Lubbock ISD’s School Dress Code Is Not as Bad as It Seems

I was not a fan of school uniforms, but I've found that it's really not that big of a deal.

As someone who has fought "the man" his whole life, I thought the idea of standardized dress -- that is, school uniforms -- was just another attempt to rob kids of their identities. It turns out that it's just one less thing kids have to worry about in the morning, and one less thing that they can be teased about. It's really about nothing more than making things easy on them.

A number of elementary, middle and special schools have adopted standardized dress in the Lubbock School District. In the elementary schools, it's Alderson, Brown, Ervin, Harwell, Hodges, Ramirez, and Wolffarth. In the middle schools, it's Atkins, Cavazos, Dunbar, O.L. Slaton, and Smylie Wilson. Talkington High School and the Reach program also require school uniforms.

As someone who has had to keep up with a student at one of these schools, I can say that it makes things really easy. If you have one uniform and a backup in case of accidents, the kids are good to go. It's just that simple. If the kids feel the need to express themselves through their dress, then there's a lot of time after school, and even at some school events.

So here's the tough question: would I recommend this as a regular thing for high schools? That's a very tough decision.

I kind of think that as the kids get older, you're actually preparing to launch them into the world. Building their identities is part of that. Then again, uniforms do mean fewer chances of students feeling like they don't fit in. So, as weird as this sounds, and even though they'd mix, I would keep freshmen and sophomores in uniforms, and let the upperclassmen do their thing.

So kids, relax and enjoy the uniforms if it's part of your school. Worry about you, and not what you're wearing. You can wear your FMX shirt after school.