Uniformity is NOT Unity
The Archangels Explain the Differences
I remember when I was a kid, my mother set a beautiful table, especially on holidays. All the dishes matched, all the colors coordinated. It was quite beautiful, and it was very … boring! Sorry, Mama! I was well into my adulthood when I gave into the idea that I don’t like everything to match and be the same. I like different colors and shapes and contrasts.
When I taught in public schools, there was always a debate about uniforms and dress code. I sided with the students and thought they should be able to wear what they wanted, within reason, and I endorsed freedom of expression. There were some teachers who wanted to limit not only clothes choice, but makeup, hair color, jewelry, nail polish, etc. Some carried around mini-rulers, so they could measure things like hemlines and the circumference of hoop earrings! And oh my God, let’s not forget about how exceedingly important it was to tuck in shirts! Some people acted more like the gestapo than educators. I was sometimes criticized for not enforcing some of the policies. In all honesty, I didn’t notice if a kid didn’t tuck in his or her shirt or was chewing gum!
I also advocated for kids being able to listen to their music while they worked or eat snacks. Some kids can concentrate better when they listen to music or eat. Hell, as long as…
