Summer’s over, and it’s time to trade sundresses and sandals for crisp weather and fall fashion. For kids in the Riverwards, it’s back to school, and likely, back into a uniform.

In an attempt to decrease distractions and rivalries, among other reasons, the School District of Philadelphia implemented a uniform policy in 2000. Official studies of the effectiveness of uniforms on student performance are relatively inconclusive, but many local residents seem to think that uniforms are the way to go. Detractors of the policies often cite individuality and self-expression as reasons to allow students to choose their own clothes.

Both sides of the argument seem to have merit. I attended public school in the Philadelphia suburbs, and we did not wear uniforms. Though, having grown up in the 90s, I am forever a fan of plaid skirts, knee socks and Dr. Marten Mary Janes. During the school year I spent a lot of time planning what to wear and spent pretty much any money made at part-time jobs on clothes. Back-to-school shopping took precedence in my mind over finishing summer reading assignments. In the hallways, everyone seemed to be wearing a new, fashionable outfit, and styles of clothes were a way to identify cliques: the hippies, the preps, the athletes, etc. In my school, you could live by the phrase “you are what you wear,” which meant there was freedom to express yourself through clothes, but there was also a lot of pressure to look good and fit in.

Caitlin McCullough, 32, grew up in Kensington and now resides in Northern Liberties.

“I loved it,” she said, regarding wearing a school uniform. “It meant I could sleep in longer. I also think attending an all-girls school requiring uniforms cut out petty competition between teenagers. No one could be flashy in polyester.” McCullough, who attended Ascension of Our Lord Parish, now closed, and later, Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls, mentioned that she didn’t really know why the uniform policies were in place. “I don’t recall ever being given a reason. As a kid it never dawned on me why it was required, it was just a way to tell apart the Catholic kids and the public kids in the neighborhood.”  

Port Richmond resident Samantha Woodburn, 29, who teaches health and physical education at Francis Hopkinson Elementary in Juniata, sees both sides of the issue.

“The feminist/idealist in me really wants to believe that it shouldn’t matter what students wear and that they should be able to express themselves with their clothing, but reality is that these things can be distracting to students…” she said.

Woodburn pointed out that uniform policies can also help families who may struggle with the financial burden of outfitting kids for back-to-school. “If a student’s family is having a hard time buying clothes, it’s much easier for the school to step in and help. We usually have T-shirts on hand and it’s not difficult to find a pair of khaki pants.” Everyone wearing the same thing means nobody gets embarrassed by their outfit, which is something no student should have to endure.

Woodburn also weighed in on the ease of outfit planning for her 7-year-old son Jerriko, who just started 2nd grade at Our Lady of Port Richmond Regional Catholic School. “Every Sunday I make sure I have 4 polos, a gym shirt, 4 pairs of khakis, and a pair of gym pants clean, and we are good for the week.”

With the rise in public schools requiring uniforms, the demand for khakis and plain polo shirts has also gone up. Many local retailers, including Rainbow, Target and K-Mart, offer an array of uniform-compliant items at low prices, making shopping easy on parents. Most private schools still require a special logo on the uniform, but public schools often require simply a tidy outfit in a specific color scheme.

So, administrators, alumni, teachers, retailers and parents seem to be on board with school uniforms, but what do the students think? Iyonni Pernell, 13, lives in Kensington and attends Julia Debergos Middle School.

“The school uniform is nice,” she said. “It keeps kids from teasing each other.”

I’m glad to hear that Iyonni is happy with the policy, but I can’t help but wonder how middle school-age students develop a sense of individuality if they’re forced to wear the same thing as their peers, day in and day out. I feel like making my own fashion choices, including plenty of awful ones, in my adolescent years helped me cultivate a sense of style I’ve carried into adulthood. There’s no denying, however, that learning should be the main focus at school and if wearing a uniform decreases distractions from education I’m all for it. Besides, in my opinion, everyone looks good in plaid.