' End, 86% of school leaders said uniforms make "a significant, positive impact on peer pressure," and 64% said uniforms reduce bullying. [32] Arminta Jacobson, Founder and Director of the Center for Parent Education at the University of North Texas, stated that uniforms put "all kids on the same playing field in terms of their appearance. I think it probably gives them a sense of belonging and a feeling of being socially accepted." [5] Virginia B. Draa, Assistant Professor of Human Ecology at Youngstown State University, said uniforms can decrease peer pressure and blur class lines between students. Jennifer Weiss, "Do Clothes Make the Student?," nytimes.com, Sep. 16, 2006 |
Wearing uniforms enhances school pride, unity, and community spirit. A 2007 study from Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom found that uniforms "often directly contributed to a feeling of school pride." Christopher P. Clouet, Superintendent of the New London, CT school district, stated that "the wearing of uniforms contributes to school pride." A 2002 study of over 1,000 Texas middle school students found that students in uniform "reported significantly more positive perceptions of belonging in their school community than reported by students in the standard dress group." Arnold Goldstein, PhD, head of the Center for Research on Aggression at Syracuse University, stated that uniforms help troubled students feel they have the support of a community: "There is a sense of belonging." A 2007 peer-reviewed study found that after uniforms were introduced, "Teachers perceived an increase in the level of respect, caring, and trust... throughout the school" and said "students are made to feel 'important' and as if they are a part of a team by wearing a uniform." John A. Huss, "The Role of School Uniforms in Creating an Academically Motivating Climate: Do Uniforms Influence Teacher Expectations," Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, 2007 |
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School uniforms may improve attendance and discipline. A 2010 study by researchers at the University of Houston found that the average absence rate for girls in middle and high school decreased by 7% after the introduction of uniforms. The study also found that "behavioral problems shift[ed] towards less severe infractions." A 2006 Youngstown State University study of secondary schools in Ohio's eight largest school districts found that school uniform policies improve rates of attendance, graduation, and suspension. During the first semester of a mandatory uniform program at John Adams Middle School in Albuquerque, NM, discipline referrals dropped from 1,565 during the first semester of the year prior to 405. Linda Lumsden and Gabriel Miller, "Dress Codes and Uniforms," Research Roundup: National Association of Elementary School Principals, Summer 2002 |
Uniform policies save valuable class time because they are easier to enforce than a standard dress code. Doris Jo Murphy, EdD, former Director of Field Experiences at the University of North Texas College of Education, stated: "As an elementary assistant principal in two suburban districts, I can tell you that the dress code took up a great deal of my time in the area of discipline... I wished many times that we had uniforms because the issue of skirts or shorts being too short, and baggy jeans and pants on the boys not being pulled up as they needed to be, would have been a non-issue." Lyndhurst, NJ school district superintendent Tracey Marinelli had a similar experience before a uniform policy was introduced: "Kids were spending time in the office because they were not fulfilling the dress code... That was time away from class." John A. Gavin, "Schools Find Stricter Rules, Uniforms Can Lessen Bullying," northjersey.com, Feb. 8, 2011 |
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School uniforms prevent the display of gang colors and insignia. The US Department of Education's Manual on School Uniforms stated that uniform policies can "prevent gang members from wearing gang colors and insignia at school" in order to "encourage a safe environment." According to a 2013 US Department of Justice report, almost 50% of high school students say there are gang members at their schools. Educators in the Long Beach Unified School District have speculated that the sharp reduction in crime following the introduction of school uniforms was a result of gang conflicts being curbed. Osceola County, FL School Board member Jay Wheeler reported that the county's schools had a 46% drop in gang activity after their first full school year with a mandatory K-12 uniform policy (2008-2009). Wheeler stated that "clothing is integral to gang culture... Imagine a U.S. Armed Forces recruiter out of uniform trying to recruit new soldiers; the success rate goes down. The same applies to gang recruitment." Jay Wheeler, "Letters to the Editor: School Uniforms Discourage Gangs," orlandosentinel.com, Sep. 10, 2009 |
School uniforms make getting ready for school easier, which can improve punctuality. When uniforms are mandatory, parents and students do not spend time choosing appropriate outfits for the school day. According to a national 2013 survey, over 90% of US school leaders believe school uniform or formal dress code policies "eliminate wardrobe battles with kids," make it "easier to get kids ready in the morning," and create a "time saving in the morning." Tracey Marinelli, Superintendent of the Lyndhurst School District in New Jersey, credited the district's uniform policy for reducing the number of students running late. Lyndhurst student Mike Morreale agreed, stating that "it's so much easier to dress than having to search for clothes and find out that something doesn't match." John A. Gavin, "Schools Find Stricter Rules, Uniforms Can Lessen Bullying," northjersey.com, Feb. 8, 2011Daily Herald Editorial Board, "Uniforms Benefit Students," heraldnet.com, Sep. 4, 2012 |
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Students' legal right to free expression remains intact even with mandatory school uniforms. The US Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (7-2, 1969), which concerned the wearing of black armbands to protest the Vietnam War, confirmed that students' constitutional right to free speech "does not relate to regulation of the length of skirts or the type of clothing." Wearing one's own choice of shirt or pants is not the "pure speech" protected by the Constitution. [18] [28] In Canady v. Bossier Parish School Board (3-0, 2001), the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a school board's right to implement a mandatory uniform policy, stating that requiring uniforms for the purpose of increasing test scores and improving discipline "is in no way related to the suppression of student speech. [Students] remain free to wear what they want after school hours. Students may still express their views through other mediums during the school day." In 1995, Judge Michael D. Jones of Maricopa County Superior Court (AZ) ruled that mandatory uniform policies do not violate students' free speech rights even when there is no opt-out provision in the school's uniform policy. Mark Walsh and Karen Diegmueller, "Law Update: Judge Upholds Mandatory Uniforms at Phoenix School," edweek.org, Nov. 15, 1995 |
Students dressed in uniform are better perceived by teachers and peers. A 1994 peer-reviewed study found that students in uniform were perceived by teachers and fellow students as being more academically proficient than students in regular clothes. The study also found that students in uniform were perceived by peers and teachers as having higher academic potential, and perceived by peers as being better behaved. Dorothy Behling, "School Uniforms and Person Perception," Perceptual and Motor Skills, Oct. 1994 |
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Students can express their individuality in school uniforms by introducing variations and adding accessories. Junior high school student Amelia Jimenez wrote in her op-ed for the Pennsylvania Patriot-News website that "contrary to popular belief, uniforms do not stop students from being themselves. Uniforms do not silence voices. Students can wear a variety of expressive items, such as buttons or jewlery." The Seventeen and TeenVogue websites list numerous suggestions for students on how to add their personal style to school uniforms, including hairstyle options, the use of nail polish, and the addition of colorful accessories such as satchels, scarfs, and socks. TeenVogue stated that "there are tons of ways to amp up your standard issue getup." A 2012 peer-reviewed study found that 54% of eighth-graders said they could still express their individuality while wearing school uniforms. Jenny Scott, "School Uniforms: A History of 'Rebellion and Conformity,'" bbc.com, Sep. 5, 2014 |
School uniforms restrict students' freedom of expression. The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees that all individuals have the right to express themselves freely. The US Supreme Court stated in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (7-2, 1969) that "it can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." In the 1970 case Richards v. Thurston (3-0), which revolved around a boy refusing to have his hair cut shorter, the US First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that "compelled conformity to conventional standards of appearance" does not "seem a justifiable part of the educational process." Clothing choices are "a crucial form of self-expression," according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, which also stated that "allowing students to choose their clothing is an empowering message from the schools that a student is a maturing person who is entitled to the most basic self-determination." Clothing is also a popular means of expressing support for various social causes and compulsory uniforms largely remove that option. In Oct. 2013, students at Friendly High School in Prince George's County, MD, were not allowed to wear pink shirts to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As a result, 75 students received in-school suspensions for breaking the school's uniform restrictions. Ovetta Wiggins, "Pr. George's Students Who Chose Pink, Not Uniforms, for Breast Cancer Month Punished," washingtonpost.com," Oct. 25, 2013 |
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School uniforms promote conformity over individuality. At a time when schools are encouraging an appreciation of diversity, enforcing standardized dress sends a contradictory message. Chicago junior high school student Kyler Sumter wrote in the Huffington Post: "They decide to teach us about people like Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony and Booker T. Washington... We learn about how these people expressed themselves and conquered and we can't even express ourselves in the hallways." Troy Shuman, a senior in Harford County, MD, said the introduction of a mandatory uniform policy to his school would be "teaching conformity and squelching individual thought. Just think of prisons and gangs. The ultimate socializer to crush rebellion is conformity in appearance. If a school system starts at clothes, where does it end?" Late satirist George Carlin asked, "Don't these schools do enough damage, making all these children think alike? Now they're gonna get them to look alike, too?" George Carlin, You Are All Diseased (album), 1999 |
There is evidence that school uniforms may increase violent attacks and lower academic achievement, while there is little evidence that uniforms provide any benefits at all. A 2007 peer-reviewed study found that "school uniforms increased the average number of assaults by about 14 [per year] in the most violent schools." [26] A 1999 Texas Southern University study found that school discipline incidents rose by about 12% after the introduction of uniforms. [14] According to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Office of Education Evaluation and Management, fights in middle schools nearly doubled within one year of introducing mandatory uniforms. [72] [73] David L. Brunsma, PhD, Professor of Sociology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), co-authored a study that analyzed a national sample of 10th graders and found "no effects of uniforms on absenteeism, behavioral problems (fights, suspensions, etc.), or substance use on campus" and "no effects" on "pro-school attitudes, academic preparedness, and peer attitudes toward school." [14] [66] Brunsma also found a "negative effect of uniforms on academic achievement," and later found that uniforms were equally ineffective on elementary students and eighth graders. [14] A 2009 peer-reviewed study found "no significant effects of school uniforms on performance on second grade reading and mathematics examinations, as well as on 10th-grade reading, mathematics, science, and history examinations... [I]n many of the specifications, the results are actually negative." Ryan Yeung, "Are School Uniforms a Good Fit?: Results from the ECLS-K and the NELS," Educational Policy, Nov. 2009 |
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The key findings used to tout the benefits of uniforms are questionable. The oft-quoted improvements to school safety and student behavior in the Long Beach (CA) Unified School District from 1993-1995 may not have resulted from the introduction of school uniforms. The study in which the findings were published cautioned that "it is not clear that these results are entirely attributable to the uniform policy" and suggests that the introduction of new school security measures made at the same time may have been partly responsible. Other reform efforts implemented alongside the uniform policy included a $1 million project to develop alternative teaching strategies. David L. Brunsma and Kerry A. Rockquemore, "Effects of Student Uniforms on Attendance, Behavior Problems, Substance Use, and Academic Achievement," Journal of Educational Research, Sep./Oct. 1998 |
School uniforms emphasize the socioeconomic divisions they are supposed to eliminate. Most public schools with uniform policies are in poor neighborhoods, emphasizing the class distinctions that uniforms were supposed to eliminate. In 2013, while 47% of high-poverty public schools required school uniforms, only 6% of low-poverty public schools required them, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Even school uniform proponent Angela Walmsley, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research in the College of Education and Public Service at Saint Louis University, concedes that "we’re creating a culture where parents think that a public school where children wear uniforms is an unsafe place to send their child. In other words, school uniforms in public schools are becoming associated with schools facing violence problems." Even within one school, uniforms cannot conceal the differences between the "haves" and the "have-nots." David L. Brunsma, PhD, stated that "more affluent families buy more uniforms per child. The less affluent... they have one... It's more likely to be tattered, torn and faded. It only takes two months for socioeconomic differences to show up again." Uniforms also emphasize racial divisions. Schools with a minority student population of 50% or more are four times as likely to require uniforms than schools with a minority population of 20-49%, and 24 times more likely than schools with minority populations of 5%-19%. US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2012," nces.ed.gov, June 26, 2013 |
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Students oppose school uniforms. A 2012 peer-reviewed study by researchers at the University of Nevada at Reno found that 90% of seventh and eighth grade public school students did not like wearing uniforms. A 2007 survey of Harford County, MD public school students found that 87.9% of the students were opposed to uniforms. In the year following the introduction of mandatory school uniforms to the Long Beach (CA) Unified School District, 81% of middle school students said uniforms did not reduce fights, 76% said they did not help them fit in at school, 69% said they did not make them feel more connected with the school community, and 71% said they felt no safer traveling to and from school. M. Sue Stanley, "School Uniforms and Safety," Education and Urban Society, Aug. 1996 |
Uniforms may have a detrimental effect on students' self-image. When students have to wear the same outfits, rather than being allowed to select clothes that suit their body types, they can suffer embarrassment at school. Child and teen development specialist Robyn Silverman told NBC News' Today that students, especially girls, tend to compare how each other looks in their uniforms: "As a body image expert, I hear from students all the time that they feel it allows for a lot of comparison... So if you have a body that’s a plus-size body, a curvier body, a very tall body, a very short body, those girls often feel that they don’t look their best." A 2003 study by researchers at Arizona State University found that "students from schools without uniforms reported higher self-perception scores than students from schools with uniform policies." Students also find uniforms less comfortable than their regular clothes, which may not be conducive to learning. eth Asaff, "Pros and Cons of School Uniforms," kids.lovetoknow.com (accessed Aug. 20, 2014) |
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Focusing on uniforms takes attention away from finding genuine solutions to problems in education. Spending time and effort implementing uniform policies may detract from more effective efforts to reduce crime in schools and boost student performance. More substantive improvements to public education could be achieved with smaller class sizes, tightened security, increased parental involvement, improved facilities, and other measures. Tom Houlihan, former Superintendent of Schools in Oxford, NC, stated that school uniforms "are a distraction from focusing on systematic and fundamental transformation to improve our schools." Tom Houlihan, "School Uniform Debate: 'School Uniforms Are Just Another Distraction,'" education.com (accessed Aug. 20, 2014) |
The push for school uniforms is driven by commercial interests rather than educational ones. Americans spend around $1 billion on school uniforms every year. Retailer J.C. Penney Co. says school uniforms are "a huge, important business for us." In 2003 alone, uniform company Lands' End spent $3 million on marketing efforts directed at public schools and districts. [14] Multiple studies used to promote the effectiveness of uniforms were partly funded by Lands' End, and at least one of those studies is "so wholly flawed as to render itself useless," according to David L. Brunsma, PhD. In Aug. 2013, Reuters reported that retailers were "sensing their opportunity... stepping up competition in the uniform aisles and online. Walmart has set up 'uniform shops' or temporary boutiques within some stores." Dhanya Skariachan, "Uniforms Seen as Bright Spot in Drab U.S. Back-to-School Season," reuters.com, Aug. 14, 2013 |
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Bullying is horrible. Less bullying. Bullying is horrible! I can't stand it anymore. Australian schools should be bully free! Imagine your son or daughter coming back from school crying because they are in fashion and everyone is teasing them for wearing unfashionable clothes. Oh, and your daughter or son would want new clothes to be in fashion, and clothes cost money! |
Yes, students should wear uniforms because bullying is a huge issue! Students get bullied a lot just for wearing the non-brand clothing. Just because they're not wearing the latest fashion trend, students feel superior to others and make fun of them for it. It's not right and it's not fair. Certain parents can't afford nice clothing for their children, and they have to wear the hand-me-down clothing from older siblings or other family members. Wearing school uniforms stops students from making fun of students for their clothing, because everybody would be wearing the same exact thing. |
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Yes, but not everyday. Two days in a week is OK, not everyday though. Uniforms makes everything easier. We don't have to waste time picking out clothes, but cute uniforms can be good too. There will be no bullying about different clothes. I think uniforms can be nice too. The bad part is students can be bored with them after a long time, but generally they are good. |
Yes to uniforms! I want uniforms in school. The reason why I want uniforms is because they save money. Also, you don't have to worry about finding an outfit for the next day. You also would not be late for school and you will not get in trouble.That is why I want uniforms for schools. |
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Less Money Spent On Uniform. You spend less money on the uniform. Before you say "no you don't! School uniform is expensive!" Just think about the money you'll spend when you have to buy different clothes just so your child doesn't wear the same clothes everyday because you know bullying can occur like that. So if you spent $500 dollars on your child's uniform that they'll wear for the year, and you think that's bad. Just think about the money you spend altogether on that one year off buying different clothes everyday. |
School uniforms are a good thing for a school to have kids wear. Easier to be found in the school, at a field trip, and more, plus you won't be bullied about your clothes because you are wearing the same thing. Finally, no need to worry about you or other people wearing inappropriate clothes. Thank you if you agree with me about it. |
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YES there are many reasons for wearing uniform # 1 its safer. for example if u go on a field trip if someone gets lost it is easier to find them if they are wearing a uniform. # 2 its saves money it doesn't waste it. instead of buying 50 different outfits u can just buy 78 of the same outfit for school |
I vote yes! I think students should wear school uniforms because it is cheaper! Parents spend hundreds of dollars every year just on clothes for their kids. The main reason why kids want those clothes is because they want to fit in. If all kids are wearing the same thing this problem won't occur. |
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A uniform saves us time in the mornings and we don't get bullied as much because everybody at school is wearing the same thing. When I say we can save time in the mornings it's that we can just find our clothes, comb or brush our hair, brush our teeth and eat our breakfast. When I say we won't get bullied as much it is because everyone in school would be wearing the same thing. |
NO !!! As for me uniforms should be forbidden at school because it's a waste of parents money. Freedom of teenagers is primordial, they need liberty to take advantage of their youth and wearing clothing can describe a person. It allows to make economies. Uniforms shouldn't be obligatory for student. So, I don't like that. |
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1. School uniforms will restrict the outward expression of a child's unique individuality. 2. If any student is involved in violence or has been attacked members of the public will not be able to tell what school they attended3. Teachers will be able to identify students easier. 4. Students who are made to wear a school uniform are not able to freely express their tastes or individual style |
No I don't think that kids should have school uniforms because it is a waste of money. It is also a way to make the kids feel like their going to prison in the mornings. It also cuts off their creativity. It also is a bad idea because the kids want to make fun of the brands the other kids are wearing. |
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Children need to express themselves in color. Kids should not have to wear school uniforms because it does not let them express themselves. Also, if there is a poor family that can't pay for the uniform the child will be bullied. As well as being bullied children will all look the same. I personally think it is very bad to have school uniforms, especially in public schools where children go just to get an education, not to be proper. |
Children need to just be able to play If children didn't wear a school uniform then you would not need to got changed when they come home from school they would just need to go straight out ton play but if they were to wear a school uniform then you would be wasting a lot of time . |
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Parents and natural disasters. I myself want no uniforms on Fridays because if you were to think about it, if there was a fire or any type of natural disasters, a parent might want to come pick their child up and everyone is wearing the same thing and it might be hard to find their child. |
I love My MOM |
