School Uniforms- Yes or No?

[Beiluxia]

We should let schools and/or school districts decide for themselves whether to require school uniforms. Honestly, I can sympathise with both sides of the argument.

[Sarkegiapoi]

No school uniform since they are a burden to poor parents. Furthermore they do not help reduce bullying, have better team spirit or help students feel equal. I have been in both scenarios and have noticed no differences. Both ways people will get bullied and there will always be a social class.

[Alexanda]

No school uniform since they are a burden to poor parents. Furthermore they do not help reduce bullying, have better team spirit or help students feel equal. I have been in both scenarios and have noticed no differences. Both ways people will get bullied and there will always be a social class.

A burden? A problem, perhaps, but one wouldn't call it a problem.

[Ryfylke]

I really didn't. Greater London was insisting that expression can be maintained while wearing uniforms. I then pointed out that allowing such expression allows an opportunity for the sort of bulling that uniform proponents say they are trying to eliminate. It really wan't a stretch.

Not particularly.

If you aren't interested in having a reasonable debate, why even post? Replies like this one waste both our time.

Read what I said again and tell me where I said clothing was the only means to express oneself. What is shallow is categorically rejecting a means of expression that some people value.

Some people value singing, still can't sing in the middle class. Can't paint graffiti either, no matter if value it. Just because it's valued as a means of expression does not mean you automatically get to do it.

I'm not sure how the singing comparison helps you, considering singing is a restricted form of expression basically nowhere. The notion that graffiti is anything even resembling a reasonable comparison is utterly laughable. Find an article of clothing that causes property destruction and then we'll talk.

But apparently that argument, along with the notion that you can still express yourself in ways other than clothing, is lost.

Again, either show where I said clothing was the only means of expressing oneself or stop repeating this bullshit.

Look, I've addressed the safety issues in later posts, so please don't just hop in on the first post of mine you see.

I read your later posts, no you didn't.

Sorry you don't see it. Truly, I am. There isn't a safety benefit of uniforms that couldn't be addressed with a cheaper, less restrictive solution.

[Brickistan]

America seems to be somewhat isolated in that regard. Here in Denmark (and other countries in Europe I think) it's quite common to travel abroad with schools. Personally, I've been to Germany, America, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.

Traveling abroad from the US would be monumentally expensive depending on the location of the school. It's just not economically sound. Since it's so prohibitively pricy, people aren't familiar with how to handle other nations, which creates a bigger liability for those in charge of such a group. It's a vicious cycle that clearly demands we focus on transporter technology.

Just how expensive is it?

Taking a whole class from Denmark to America for a two week stay isn't exactly cheap, but we still did it regularly.

[Dazchan]

Sorry you don't see it. Truly, I am. There isn't a safety benefit of uniforms that couldn't be addressed with a cheaper, less restrictive solution.

My school typically takes students on excursions in groups of anywhere between 2 and 6 classes (60-180 students). What "cheaper, less restrictive solution" do you offer to ensure that I can quickly and efficiently keep tabs on every single one of them in a crowded, public area?

My school has a current enrollment of around 650. I do not know every student, because that just isn't practical. Before the commencement of classes, we allow these students access to two playgrounds - so there are roughly 325 students under the supervision of a single teacher. What "cheaper, less restrictive solution" do you offer to ensure that I can instantly spot the child from another school who has entered our grounds when I'm supervising the playgrounds before class?

[Costa Fierro]

Shave off their hair and barcode them. It's the only way.

[Ostroeuropa]

A dress code? Sure. (Provided it isn't sexist.)
A uniform? It's a bit antiquated.

[Costa Fierro]

A dress code? Sure. (Provided it isn't sexist.)
A uniform? It's a bit antiquated.

Well, at least it prepares the underachieving kids for careers in the fast food industry.

[Upper America]

No school uniform since they are a burden to poor parents. Furthermore they do not help reduce bullying, have better team spirit or help students feel equal. I have been in both scenarios and have noticed no differences. Both ways people will get bullied and there will always be a social class.

A burden? A problem, perhaps, but one wouldn't call it a problem.

Sure, if you didn't give a crap about the poor families.

[Calimera II]

It depends on the country.
Poorer countries -> Yes.
Rich countries -> Nope.

[Sarkegiapoi]

It depends on the country.
Poorer countries -> Yes.
Rich countries -> Nope.

Uniforms do not stop bullying. I have experienced a school with no school uniform and a school with school uniform and have noticed no difference in bullying. If the bullies wear the same clothes as you, they will just think of another think to bully you such as your physical appearance.

[The Flood]

A dress code? Sure. (Provided it isn't sexist.)
A uniform? It's a bit antiquated.

What would constitute a sexist dress code?

[The Flood]

Sorry you don't see it. Truly, I am. There isn't a safety benefit of uniforms that couldn't be addressed with a cheaper, less restrictive solution.

My school typically takes students on excursions in groups of anywhere between 2 and 6 classes (60-180 students). What "cheaper, less restrictive solution" do you offer to ensure that I can quickly and efficiently keep tabs on every single one of them in a crowded, public area?

My school has a current enrollment of around 650. I do not know every student, because that just isn't practical. Before the commencement of classes, we allow these students access to two playgrounds - so there are roughly 325 students under the supervision of a single teacher. What "cheaper, less restrictive solution" do you offer to ensure that I can instantly spot the child from another school who has entered our grounds when I'm supervising the playgrounds before class?

Scarves, perhaps?

[Ostroeuropa]

A dress code? Sure. (Provided it isn't sexist.)
A uniform? It's a bit antiquated.

What would constitute a sexist dress code?

Skirts for females, not allowed for males, etc.

If "Skirts allowable." then that's fine.

[Upper America]

What would constitute a sexist dress code?

Skirts for females, not allowed for males, etc.

If "Skirts allowable." then that's fine.

I'd say long hair for girls and short hair for boys would also be sexiest. Schools that enforce seperate uniforms for boys and girls are basically putting the kids in a box of gender expectations, and saying this is how it is supposed to be. Unfortunately, I went to one of those schools.

[Dazchan]

My school typically takes students on excursions in groups of anywhere between 2 and 6 classes (60-180 students). What "cheaper, less restrictive solution" do you offer to ensure that I can quickly and efficiently keep tabs on every single one of them in a crowded, public area?

My school has a current enrollment of around 650. I do not know every student, because that just isn't practical. Before the commencement of classes, we allow these students access to two playgrounds - so there are roughly 325 students under the supervision of a single teacher. What "cheaper, less restrictive solution" do you offer to ensure that I can instantly spot the child from another school who has entered our grounds when I'm supervising the playgrounds before class?

Scarves, perhaps?

And I suppose we just close my school for the 362 days each year that aren't scarf weather?

[Alyska]

I don't have much experience with school uniforms. Where I'm from uniforms are rare except in private schools. I do think they have merit, but in most public schools I don't think it would be realistic to institute a uniform policy, with a few exceptions.

[The Flood]

What would constitute a sexist dress code?

Skirts for females, not allowed for males, etc.
If "Skirts allowable." then that's fine.

Wouldn't it pretty much be a uniform if girls all had to wear skirts?

[The Flood]

Scarves, perhaps?

And I suppose we just close my school for the 362 days each year that aren't scarf weather?

No, they'd only be worn during field trips for keeping track of kids or whatever it is uniform supporters think it is uniforms are good for.

[Upper America]

Skirts for females, not allowed for males, etc.
If "Skirts allowable." then that's fine.

Wouldn't it pretty much be a uniform if girls all had to wear skirts?

Yes, it's a uniform. But it's not the best one.

And I suppose we just close my school for the 362 days each year that aren't scarf weather?

No, they'd only be worn during field trips for keeping track of kids or whatever it is uniform supporters think it is uniforms are good for.

Not gonna fly all around the country. Down in Florida where I live, it'll never work. The only field trip I went on last year was in the spring. A scarf is only gonna be comfortable in the winter.

[Dazchan]

And I suppose we just close my school for the 362 days each year that aren't scarf weather?

No, they'd only be worn during field trips for keeping track of kids or whatever it is uniform supporters think it is uniforms are good for.

If it's winter, wouldn't everyone be wearing a scarf, negating its usefulness?

Do you have any bright ideas regarding my second scenario?

[The New United States]

I had to wear a school uniform when I was in middle and high school. I was, and still am, in favor of school uniforms in k-12.

[Ambibia]

I selected the "other" option in the poll.

My reason being is because I've been to a lot of schools throughout my childhood, mostly ranging from outright no dress code whatsoever to all-around catholic schoolboy/girl attire. I generally am not opposed to the idea, but it depends on what the reason for the attire is. I'm now just rising to my Fourth Form year (10th grade) at an all-boys barding school. We have a dress code that only applies to when we have class hours, during the rest of the day (excluding church and ceremonies) we are free to wear whatever we please. The code requires we wear a belt, no jeans or sweats, a collared shirt, and shoes, and that's it. The dress code is so familiar to the way most of us already dress we end up having no problem with it. The reason why the school enforces we be properly dressed isn't to keep us from expressing ourselves or to shelter us from the outside world, it's to give us a sense of normality while being able to learn.

I came from my middle school not less than 2 years ago, and I HATED that school; for the most part because of the uniform. Everyday I had to pull on a blue or white t-shirt (yeah, t-shirt) and a picture ID attached to a lanyard and go to school where everyone wore the exact same thing. The purpose of these uniforms was only to prevent us from the slightest intrusion on any dress policy. The school didn't care about us, our freedom as students, or anything relative to us having a say in anything. Besides that, there was really no use for it since I lived in a fairly respectable area at the time and it was really more of a hassle to manage everyone wearing these poor-taste outfits than just punish a kid who broke the dress code rules.

It goes without saying that I am in no way against uniforms or dress codes, both have their ups and downs and at some point the children will have to have some level of freedom or they'll become the exact thing the school system was trying to avoid in the first place. A school that has no trust in it's students means the students won't care wen they try and misbehave or be outlandish. It's basic human nature to want to be free but at the same time it's hard to control that by putting restrictions on how one should look and behave.

So thinking about uniforms for your school? for what reason? Is it to better enhance the learning process by creating an environment that's direct and without distraction, or is it to simply manipulate and control?

[Pensalum]

I would never want to wear a school uniform, and I'm lucky that my school enforces only a loose "dress code" but even then I feel like we should be free to wear what we please.

A big part of growing up and being a mature and responsible adult is learning how to dress yourself professionally. Personally, I love picking out my clothes in the morning before school, finding the right combination of cardigan and dress shirt, the right pair of shoes, it's just fun to me and I love getting compliments from friends. However, uniforms deny this creativity when it comes to clothing, sure you can dress how you want on weekends and holidays, but often times I just want to dress down on the weekend. Going to school provides the perfect outlet for practicing for a professional workplace.

Also, not everyone can afford a school uniform, and it's wrong for the school to force children and their parents to purchase a uniform. And it limits personal expression a lot.

Another important thing to consider is that uniforms tend to enforce traditional and arbitrary gender roles (girls wear skirts, guys wear trousers etc.) which would probably make children develop with a less open mind.

I understand the arguments for them, but I think these are some important things to think about.