This is not a popular subject with the Department of Education. It’s not a comfort zone with many parents.

My personal opinion revolves around the idea that school life should be comfortable, simple, and functional. Tight, droopy, revealing, expensive, and ridiculous are not comfortable, simple, and functional.

Having begun four schools in my life, I can only say, a uniform is a tool. I use uniforms as a safety element in keeping track of children when going on field trips. I use uniform swim suits at our public pool; uniform shirts on sojourns out of town and to populated places; and a general uniform combination for hot summer days. Shirts must have sleeves, shorts must be knee length or shorter.

Long baggy bloomers on boys prevent play. Boys can’t climb a slide when the crotch of the pants is below the knee. Party dresses on girls prevent play as well. Heavy jeans on boys or girls prevent the possibilities of swimming at the spur of the moment. Sun sleeves incur sunburns. string tops cause “peeking.” Sandals with buckles means the pea gravel hurts.

Translate all this into the teen world, and you have the clothes wearing the child. I always told my children that when the first thing people saw was what they were wearing and not their smiling face, it was a shame.

To many ridiculous parents, the clothes make the child. We had a teacher once who was a label reader and a snob. Snobbery comes from ignorance and stupidity. Her children were the most unhappy children I have ever met. Many people who have truly “made it” actually cut the tags out of their clothes.

A uniform can be simple: Whole jeans and crews that cover. Done.