Should middle school students be allowed to wear leggings at school?

[Slade3200]

I agree, Ascelpias, if all students AND teachers must abide by a strict uniform code.

This is just f**king stupid. Teachers are professionals with college degrees, many with advanced degrees and many years of work as professionals. Do you wear a uniform to work, do any professionals wear uniforms to work? The teacher is the adult in the room: not a child. If a teacher dresses inappropriately, you can bet she/he hears about it from administration, and pretty much all schools have dress codes for teachers. But a uniform is not appropriate. The reason kids have uniforms is to avoid some kids being bullied because they don't have nice clothes like others or because they wear seriously inappropriate things like leggings. Get a grip: teachers are adults.

Many other public employees wear uniforms... Police, Firefighters, EMTs, Judges, Military etc I'm not advocating for uniforms in schools but your logic in your last post doesn't really make sense

 

[Darkwind]

Lawyers
Nurses
Doctors
Accountants
Engineers

Just to name a few professions with very advanced degrees that require uniforms. To say that no profession requires professionals to wear uniforms is just plain assinine.

I am reminded of an axiom that seems to apply to the concept of school uniforms.

"An uncoachable kid becomes and unemployable adult"

The use of school uniforms removes many distractions from the school grounds. It also teaches a very important lesson in equality. If every student is dressed the same, then it becomes less about skin color and more about merit and effort. The very idea that making a rule is going to cause more delinquency is mind-boggling. That is akin to saying, "If we make drunk driving laws, we are going to create more criminals!"

That argument that teachers should not be required to wear a uniform because they are the adults is as ludicrous a statement as a parent telling a kid, "Do as I say, not as I do." There are many professions, staffed with people who have advanced degrees, who are required to wear uniforms.

The whole point of school is to prep students for real life. In the real world, they will have to wear uniforms, and they will have to advance on the merits of their efforts, not because they are 'special'.

 

[koshergrl]

I agree that it isn't common, but one time is one time too many. Besides that, middle school aged boys are very easily distracted by women, whether it be her legs, her breasts, whatever. Geesh, even full grown men are that way a lot of times! I don't see why anyone would be against uniforms in school. I think it would make for a more productive learning environment. There are a LOT more teachers in the world nowadays because there are more people in general, and unfortunately a lot of people have no class, no couth and no ethics.

Teachers are not children. Get that through your head. Are you required to wear a uniform to work? Do you have a master's degree or better? Do you really think it is appropropriate to humiliate professionals with university degrees by making them wear uniforms to work? Only Americans think that way. Incredible. When is the abuse of teachers in America going to stop?

ABUSE of teachers? Holy shit lady. Get a grip.

No, that is not an exaggeration. Americans treat teachers abusively. No respect for them at all. It's the only country that I know of that does it. You treat them worse than you would your maid or baby sitter.

American teachers don't deserve respect. They've destroyed our schools.

Thank goodness the dept. of misinformation is getting a facelift...
Inside Betsy DeVos’s efforts to shrink the Education Department

"In all, the department has shed about 350 workers since December — nearly 8 percent of its staff — including political appointees. With buyouts offered to 255 employees in recent days, DeVos hopes to show even more staff the door.

Perfect example of how teachers in the US are treated abusively by Americans, and it comes most often from people who couldn't get a job as teacher anywhere on this planet at any level.

They're laid off because they're worthless and serve no purpose.

Yes, like most of the teachers in the US.

 

[usmbguest5318]

"Maybe" is my answer, but that option doesn't exist among the poll options. I don't see the matter as binary, which is how the poll answer options tacitly present it.

I am of the mind that there are very few always-appropriate/always-inappropriate garments for individuals to wear. What "works" and when and what does not "work" and when depends as much on the wearer as it does on the circumstance of the wearing.

If the child is going to wear them as shown below, then no....

​

If the child wears them as shown below, I see no problem with their doing so....

These ways of wearing leggings is fine for going to class.

(I don't approve of the coquettish bimbo pose, but the leggings are okay.)

The photos below are of high school students at the high school my son attended.

These looks are a bit more fashionable than I suspect most girls would don for school, but if my daughter were to wear it to class, I wouldn't object on the grounds of the leggings being inappropriate.

(Is the coquettish bimbo pose "a thing" among young women these days?")

If the school has an equestrian program, wearing something like this is fine for practice and whatnot. The look below is fairly typical of what my daughter wears/wore for recreational riding activities.

​

Similarly, if the child's body shape is what I call "two tons of fun," then, mostly no, she should not wear leggings in lieu of pants or a dress/skirt. However, if she or her style guides have good style sense, there're ways she can wear leggings that don't look gross.

​

At the end of the day, it just depends....I think parents and a school's administrators need to consider each case individually. Of course, school administrations prefer "cookie cutter" approaches to things like dress codes, but they are sometimes reticent or disallowed to implement a mandated uniform.



Aside:

I don't know why, but it strikes me as odd that, for the most part, dress code issues seem to swirl around girls rather than boys. I have three boys and a girl, and all of them figured out how to "put their sexy on" well before I'd have liked them to. As goes young male "sexy dress," what I observed differing was that "boy sexy" seemed to focus on how loose garments drape over their muscles rather than being skintight. From what I can tell, my kids' friends know as much about "putting their sexy on" as do adults.

At the end of the day, I had to accept that neither I nor the school's staff could police their every outfit choice. Accordingly, I had to trust in their exercising the good judgment they were taught to have. Giving kids free reign to exercise good judgment with their sartorial decisions and the consequences thereof strikes me as a fitting part of the "leash" parents can safely give kids. After all, learning to resist sartorial temptation -- be it the wearing or the inspiration attire may catalyze for "reaching out and touching" -- is among the things young people need to learn to resist and, when appropriate, not resist. It's never too soon to learn a lesson, and, frankly, the sooner one learns a lesson, the better.​

These are models. They are not middle and high school girls going to class.

What part of this statement did you not understand?

The photos below are of high school students at the high school my son attended.

 

[Slade3200]

I agree that it isn't common, but one time is one time too many. Besides that, middle school aged boys are very easily distracted by women, whether it be her legs, her breasts, whatever. Geesh, even full grown men are that way a lot of times! I don't see why anyone would be against uniforms in school. I think it would make for a more productive learning environment. There are a LOT more teachers in the world nowadays because there are more people in general, and unfortunately a lot of people have no class, no couth and no ethics.

Teachers are not children. Get that through your head. Are you required to wear a uniform to work? Do you have a master's degree or better? Do you really think it is appropropriate to humiliate professionals with university degrees by making them wear uniforms to work? Only Americans think that way. Incredible. When is the abuse of teachers in America going to stop?

ABUSE of teachers? Holy shit lady. Get a grip.

No, that is not an exaggeration. Americans treat teachers abusively. No respect for them at all. It's the only country that I know of that does it. You treat them worse than you would your maid or baby sitter.

I would say that the police are FAR more abused AND they have to wear uniforms too!

Cops don't have college degrees dear. Teachers don't go to college for 6 years to have to wear uniforms to work. All American teachers have at least a bachelors and most a masters or the equivalent because they are required to take continuing college level professional development courses to keep their licences active. Something else people in other professions are not required to do.

Oh come on with this college degree stuff. Doctors wear uniforms (that little white coat), Judges wear uniforms ( the black robe). Do I need to keep going? I'm guessing you have a masters degree and think you are above most people. Am I right? And why are you so emotional, your posts read like you have a lot bottled up... Let me guess, you're a psych major

 

[koshergrl]

Teachers are not children. Get that through your head. Are you required to wear a uniform to work? Do you have a master's degree or better? Do you really think it is appropropriate to humiliate professionals with university degrees by making them wear uniforms to work? Only Americans think that way. Incredible. When is the abuse of teachers in America going to stop?

ABUSE of teachers? Holy shit lady. Get a grip.

No, that is not an exaggeration. Americans treat teachers abusively. No respect for them at all. It's the only country that I know of that does it. You treat them worse than you would your maid or baby sitter.

I would say that the police are FAR more abused AND they have to wear uniforms too!

Cops don't have college degrees dear. Teachers don't go to college for 6 years to have to wear uniforms to work. All American teachers have at least a bachelors and most a masters or the equivalent because they are required to take continuing college level professional development courses to keep their licences active. Something else people in other professions are not required to do.

Oh come on with this college degree stuff. Doctors wear uniforms (that little white coat), Judges wear uniforms ( the black robe). Do I need to keep going? I'm guessing you have a masters degree and think you are above most people. Am I right? And why are you so emotional, your posts read like you have a lot bottled up... Let me guess, you're a psych major

I think she's a teacher.

A mentally ill idiot charged with the care and education of children. Super creepy. Which is why my kids aren't in public school anymore.

 

[Slade3200]

Lawyers
Nurses
Doctors
Accountants
Engineers

Just to name a few professions with very advanced degrees that require uniforms. To say that no profession requires professionals to wear uniforms is just plain assinine.

I am reminded of an axiom that seems to apply to the concept of school uniforms.

"An uncoachable kid becomes and unemployable adult"

The use of school uniforms removes many distractions from the school grounds. It also teaches a very important lesson in equality. If every student is dressed the same, then it becomes less about skin color and more about merit and effort. The very idea that making a rule is going to cause more delinquency is mind-boggling. That is akin to saying, "If we make drunk driving laws, we are going to create more criminals!"

That argument that teachers should not be required to wear a uniform because they are the adults is as ludicrous a statement as a parent telling a kid, "Do as I say, not as I do." There are many professions, staffed with people who have advanced degrees, who are required to wear uniforms.

The whole point of school is to prep students for real life. In the real world, they will have to wear uniforms, and they will have to advance on the merits of their efforts, not because they are 'special'.

I agree with your post however mandating uniforms in our public schools in not realistic. We are having a hard time getting the parents to accept that leggings and jeans with holes are dress code violations. Imagine the backlash if we said that uniforms are going to be required. I think a dress code provide a happy medium between the two viewpoints. Kids can dress how they want while respecting a certain level of standards.

 

[koshergrl]

 

[koshergrl]

 

[JakeStarkey]

I agree, Ascelpias, if all students AND teachers must abide by a strict uniform code.

Not teachers. Teachers may have a dress code, but they shouldn't wear uniforms.

Teachers should have uniforms to set the standard.

Fashion and design and competition among the teachers is unacceptable just as it is among the students.

BULLSHIT. You are wrong. Teachers are not competing with how they dress. They are educated professional people who set a standard for the young. YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT EDUCATION OR BEING A TEACHER. Give it up.

You are angry, because you know I am right. Teachers do compete in how they dress. Serving on two school boards (once as a President) among other educational activities, I certainly know what I am talking about.

The verbal violence of your answer gives you away.

You are NOT right; you are being a fucking idiot.

Yep, the verbal violence continues.

You would style your wile in our district, missy.

 

[Darkwind]

Lawyers
Nurses
Doctors
Accountants
Engineers

Just to name a few professions with very advanced degrees that require uniforms. To say that no profession requires professionals to wear uniforms is just plain assinine.

I am reminded of an axiom that seems to apply to the concept of school uniforms.

"An uncoachable kid becomes and unemployable adult"

The use of school uniforms removes many distractions from the school grounds. It also teaches a very important lesson in equality. If every student is dressed the same, then it becomes less about skin color and more about merit and effort. The very idea that making a rule is going to cause more delinquency is mind-boggling. That is akin to saying, "If we make drunk driving laws, we are going to create more criminals!"

That argument that teachers should not be required to wear a uniform because they are the adults is as ludicrous a statement as a parent telling a kid, "Do as I say, not as I do." There are many professions, staffed with people who have advanced degrees, who are required to wear uniforms.

The whole point of school is to prep students for real life. In the real world, they will have to wear uniforms, and they will have to advance on the merits of their efforts, not because they are 'special'.

I agree with your post however mandating uniforms in our public schools in not realistic. We are having a hard time getting the parents to accept that leggings and jeans with holes are dress code violations. Imagine the backlash if we said that uniforms are going to be required. I think a dress code provide a happy medium between the two viewpoints. Kids can dress how they want while respecting a certain level of standards.

I don't really have a dog in this fight. However, the very last thing we should do if we are talking about educating young people to be better citizens is to kowtow to outrage and hurt feelings of people who will find fault with anything that they disagree with. That way leads to regulations and policies that are so mismatched and hodgepodged that it costs five times as much to enforce than a simple, straightforward edict that students will dress in this uniform and the uniform will be clean.

We need to start showing our young people that they have responsibilities that they will be required to adhere to, both in school and in life.

Either way, it will be a decision of each independent school district.

 

[JakeStarkey]

In today's world where teachers and students actually have AFFAIRS (as pathetic as that is), then it is only appropriate that they should all have to wear uniforms. School shouldn't be a fashion show anyways. All of that takes away from the learning environment and is nothing but a big distraction.

Teachers haveing sexual relations with students isn't common and it is not the atmosphere of schools these days. It is extraordinarily rare. "In fall 2017, about 50.7 million students will attend public elementary and secondary schools in America." How many events in 2017 involving students and teachers being sexually involved did you hear about? Even if it were 100, which it probably wasn't anywhere near. 100 would be 0.0002% of 50 million. It's a very small pecentage. So, please, have some common sense: there is no environment where teachers are having sex with students, and teachers are not wearing provocative clothing to work.

I agree that it isn't common, but one time is one time too many. Besides that, middle school aged boys are very easily distracted by women, whether it be her legs, her breasts, whatever. Geesh, even full grown men are that way a lot of times! I don't see why anyone would be against uniforms in school. I think it would make for a more productive learning environment. There are a LOT more teachers in the world nowadays because there are more people in general, and unfortunately a lot of people have no class, no couth and no ethics.

Teachers are not children. Get that through your head. Are you required to wear a uniform to work? Do you have a master's degree or better? Do you really think it is appropropriate to humiliate professionals with university degrees by making them wear uniforms to work? Only Americans think that way. Incredible. When is the abuse of teachers in America going to stop?

ABUSE of teachers? Holy shit lady. Get a grip.

Teachers are not abused in America.

The boards have every right to set standards, including uniforms, for teachers.

 

[koshergrl]

Lawyers
Nurses
Doctors
Accountants
Engineers

Just to name a few professions with very advanced degrees that require uniforms. To say that no profession requires professionals to wear uniforms is just plain assinine.

I am reminded of an axiom that seems to apply to the concept of school uniforms.

"An uncoachable kid becomes and unemployable adult"

The use of school uniforms removes many distractions from the school grounds. It also teaches a very important lesson in equality. If every student is dressed the same, then it becomes less about skin color and more about merit and effort. The very idea that making a rule is going to cause more delinquency is mind-boggling. That is akin to saying, "If we make drunk driving laws, we are going to create more criminals!"

That argument that teachers should not be required to wear a uniform because they are the adults is as ludicrous a statement as a parent telling a kid, "Do as I say, not as I do." There are many professions, staffed with people who have advanced degrees, who are required to wear uniforms.

The whole point of school is to prep students for real life. In the real world, they will have to wear uniforms, and they will have to advance on the merits of their efforts, not because they are 'special'.

I agree with your post however mandating uniforms in our public schools in not realistic. We are having a hard time getting the parents to accept that leggings and jeans with holes are dress code violations. Imagine the backlash if we said that uniforms are going to be required. I think a dress code provide a happy medium between the two viewpoints. Kids can dress how they want while respecting a certain level of standards.

I think most parents would be fine with it.

The kids' last school had a uniform..but it was pretty relaxed. Collared shirts, black, brown, or jeans on the bottom..no holes, no leggings except under a dress. No hats inside the school, no hoodies over the head.

The result was a very comfortable workable arrangement that allowed the kids to be appropriate no matter where they went for the day (they had frequent and spontaneous field trips). It also meant they always had proper attire for their exhibitions The intent was to have the kids present as professional.

 

[Disir]

So it sounds like you don’t support a dress code in schools and want to leave it up to the parents... that’s fine but what of the point I made a few posts ago about creating an environment with a similar structure as the majority of professional work environments that’s school is supposed to be preparing our children for?

To do what? Legal has been off-shored, medical--specifically nursing is in the process of being destroyed, the IT sector has been nailed, banking has been outsourced and off-shored. R&D was off-shored some 20 years ago. The US is finally getting around to nanotechnology. The powers that be didn't see there was any profit to be made in robotics 30 years ago. And as everyone knows there is no shortage of teachers, ya just don't want to pay them. Fix that.

These are the most sought after foreign languages:
Foreign Language — Central Intelligence Agency

So, where are they in the schools? As a rule, there are two languages taught. One is Spanish and the other is French. Hell, there is a four year requirement in the district here but the Spanish teacher only does two years and the French teacher only does two years. The hell is that? Next county over you can learn Chinese in one of the high schools. It's one of the most overcrowded high schools. The kids are on top of each other and it is notorious for fights.

Coding..why is it not taught in the schools?

A minimum price tag to become a doctor or an attorney is $600,000

I live in an area where there are vo-techs that teach airplane mechanics, auto mechanics and nursing. Kids spend the last two years of high school going into that. There are a variety of after school clubs that the kids participate in but you have to be in high school for most of them. Robotics is one. Some schools have incorporated this into the class rooms but most do not. The last competition/meeting the DoD was scouting. YAG is another one. The kids go to the state house and write laws or lobby. They are required to wear suits. Mock Trial is another one. Depending on funding they actually teach a couple of law courses but most of the time it's all after school and most of the time it is all in high school.

But, do you know what these kids excel at? Taking tests. That is where the funding goes. Millions of dollars spent a year for testing that shows diddly squat.

These are decisions adults make. Until the adults are capable of addressing the above, then what is being asked for is nothing more than becoming obedient little robots. And that has already been achieved via testing and the factory model school.

Whats with the tangent? You just went off on a variety of subjects that have nothing to do with this discussion. I agree with many of your points by the way, but don't use outside economic conditions and shortcomings in todays educational system to divert from answering the question.

If you are trying to make the point that dress code etiquette shouldn't be in schools because it is no longer a part of our professional workplace or society then make that point. It sounded like you started going down that road saying that the professions I pointed out are being outsources or automated, is that really the point that you are trying to make?

yeah........coffee is the bestest. Third cup and my brain was pole dancing to Another Brick in the Wall.

The point is the kids have structure. They have deadlines. They are told what to do by the sound of a bell. They have opportunities to dress and interact with professionals.

What they don't have are the necessary ingredients that I listed above. The education part of education. Unfortunately, economics plays into it, jobs plays into it. Without it, dress codes and the rational behind them are very superficial. There are bigger fish to fry.

 

[JakeStarkey]

A good dress code is the kindling to a bigger fish fry.

Structure and standard undergirds the education process.

 

[Esmeralda]

I agree, Ascelpias, if all students AND teachers must abide by a strict uniform code.

This is just f**king stupid. Teachers are professionals with college degrees, many with advanced degrees and many years of work as professionals. Do you wear a uniform to work, do any professionals wear uniforms to work? The teacher is the adult in the room: not a child. If a teacher dresses inappropriately, you can bet she/he hears about it from administration, and pretty much all schools have dress codes for teachers. But a uniform is not appropriate. The reason kids have uniforms is to avoid some kids being bullied because they don't have nice clothes like others or because they wear seriously inappropriate things like leggings. Get a grip: teachers are adults.

Many other public employees wear uniforms... Police, Firefighters, EMTs, Judges, Military etc I'm not advocating for uniforms in schools but your logic in your last post doesn't really make sense

It is not the same thing for teachers to wear uniforms as it is for Judges. They wear a robe, something that gives them a higher respect, not something that demeans them. Police, EMTs, firefighters, etc., are not 'professionals' in the sense they are not college graduates. Most have an associates degree at most, not a bachelors, masters or Phds. People don't go through 4 to 6 years of higher education to be told they don't know how to dress professionally and are so childish they wear clothing to entice students or show how much cooler they are than their colleagues. Such ideas are insulting and demeaning.

As well, police, fireman and EMTs need to be immediately identified by the people they are helping. How can you obey a police officer if you can't identify him/her?

In school, the teacher is the adult in the room and should not be treated the same as the student, not in that sense. It is similar to the parent being the parent, the adult, not the child's buddy or friend. For students, uniforms in schools can help prevent bullying. Students new to the school blend in better. There are many good reasons for uniforms.

Most schools, if not all, have dress codes for teachers similar to what other businesses have: professional attire, casual business dress, etc. Only PE teachers are allowed to come to work in sweats or shorts. That kind of thing.

I was teaching in an international school that had uniforms for students and a dress code for teachers. When leggings came into fashion, some of the younger teachers started to wear them. The administration put out a memo that they were not allowed, essentially amending the teacher dress code. They weren't concerned about teachers trying to one up each other or about their trying to be enticing: it was an all girls school with an all female faculty. The admin simply didn't think it looked professional. Cleavage was also not allowed. Dressing professionally, generally business casual, is the norm for teacher dress codes; often schools allow jeans on Friday. Casual Friday.

Forcing teacher to wear uniforms achieves nothing. Schools already have teacher dress codes. If they need to amend them because of fashion trends, then they should do so.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Esmeralda is flat wrong.

Officers wear the same uniform as the enlisted ranks. So do police officers, firemans, doctors, nurses, etc.

She can yell all she wants, but if the school issues the code, she abides or she glides.

 

[Slade3200]

I agree, Ascelpias, if all students AND teachers must abide by a strict uniform code.

This is just f**king stupid. Teachers are professionals with college degrees, many with advanced degrees and many years of work as professionals. Do you wear a uniform to work, do any professionals wear uniforms to work? The teacher is the adult in the room: not a child. If a teacher dresses inappropriately, you can bet she/he hears about it from administration, and pretty much all schools have dress codes for teachers. But a uniform is not appropriate. The reason kids have uniforms is to avoid some kids being bullied because they don't have nice clothes like others or because they wear seriously inappropriate things like leggings. Get a grip: teachers are adults.

Many other public employees wear uniforms... Police, Firefighters, EMTs, Judges, Military etc I'm not advocating for uniforms in schools but your logic in your last post doesn't really make sense

It is not the same thing for teachers to wear uniforms as it is for Judges. They wear a robe, something that gives them a higher respect, not something that demeans them. Police, EMTs, firefighters, etc., are not 'professionals' in the sense they are not college graduates. Most have an associates degree at most, not a bachelors, masters or Phds. People don't go through 4 to 6 years of higher education to be told they don't know how to dress professionally and are so childish they wear clothing to entice students or show how much cooler they are than their colleagues. Such ideas are insulting and demeaning.

As well, police, fireman and EMTs need to be immediately identified by the people they are helping. How can you obey a police officer if you can't identify him/her?

In school, the teacher is the adult in the room and should not be treated the same as the student, not in that sense. It is similar to the parent being the parent, the adult, not the child's buddy or friend. For students, uniforms in schools can help prevent bullying. Students new to the school blend in better. There are many good reasons for uniforms.

Most schools, if not all, have dress codes for teachers similar to what other businesses have: professional attire, casual business dress, etc. Only PE teachers are allowed to come to work in sweats or shorts. That kind of thing.

I was teaching in an international school that had uniforms for students and a dress code for teachers. When leggings came into fashion, some of the younger teachers started to wear them. The administration put out a memo that they were not allowed, essentially amending the teacher dress code. They weren't concerned about teachers trying to one up each other or about their trying to be enticing: it was an all girls school with an all female faculty. The admin simply didn't think it looked professional. Cleavage was also not allowed. Dressing professionally, generally business casual, is the norm for teacher dress codes; often schools allow jeans on Friday. Casual Friday.

Forcing teacher to wear uniforms achieves nothing. Schools already have teacher dress codes. If they need to amend them because of fashion trends, then they should do so.

Thanks for presenting an intelligent and logical argument to support your position. A refreshing change of tone from the other day.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

What about hospitals, sports teams, or even restaurants... most professional work environments have some form of a dress code. Do you have a problem with that or does it sound reasonable to you?

Depends on the environment. I have a problem with uniforms in public schools.

My question is about dress codes in professional work environments

I heard you. I told you where my problem is.

I’ll take that as you not having a problem with dress codes in professional work environments. So that leads to my point. If our children are going to move into a work force and culture where dress etiquette is a factor in most work places, then wouldn’t it make sense to include some form of that kind of structure and discipline in our school environment?

Slade, my issue is pretty specific. When it comes to uniforms, there are violations which lead to suspensions. There are several reasons for those violations. The uniforms are a part of the zero tolerance policies. Those policies have impacted juvenile delinquency. The American education system is still based on the factory model. A bell tells you when to shift to another class, when to eat lunch, when lunch is over and when quitting time is. It is structured. The uniforms appease adults.

There are violations that will lead to suspensions only if the parents and little hellions don't remove their heads from their asses and follow the rules.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

So it sounds like you don’t support a dress code in schools and want to leave it up to the parents... that’s fine but what of the point I made a few posts ago about creating an environment with a similar structure as the majority of professional work environments that’s school is supposed to be preparing our children for?

To do what? Legal has been off-shored, medical--specifically nursing is in the process of being destroyed, the IT sector has been nailed, banking has been outsourced and off-shored. R&D was off-shored some 20 years ago. The US is finally getting around to nanotechnology. The powers that be didn't see there was any profit to be made in robotics 30 years ago. And as everyone knows there is no shortage of teachers, ya just don't want to pay them. Fix that.

These are the most sought after foreign languages:
Foreign Language — Central Intelligence Agency

So, where are they in the schools? As a rule, there are two languages taught. One is Spanish and the other is French. Hell, there is a four year requirement in the district here but the Spanish teacher only does two years and the French teacher only does two years. The hell is that? Next county over you can learn Chinese in one of the high schools. It's one of the most overcrowded high schools. The kids are on top of each other and it is notorious for fights.

Coding..why is it not taught in the schools?

A minimum price tag to become a doctor or an attorney is $600,000

I live in an area where there are vo-techs that teach airplane mechanics, auto mechanics and nursing. Kids spend the last two years of high school going into that. There are a variety of after school clubs that the kids participate in but you have to be in high school for most of them. Robotics is one. Some schools have incorporated this into the class rooms but most do not. The last competition/meeting the DoD was scouting. YAG is another one. The kids go to the state house and write laws or lobby. They are required to wear suits. Mock Trial is another one. Depending on funding they actually teach a couple of law courses but most of the time it's all after school and most of the time it is all in high school.

But, do you know what these kids excel at? Taking tests. That is where the funding goes. Millions of dollars spent a year for testing that shows diddly squat.

These are decisions adults make. Until the adults are capable of addressing the above, then what is being asked for is nothing more than becoming obedient little robots. And that has already been achieved via testing and the factory model school.

I'll bet if you actually looked into it, your testing is not nearly as expensive as you think, nor does it take too much time.