http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvPpAPIIZ… We don't need Mudedecation... :)

I grew up in the British school system (primary school, uniforms) and the American system (secondary school, no uniforms). I wholeheartedly agree that school uniforms are a good idea. Differentiation by wealth, "coolness" and precociousness was glaring in the American schools; in England, where uniforms were required, not so much. As fun as it was, I'll never be convinced that wearing knee-high vinyl platform boots and fishnet stockings to school at age 13 was beneficial for my education.

As a teacher in a struggling DC school, the uniform requirements minimizes the distraction of students' different affiliations (gangs and less-problematic "neighborhood posses") on their ability to focus in the classroom. And since 95% of my kids live in poverty, it is a real relief to the students to would have to wear the same shirt every day anyway because of money...it's far less noticeable to their peers.

They look like a teenage ska band. They need more hats though.

Good Morning Charles,
I agree with you. Uniforms and gender specific classrooms work. At my prep, all-boys school, I had to wear buttoned-shirt, tie and slacks with dress shoes. There was less distraction with vanity and of the opposite sex.

BTW, I read something rather surprising. There is only one all-male Prep School, O'Dea Prep (Seattle) in the state of Washington.

This picture is not from the article. Even your excerpt states that this is an all-male, all-black school. Hmmm. I agree that young men should wear uniforms.

OHHHHHH!!!! Russell Tovey in the BACK!!!! YUMMY!!!!

@6, As a gay, deeply closeted-and-passing-for-straight high school boy, I would have loved an all-male classroom. But all-male would separate the too-gay-too-hide-it gay boys from their generally female support systems.

Those ties almost gave me a seizure. Who asked for that pattern?

All in favor of uniforms, but NO TIES!!! Stupidest item of "clothing" ever invented. What is it for? We have buttons to hold our collars closed now, thanks. Or tiny magnets.

Instead of ties how about Bow Ties?

I would have loved to wear a school uniform as long as there is a school crest of some kind on the jacket/sweater/etc.

While I was in high school, there was an active discussion on tightening up the dress code or implementing uniforms.

I couldn't understand who a uniform could possibly help. It certainly wouldn't be anything but officious harassment for all us kids in the AP classes, and I certainly couldn't see it changing the habits of my less-accademic friends. As a nerdy, socially awkward kid, my greatest concern was that a uniform would make me a target for abuse in the wider community.

I came to the conclusion that folks in power implement uniforms because they get off on **visual evidence** of their power - much like we see in footage of North Korean pageants.

@12, Bow Ties, sweater/jackets and saddle back shoes!!! Ohhhh and argyle socks!!!

@14,

Most school uniforms in the U.S. are polo shirts and khakis (at best). Nice uniforms cost money.

Pat Riley owns the trademark on "three-peat", sorry.

I wore a uniform and let me assure you that there is plenty of room for individual expression even in a black suit - your picture could have been from my school. The guy in the red shoes would have been expelled. I had no problem wearing a uniform, but the fact that it was an all boys school was damaging to most of the boys socialization.

100% college acceptance rate achieved by getting only kids with motivated parents and kicking out kids who couldn't make the cut. This is another bit of charter school bullshit.

Now boys, when you leave the hall to graduate, you'll be riding in the courtesy bus.

Your driver, Mr. Zimmerman, will...

I agree with Charles Mudede on something.

Education is everything.

I mean, look what a lack of education to did to the halfwit Mudede, if you don't believe me!

That red-shoe motherfucker is a puma tool sent to school to inculcate the masses in the ways of cool and separate them from their parents hard earned cash.

I'm just playin' Uniforms are a great idea for kids. Just think about how much more clearly these kids could articulate themselves without the "gear" getting in the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjAU5MFqZ…

@18 Exactly.

Reread it and see what it's really saying: "all of their graduating seniors have been accepted into four-year colleges."

First, to get in their parents need to apply. That's already going to weed out a lot of kids with parents lacking motivation. Then, the application process is via lottery, so those who do get in have "won" something. There's going to be a lot of pressure from their parents because of this, because it's a granted opportunity instead of an earned one, meaning a similar opportunity can't be found elsewhere.

As it's a preparatory school, the entire program is directed towards getting the kids into college. Those who stop going or flunk aren't graduating, so aren't going to in any way influence their glowing stats on their graduates.

Again, because it's a preparatory school, everything is directed towards college. Meaning that seniors are likely required to have applied to several colleges. So of course all of their graduates have been accepted somewhere. Hell, they might all automatically get into a state university in Illinois.

Now, in four years, tell me how many of those kids have a college degree and then we'll talk about the success rates of the randomly selected via lottery children of motivated parents, who have put their sons through a preparatory school that also happens to be gender segregated and use uniforms.

I cant think of a worse punishment than having Charles as a parent.

My uniform would be a T-Shirt that said "Fuck Authority" over a picture of Charles.

@18 & 22,
You make excellent points. The sentence "...ALL of their graduating seniors have been accepted into four-year colleges." is a bit misleading. I was in Chicago (my hometown) when the 1st of the THREE-PEAT was announced a few years ago and thought it an extraordinary achievement for UPA. However, you give excellent reasons to suspect its "success". Still, I consider uniforms and gender segregation in school for adolescent and younger boys very constructive whether a Prep school or not. I agree the verdict may still be out on "charter" schools.

Also, consider that it's a charter school. They skim off the best and most motivated students (and their motivated parents). Then they "counsel out" any bad behavior and don't provide services for Special Ed students so sorry, they're out as well.

It's easier to do better when you can shape the studentbody.

If gender segregated classes work, they should be offered for core subjects like science and math. However, I don't think kids should be kept in all-boys / all-girls classes for the full day.

As for uniforms, I hated the idea when I was in high school, but now I realize it's probably fine. The one thing I would say against it is that depending on the school, uniforms could be expensive. Public schools shouldn't have expensive uniforms because, unlike private schools, they can't automatically weed out the low-income students.

Finally, other commenters have already noted most of the big asterisks that should be applied to CUPA's statistics. It would be more honest for them to report the graduation and college acceptance rates versus original enrollment.