THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, February 12, 1996              TAG: 9602090006
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   34 lines

FOR UNIFORMS IN SCHOOLS

Columnist Mike Barnicle could have skipped writing ``Students need discipline more than they need uniforms'' (Perspectives, Feb. 5). I've never heard such nonsense as penned there. Mr. Barnicle obviously has been a long time out of school, and he is male, which may account for some of it.

I went to school in Australia; we had uniforms. They are a good idea as they take distractions from the school day; i.e., those of trying to figure out what to wear and keeping up with peers.

As a Navy family for 20 years, we spent the most part at isolated stations overseas and were accepted by the Navy communities at face value. It was a major culture shock to transfer to Virginia Beach when my children were in their teens. We could not immediately afford to outfit all four of them in brand-name shoes, coats, etc., and one of them was taunted on the school bus because of it. They were all very aware of the distinctions caused by expensive clothing.

My children are out of school now, but I would applaud the decision of school uniforms for other children even if they don't appreciate it right away. The parents will get a break financially and it will be one less thing to have to hassle with daily.

JUDITH H. TAYLOR

Suffolk, Feb. 6, 1996 by CNB