Why do Maharishi School students wear a uniform?

Why are uniforms important to our school?

Having a common student uniform supports an equitable, orderly, coherent learning environment. The uniform policies at Maharishi School have proven successful in helping to culture this environment in the classroom. We want our students to define and distinguish themselves by their words and actions, not by the expense of their clothing. Here are some more specifics as highlighted in our parent handbook:

Uniforms are required to always be clean, properly fitting, and in good repair.
Students are expected to remove hats when indoors.
Only uniform sweaters can be worn during school hours.
Only ear and nose piercings are allowed.

How do the students at Maharishi School feel about their uniforms?

I asked three of our Seniors; Jada Sparks, Chase Winer and Yenet Tafesse about their uniforms. Chase says, “I love the uniform because there’s lots of options. The pants and polo shirts are soft and I feel comfortable when I’m wearing them.” Jada enjoys the freedom she has with accessories, “I like to wear crazy socks and having any choice of shoes is fun for me” she says with her troll earrings dangling to her shoulders. Yenet clarified that any sweaters are OK, “but they have to match the colors that you find in the plaid skirts, then you can wear them with the uniform.”

Uniforms: Then vs Now

Changes in the uniform were driven by the desire to be gender neutral. Self expression is important at Maharishi School, as you can see in several of these images. Many of our students have fun with dying their hair and adding little flavors of their own personal style to the uniform. However, it wasn’t always this way.

In the early 90’s you can see a very different sense of the uniform at Maharishi School. Walking down the halls of Maharishi School in 1999 you would see yellow and green plaid jumpers for the girls, and khaki pants with a yellow knitted tie for the boys. Now, in 2020, the students have uniforms that vary from navy blue to forest green or grey.

1994-1995 6th Grade Girls

1998-1999 4th Grade Boys

2003-2004 9th Grade Boys

What is the future of school uniforms?

The American Preparatory Schools Organizations talk about uniforms, “When wearing uniforms, students often feel more “important” since they belong to a group. Uniforms give a sense of belonging, and a code of conduct is imposed on the student.”

At Maharishi School, the uniform not only embodies order but it can also be a blank canvas for the student to express themselves. Times are changing and, therefore, the needs of a student will always be different. Our school wants you to be your best most authentic self and our uniform will always be a reflection of that.