We debated the pros and cons, and most students agreed the benefits simply outweighed any perceived negative reactions that some students had. First of all, we were the first public school district in the nation to implement uniforms. I don't think anyone here thought it was from the old days. We knew we were the first, and we considered ourselves trailblazers, not a system anxious for the nostalgia of the past. It is about equity, and high standards of academic achievement.
Uniforms are simply one piece of the entire picture of school reform in Long Beach Unified.
You specifically asked what elements of middle school reform are addressed by uniforms. Middle school students can sometimes be cruel. As a teacher, I could always immediately identify my less affluent students by what they were wearing. Some of these students wore the same clothes most everyday. They were teased by their peers and this was very difficult for these kids.