Should School Uniform Be Abolished?

Most schools across the world have a set uniform that children must wear. The uniform shows that you belong to the school and is an identity to a specific place/school. In some schools uniform has already been abolished whilst in others it still remains compulsory such as a secondary school in Totnes in Devon. The question is should school uniform be abolished in schools? Some may argue that by having a uniform you remove the pressure to keep up with the latest fashions and that it shows a pride in the school. Others argue that by abolishing uniform it allows a freedom of expression. In many schools, students are actually teased about ‘how they wear’ their school uniforms and unless you wear your school uniform in a ‘stylish’ way you’ll get teased and mocked. Clearly this is a strong reason to abolish school uniform, similarly if you were to abolish school uniform it could make students feel out of place as they could be judged for what they wear. Some people may not be the “richest” or the most “stylish” and so you wouldn’t want to be judged for what you wear or what type of style you enjoy wearing. Children these days are very fussy about what they wear and because there are more styles of clothes these days, than ever before it makes it alot harder to pick what to wear.

Whilst school uniforms allow students to be indentified more easily if they were to become lost during a school trip or be involved in a crime, uniform also stops you from feeling comfortable and relaxed whilst at school; relaxation (cosiness) is crucial at school as it secures a sense of warmth and helps the students to feel calm and settled to ensure concentration is with the work and not feeling uncomfortable. Evidently school uniform should be abolished. Banning school uniform allows a freedom of expression. Showing your personality is a confidence booster and makes you feel good for who you are. It also lets you be an individual where as wearing the same dull school uniform makes the students look like sheep and doesn’t allow them to express themselves in any shape or form. As part of the school curriculum we learn core subjects like Maths and Science which everyone has to do but the whole point of schools teaching us Art, D&T is because teachers want us to grow not only in knowledge but in creativity. Wearing school uniform contradicts our creativity there for we should be allowed to be creative in the clothes we wear.

Furthermore, uniform is a massive distraction for the teachers. A great deal of effort has to be put into enforcing the uniform regulations where as more effort should be put into behaviour and learning. Both non school uniform and school uniform cost a fortune especially as children are still growing. However purchasing school uniform costs a lot because of most parents have to buy sportswear, summer uniform and winter uniform for their children. This causes more pressure on already poor families also parents would feel under pressure to get their children the clothes they want as the children would probably want expensive designer labels. Although non school uniform and school uniform cost alot I suppose by having a uniform that has to be worn five days a week it is worth the money that is spent on it compare to having home clothes that are probably worn several times before deciding that it is out of fashion or old. Many people say school uniform looks smart and organized and having no school uniform will look untidy and messy. Does this not mean that teachers should also have a set uniform especially as they are supposed to set an example for the students? Personally I think it is ridiculous and unfair to have two different sets of rules in the same environment.

School is a place for educating and preparing a child for there life after they leave school. Teachers should teach children about individuality and should encourage children to learn about the different nationalities and individual identities because not enough of this is done, therefore they are scared to express themselves and have little imagination. Also Children are taught from such a young age that everyone is different where as they should be taught that they are equal and have the same rights. Therefore why can’t girls wear trousers and boys wear skirts? Personally I would class this as being sexist. Never the less uniform brings children discipline and order. If school uniform was abolished, Children would feel they could wear whatever they want and think that they could get away with a lot more, because their teachers/school staff wouldn’t be as strict. But by having them wear uniforms and enforcing it you are showing them that that’s not the case. Next, wearing uniforms can also hurt some people’s self-image. Almost all uniforms aren’t made with all body types in mind.

But, they are chosen for all students to wear, even though each student looks and is built differently. Everyone knows what kind of things look good on their body, and obviously, they would own those things and wear them so that they don’t look bad. If you were something for example that you feel confident wearing, you are going to have a good self-image, if not your self- image will be bad. From my own experiences I find that school uniform is uncomfortable and expensive. What I find most annoying about uniform is the fact that teachers spend more time correcting your uniform the time spent on correcting your work; students here way too much ‘take your makeup off now!’ and not enough ‘well-done, that’s correct’. Despite all of these bad things about uniform I would also hate to wear non-school uniform because I would constantly feel under pressure to have the latest fashions and impress people. Overall I think uniform shouldn’t be abolished, despite all the difficulties and discomfort it brings.

If you were to abolish school uniform, children would feel pressurised to look good, they would find it difficult to put clothes together and would be scared of being judged or bullied. As well as this an excessive amount of students would be distracted by the stress of non school uniform and lose site on their education. However I do feel that some form of choice should be made to school uniform so that the student gets to express their personalities and individuality but still look smart, relaxed and ready to learn. This would teach the students that ‘although in the schools eye we are all equal, we are also all different individuals.’