When was the last time you remember the school uniform being modified for the benefit of students? How many times were you promised this by STUCO representatives, only for it to be forgotten?

Every student from The Columbus School community must follow the uniform code. The uniform consists of blue sweatpants with white and orange stripes on the sides and a white polo-style shirt with a blue collar and orange details. The lower half of the uniform is relatively comfortable and has a few aspects that need improvement. However, the upper portion of the uniform has considerable room for improvement, which would benefit not only current students but also future generations.

Past STUCO representatives have promised a change but failed to turn this proposal into reality. Although the school has considered this an area for improvement, it has never taken action. According to High School Principal Paul Navarra, the school is open to student ideas.

“I’ve mentioned this to the new director, Lucas. Get together a working committee with student representatives and staff representatives, and come up with some ideas around the design,” Navarra said. “It would have a student voice, which I think is the most important. It would have a staff voice.”

With the school’s support, students only need to address the uniform issues with the administration and show determination for change.

Emilio Perez, a tenth-grade student and soccer player on The Columbus School team, analyzed the current situation with the P.E. uniforms, their main issues, and possible solutions.

“To start with, I believe that some issues with the P.E. uniforms are the material. I think it is not good enough. It would be better if it were a softer and more flexible material for all the kinds of sports we do. Maybe the design of the sweatpants could also include other colors,” Perez said.

Many students have expressed concerns about the material of the P.E. shirt. Perez emphasized that the shirt is not appropriate for all the activities students do daily. He also commented on the price-quality relationship of the uniforms and shared an interesting viewpoint.

“Sometimes the uniform feels like a scam because the quality isn’t always great. P.E. uniforms, especially, are often made of thick or uncomfortable fabric, which makes it hard to move,” Perez said. “If we’re paying so much for this, they should at least make sure the uniforms are good for actual sports, not just to look formal.”

Finally, Perez suggested possible solutions to meet students’ demands for a quality uniform at a fair price.

“This is a problem that could be solved without a lot of time and resources. If many people contribute to this discussion, it could be easy to find a solution,” he said. “With the school’s resources and all the engineers and different types of professionals available, we could find many solutions to this problem.”

Navarra also provided insights into how school administrators perceive this issue.

“I’ve heard that a common student complaint is that the shirt is uncomfortable. Everybody kind of likes the sweatpants; they’re comfy. But the shirt—and my daughter, who’s in seventh grade, has the same complaint,” Navarra said. “I think I would support an update. It’s time for something more modern and hopefully more comfortable.”

Navarra acknowledged the uniform’s problems while expressing openness to an update. He also provided context from his experience at Corvallis High School in Oregon, where the dynamic of uniforms functioned differently.

“At my old school, Corvallis High School in Oregon, it’s a public school with 1,200 students. There’s a word in English, it’s called swag,” Navarra said. “A lot of students and staff wore school swag, which created school pride. We had an agreement with Nike, so all of our gear was Nike. Every Friday, all the staff would wear a sweatshirt with Corvallis High School Spartan.”

Navarra concluded by stating that he has proposed a working committee of school representatives, staff, and parents to address school issues, including the Columbus School uniforms.

“Everybody should feel like they have some input, maybe even a parent representative, and come together as a team from different perspectives,” Navarra said. “I’m sure we could come up with two or three designs. Maybe we could even put it to a school vote—here are the three designs the committee came up with, which one is your preference? Students from K-4 to 12 could vote. That would be cool.”

The good news is that the school is open to ideas. A working committee of students, staff, and parents could collaborate on new designs, with a school-wide vote helping to determine the final look. While the sweatpants are comfortable, many students agree that the P.E. shirts are tight, made of uncomfortable material, and not the best for sports.

Perez, a student-athlete, even mentioned that the quality of the uniforms does not match the high prices. Even though STUCO representatives have promised to improve the uniforms in the past, nothing has changed.

This issue matters because students wear these uniforms every day, and having a more comfortable and flexible design could make P.E. class more enjoyable and help students perform better in sports. Teachers and staff, like Navarra, also recognize the problem and agree that it might be time for an update.

The question now is: Will students take action and make this change happen?