This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

Mini-Lesson

Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

Uniforms Rule In New York

Goodbye baggy jeans, tie-dyed T shirts and cutoff shorts! Come September 1999, New York City's public school kids will have a whole new look--and they'll look a lot like one another.

Last week, the city's board of education voted to require its elementary school students to wear uniforms. New York City is the nation's largest school system. More than half a million kids in 670 schools will be affected.

School uniforms are a growing trend. At least 35 other cities now require them in public schools. In his 1997 State of the Union speech, President Bill Clinton said uniforms were a way to "promote order and discipline."

William C. Thompson Jr., the president of New York City's school board, agrees. "This policy is important to diminish peer pressure, promote school unity and promote school pride," he said.

The cost of a uniform will be about $100. Parents who do not want their kids to wear a uniform can submit a written request, but each child must wear "appropriate dress."

Not everyone is happy with the new policy. "It's like freedom of speech," said Jonathan Love, 9. "Kids should be able to choose their own style."

Next: Just Blew It? Nike Suffers Slow Sales