OLD SKOOL

would never be spelled that way. In Old School, we spelled words correctly. Among other things.

But one thing I don't understand is school uniforms. Now two of my grandchildren wear them to elementary school, and the third will next year. When I ask him how school is going, he always corrects me. "I don't go to school; I go to pre-school." Hopefully things will be better by the time he and his brother and sister get to high school.

MTV High is having lots of problems these days. There are some who think that if they went to school uniforms, discipline would improve. Armed with studies and commisssions, proponents have documented research to prove their position. But I know from 30 years of teaching experience that some educational research should be ignored. It simply doesn't work.

Now one thing I hear the pro-uniforms spout is that Columbine wouldn't have happened because rifles were brought in under trench coats. Are the students wearing their school approved uniforms not to wear coats? Or are there going to be standard issue pea coats that can't exceed the belt line? What about taking in the weapons and leaving them somewhere undectable, then pulling them out when needed. I'm sure I'm not revealing anything that that kind of mind hasn't ascertained. Also, a lot of damage can happen with a snub nose. Even a .38 caliber derringer or two.

Another argument I hear is that by requiring unis, no one can tell which student comes from a wealthy family and which comes from a poor family. Yeah, right. That's the only indicator. I remember back in college commenting to a fellow student, "You know, it costs a lot of money to dress like a hippie." Hippies, of course, were supposed to be for no class distinctions among other things. They also supposedly wore crummy clothes.

One thing I don't hear is doing away with names. I mean if someone had the last name of Newman or Abbott (Y & R plug) then everyone would know wealth. The Basses (remember Ernest T. from Andy Griffith?) would be at the other end of the social strata. So I guess to even things on the educational playing field, we'd have to give up names. I mean where does it stop?

School uniforms? Not for me. Just a little common sense. And respect for the teachers, and the Newmans, and the Bass kids. I mean why not?