Pros and Cons of School Uniforms

We have worked with schools across the United States, and believe us, you are not the only person asking this question! The answers that we have heard from our customers are as varied as our customers are. The debate over school uniforms is complicated, so we've included highlights from both sides for you to consider:

Professional:

Some say that a child in a school uniform is more likely to take school seriously. Putting on the school uniform signals he or she is going to school just like dad dresses up to go to work. Schools report that when students dress in "work clothes" rather than "play clothes" they take a more serious approach to their studies.

Promotes Good Discipline:

Many think that school uniforms help maintain school discipline, decreasing the amount of discipline problems. The argument is that children today are lacking in self-discipline because parents refuse to discipline them. This makes it more difficult on the teacher who has to deal with classes of 25-30 students at a time.

Reduces Fighting and Violence:

Schools report that school uniforms decrease fighting and violence that arrise out of arguments over fashionable clothes. Children invariably tease those who do not have trendy clothes. Those who can't afford name brand clothes are often sensitive about their clothing. Schools struggling with gang problems report that school uniforms help ease tensions.

Distractions:

Many parents believe that students wearing school uniforms look nicer and that a school uniform policy ensures that children will come to school in appropriate clothing, avoiding distractions such as fads considered to be outlandish or overly revealing. Some students have turned school into an unending fashion show. This disctracts from learning, as some kids spend more time focused on thier clothes than on homework.

Values:

School uniforms stress that individuality and self-expression are not determined by designer clothing or the latest fashion fad.

Low Cost:

School uniforms are a bargain. They are becoming far less expensive than many other clothes. Schools argue that school uniforms are economical, especially compared to designer clothing, and parents agree given school uniform durability. They say school uniforms last longer because they are made for repeated wash and wear. Many schools capitalize on this by starting used school uniform stores or swap meets. Parents can get used school uniforms at discount prices, or just use them as hand-me-downs between siblings.

School Spirit:

Some feel wearing a school uniform helps build school spirit. It instills a feeling of belonging. As the Beach Boys said, "Be true to your school." Schools report an increase in school pride.

Individuality:

Supressing individuality is the most commonly cited objection to school uniforms. Educators argue that an academic program encouraging students to pursue individual thought is much more important than what they wear. They inhibit creativity and self-expression, forcing students to conform.

Causes Discipline Problems:

Some students reject any rules. Forcing them to wear school uniforms only aggravates their rebelious spirit. They alter their school uniform by tightening, widening, shortening, or lengthening them, and teachers are given the impossible task of policing the students on a daily basis.

Little or No Relationship to Academics:

Opponents insist that their is no credible evidence that school uniforms improve school discipline or promote higher academic acheivement. The principal argument is that some great students are terrible dressers. Dress does not necessarily improve learning.

Author: Isaac Grauke

How Much to Tip For Pizza Delivery?

ipping has become a customary part of North American society. Usually when someone performs a service for us we leave a gratuity. Most people are aware when to tip but how much to tip is always a difficult subject.
The amount you should tip varies from person to person, job to job, city to city and state to state. However, there are some general guidelines that work in most situations.

When it comes to the pizza delivery driver how much to tip is determined by a number of different factors. The absolute golden rule to remember though is that you should always tip the pizza delivery driver. They are providing you an invaluable service and deserve to be remunerated accordingly.

Why Tip The Driver?

Pizza delivery drivers have a demanding job. Not only do they have to locate homes all over the city, usually at night, but do so in a timely fashion.

They deal with winter driving conditions, pouring rain, traffic and a list of other in-store duties. They use their own vehicles (not company cars as a lot of people assume) and have to pay for maintenance and commercial insurance.

In the course of a regular delivery they expend a lot of energy and time finding your house or apartment. Many houses do not have visible numbers, especially at night, and in a lot of cities parking is non-existent forcing the driver to walk with your order no matter what the weather conditions. Apartment buildings can be a maze and sometimes pets are a hazard to unsuspecting delivery drivers.

While you only see the driver for a few minutes at your door they have spent a significant amount of time and energy to deliver your pizza to you.

On top of this pizza delivery drivers are in danger of being robbed every time they leave the store. In the U.S. in particular, the government considers pizza delivery a hazardous occupation. This is due to statistics that show pizza delivery drivers are third on the list for being murdered at work after police officers and taxi drivers.

For all this work the companies that employ drivers pay most minimum wage. Drivers, just like restaurant servers, rely on tips to earn a decent living.

How Much To Tip?

Tipping amounts vary slightly depending on the region. For a place like Ajax, Toronto you would expect to tip approximately the same as for restaurant servers:

• 12-15% is the general rule.

• 20% or more should be given for extraordinary service.

• 10% or less for poor quality service.

• No tip for rude behavior or extremely bad service.

• For orders less than $20 a $3 minimum tip should apply.

• For orders more than $50 a 10% minimum should apply.

• During foul or extreme weather it is considerate to tip a little more. You don’t want to go outside so think about how the driver feels. They have to deal with excessive heat, snow, freezing rain, windstorms etc.

• If you live a long way from the store you should also tip a little more. One or two dollars extra being the average. This is the polite thing to do when you know it will take the driver at least 20-30 minutes to reach your home.

In the end please remember that delivery drivers work hard to provide you with an invaluable service. Most of us order pizza when the weather is bad, usually at night and on the weekend. It is a great convenience and a service we would not have if it weren’t for the delivery drivers.

Author: Anthony Williams Sr. @ Isnare

Driver Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts

There are certain behavioral norms that we are used to following in regular interactions with other people. All that seems to go out the window when you are on the road. Road rage is far more commonly discussed these days than driver etiquette, but it’s our manners while driving that are most important.
What exactly should we be doing and how should we be acting while on the road? Here are a few guidelines.

DO

• Leave on time. If you’re rushed and racing to get to an appointment or meeting, you’ll be more stressed out and far more likely to ignore proper driver etiquette which could cause some serious problems.

• Let people pull in front of you. It really won’t delay your journey if you let one or two cars get into the line and you’ll save yourself and someone else a lot of frustration.

• Slow down. Going too fast means you could miss a sign or signal and end up in an accident. This isn’t just about etiquette, it’s also about safety.

• Give advance notice. If you’re going to turn, be sure to turn on your signal ahead of time, not just as you are about to make the turn. This lets the vehicles around you react appropriately.

• Dim your headlights. When coming up on another car, keep in mind that your brights can blind the other driver, whether reflecting in his rearview mirror or shining directly into the oncoming car.

• Move to one side when emergency vehicles come through. It might be tempting to race ahead, particularly if your turnoff is coming up, but keep in mind why they are in hurry and pull over.

• Let buses cut in. They are on a schedule and you’ll be able to overtake them at the next stop, which won’t take much time off your commute, but could make a big difference to those who travel public transport.

DON’T

• Expect people to guess what you’re thinking. It’s important to always let them know with signals what you are about to do. Expecting someone to get out of your way because you’re in a hurry is only going to cause problems.

• Tailgate. There is nothing more annoying than someone who just won’t back off, so move back and keep an appropriate distance between cars.

• Talk on the phone while driving. Studies have shown that you simply don’t have the same reflexes when having a conversation on the phone and using just one hand to drive. Instead, invest in a headless phone system or wait until you can pull over.

• Lose your temper. Take deep breaths or even pull over if you need to. Getting angry and giving in to road rage will only cause more trouble than it’s worth.

• Block cyclists and motorbikes. They might be annoying, but it’s not worth causing problems if they are trying to pass you on the shoulder.

• Drive too slowly. If you are going lower than the speed limit, make sure you move to one side so people can pass you. It’s rude to cause a hold up by driving too slowly.

Being polite on the road is just as important as having good table manners. How you act will affect the people around you and driving etiquette will also affect how you go through your day. Being nice to people is proven to make you feel better and boost morale, so it`s a good way to start the day off right, by letting someone move into the line ahead of you during rush hour.

Author: A Nutt @ Isnare