It is often said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. The Woonsocket public school system is considering requiring school uniforms for students.
School administrators in Woonsocket hope to join many other urban public schools across the nation, such as the City of Providence, where many schools already have implemented a volunteer school uniform policy. The logic behind such a proposal is that uniformity in clothing helps with student discipline and promotes social equality among students of various socio-economic circumstances.
School uniforms have been a staple of discipline and order in Catholic schools for centuries. National studies indicate that parents choose Catholic education for their children for three important reasons: higher academic achievement, a safe and disciplined learning environment and a comprehensive education including Catholic religious education and strong moral values. Last week’s Catholic School Week was a celebration of an important part of the life of our nation and our state as there are more than 8,000 Catholic schools in the United States serving more than 2.6 million students. Here in the State of Rhode Island our Catholic school system of 46 elementary schools and eight high schools educates nearly 18,000 students annually.
Uniforms are but one part of the success of Catholic education, a success that can never be replicated in public schools. Too often, low-income families cannot manage the burden of tuition for Catholic schools in addition to hefty property taxes imposed by cities and towns across Rhode Island. Too many of our Catholic schools are located in areas where they are the most needed, like Woonsocket are being forced into a financial crisis as low-income families can no longer afford a choice in schools but are forced to send their children to a failing public school system devoid of discipline and morality. Low-income families need more than imitation in education; they deserve a real choice in determining the educational path of their children.
We are pleased to hear that Woonsocket school administrators are seeking to provide a safe and disciplined environment in their school system by advocating school uniforms. Indeed imitation of Catholic schools is a form of high praise and flattery of their success. Imitation is a good beginning but supporting real school choice for families of every socio-economic background would be even better. Perhaps Woonsocket might look to imitate the great success of Milwaukee and Washington, D.C. in offering low-income families school vouchers so every child would be able to wear a uniform to their school of choice.
