School Uniform Should Be Banned In Schools

The debate on whether schools should have school uniform is one that has been going on for years. There is that assumptions in most societies that students need uniforms in order to help deal with the issue of inequality in schools. The society believes that having a uniform helps to bring some form of balance where students from all social levels are brought to one level by the uniform. While a part of this may be true, most of it is wrong and societies are misled by these believes. Uniforms are not good for students; they only help present the school as a standard institution. Uniforms bring about many issues that affect the main objective of the schools which is education.

Uniforms limit freedom of expression for the students

One reason uniforms should not be allowed is because they limit the right of expression for the students. Dress code for teenagers serves many purposes one of them being a form of expression, many teenagers choice of clothes is their way of speaking their mind (Underwood, 2018). There are those that will choose to wear clothes with a specific message for instance a shirt with a ‘no violence against children’ message on it. This student is trying to speak against an important issue in the society; this is a message that could help change the mind-set of the society. Forcing this child to remove the shirt and wear a uniform is violating their right to free speech and it will impact on their self-esteem. The teenage is a phase where young people learn to be themselves, this is the phase that determines one’s strengths as well as weaknesses.

Uniforms do not reduce bullying in schools

There are arguments that having uniforms helps to reduce the issue of bullying. A percentage of bullying is normally because of dress code, but the highest percentage is based on other elements that do not involve dress code. Having a uniform may actually accelerate the issue of bullying given that not everyone will look good in these uniforms (Aghasaleh, 2018). A child that used to be bullied because they have bigger bodies will not stop being bullied after the uniform is introduced. These students may actually experience more bullying because the uniforms exaggerate their body types making them look even bigger. Such students can easily dress their body types and look good without limitations; they can use their choice of clothes to speak their mind. They can use their mode of dressing to speak against bullying in schools and to also encourage other students to appreciate their bodies. A uniform can greatly encourage bullying and limit student’s choices of speaking against bullying, making them feel trapped.

Uniforms limit preparation of students for life challenges

School uniforms limit the ability of students to adapt to shifting social standards and contexts, all this are important skills that will serve them as adults. The action of choosing their school wear every morning prepares the students for life as adults where they will be required to understand which outfit fits which occasion whether it is a job interview, a promotion or just a fun day out (Paige, & Lucas, 2018). Wearing uniforms do not really facilitate this; all they provide is a conformist solution that does not apply in the diverse standards of the social life out in the world. Choosing their own clothes allows them to confront a range of visible social groups, economic classes, ethnic and religious traditions that they are bound to face in the world (Paige, & Lucas, 2018). The conflicts that they face can lead to segregation but they also help in inspiring the child to appreciate diversity and engage in critical thinking.

Uniforms limit the chances of students enjoying their teenage life

Uniforms are always assumed to help teach students how to dress appropriately once they are grown up and have jobs. This assumption is wrong, having strict dressing policies affects students negatively in that it does not help them adapt to dressing for different situations. Uniforms limit students, who as earlier stated in a stage where they need to explore and try out new things in life (Aghasaleh, 2018). When student wear uniforms they feel so over whelmed with always looking so formal and this may affect their choice of careers. There are those students who would want to be in professions that require formal dress codes, but they may think twice about going into that field because they do not want to continue dressing formally all their lives. Having uniforms does not guarantee that the students will adapt the culture of formal dressing when they get jobs. Some of these students may be reluctant to wear formal clothing as their job requires all because they want to experience the concept of dressing freely that was limited to them when they were young. Uniforms may have negative impacts on the choice of careers and also on the choice of clothes that the students prefer once they are adults.

Uniforms limit conversations between parents and the students at home

When children are at their teen age phase, the relationship between them and their parents tend to change. Very little conversations take place between them and arguments over clothes offers the opportunity for these conversations (Hobbs, 2019). Most of the arguments that young people have with their parents is over clothes, this gives them an opportunity to express their identity and values. These arguments facilitate maturity because they allow them to understand that they can express their needs as individuals. Children concentrating on fashion prevent them on engaging on other unethical activities like experimentation with drugs.

Uniforms limit freedom of religious expression for the students

Different religions have varied symbols of expressions that do not comply with the school dressing codes. There have been many cases of students not being allowed to wear various attires that symbolise their faith; a good illustration of this is the Wiccan religion that requires its followers to wear a pentagram (Paige, & Lucas, 2018). Another illustration is with Muslim religion where the girls are expected to put on a hijab, which do not conform to school dress codes. Federal policies clearly dictate freedom of religious expression for all and this includes even the students (Paige, & Lucas, 2018). Many symbols of religion violate do not really fit into a school uniform and this may limit the students’ right to express their religious faith. Having uniforms can cause lot of wrangles between school administration and various religions as they fight for their rights, which can end up disrupting education and impact negatively on the students.

Uniforms limit the monitoring of gangs among the students

The choice of clothes for students can greatly illustrate their behaviours, this means that gang affiliations can be very easy to monitor. Gang members often wear particular clothes and symbols and so the arguments for school uniforms are that they help to eliminate gangs (Hobbs, 2019). This is however wrong, a school uniform cannot eliminate gangs because the gang can come up with other form of symbols like tattoos to represent their gang. Allowing own choice of clothes for students can allow the school administrators and the parents to understand if their children are involved in a gang,  and come up with much better strategic ways to do away with the gangs in schools.

Uniforms cause budget burden on parents and schools

Uniforms are expensive, given that a student will require having more than one pair and they will have to be replaced every now and then when they get small or when get worn out. A parent having more than one student will incur a lot of expenses getting uniforms for all the students and this may not be easy for low income families (Hobbs, 2019). The parents will be strained in having to buy their children school uniforms and other clothes for wearing when they are at home, all which is unnecessary if they were allowed to wear own choice of clothes. Students from these families may be affected psychologically because they may feel like they are a burden to their families, which may result in a lot of them dropping out. Schools may also be affected financially, because the Department of Education indicates that schools should provide financial aid for low income families that cannot afford the uniforms (Hobbs, 2019). The schools will hence be forced to add on to their already burdened budget and this can mean draining money from their technological or academic needs. All this problems can be evaded by allowing students to wear their clothes of choice.

Uniforms increase social status division in schools

School uniforms can help emphasize social economic divisions that are they are supposed to eliminate. Most schools that implement mandatory uniforms are those that in poor neighbourhoods with the thinking that it will help eliminate the concept of inequality (Tarshis, 2011). The sad fact is that the quality of clothing cannot hide the differences between the students that come from affluent families and those that come from poor families. The students from affluent families tend to have many pairs of uniforms so their uniforms are always in good condition, while the students from poor families have one or two pairs meaning that they wear out fast and they are not replaced (Underwood, 2018). The students from poor families are therefore forced to live in embarrassment going to school in tattered uniform, which affects their self-esteem and their academic performance.

Uniforms are Sexist

Uniforms are sexist in nature, they only target the way that females dress and most of the uniforms that are advocated for are not easily available for women as they are for men. The argument for why most of the clothes worn by the girls are banned is because they are argued to cause distraction on the men (Aghasaleh, 2018).  Most uniforms are required to cover the cleavage and the thighs to avoid sexual distractions on the boys. Girls wear these type of clothing because they help them feel comfortable and beautiful, banning them takes away their comfort and it passes on the message that boys deserve to be more comfortable than girls. Uniforms are sexist in that they imply that the education of boys is more important that of the girls and that is why boys need to be made comfortable by banning any sort of clothing that can distract their learning (Aghasaleh, 2018). Schools should focus more on providing sex education to students; teach them the concept of self-control instead of punishing the girl student for the sake of the boy student.

Uniforms Motivate Body shaming among the students

Girls as compared to men have very varied body shapes; the teenage age is an essential time for growth most especially for the girls. This is the time when the female body transforms and takes its shape; a uniform is not structured to meet the needs of every body shape (Hobbs, 2019). There are those who will be lucky to have uniform fit them well and hence follow the school dressing regulations. There are however other students whom the uniform may be too tight causing them to show some cleavage. These students may end getting punished because of something that is not their fault, this can cause some confuse to the student causing them to have self-esteem issues (Tarshis, 2011). The fingertip rule that is applied in most school uniform policies may not always be effective. This policy illustrates that the skirt of the student should be longer than the fingertips when their hands are down at the sides (Aghasaleh, 2018). A student that has long legs and short arms may end up getting punished by getting forced to wear shorts and skirts that are longer than their liking and vice versa. All these distinctions in the uniforms can negatively affect the esteem of a child that is important during this growing phase.

Uniforms serve the interest of retailers than the students

Uniforms only serve the interests of the retailers rather than the students, most students prefer regular clothing to the uniforms. The students are the ones that have to wear the uniforms; they are the ones that understand the negatives and positives of having the uniforms. They should hence be the ones allowed to give their opinions rather than the adults that have been left as the decision makers in this matter. More than $1 billion is spent each year within U.S on school uniforms and apparel items to help meet mandatory dress codes (Underwood, 2018). Retailing brands such as JC Penny and Lands’ End have indicated that they spend a lot of money each year marketing their items to schools. The current Mandatory uniform policy was funded in whole by the brands that create student wear products so that they can continue to benefit at the expense of the students’ needs (Underwood, 2018).

Conclusion

The issue of school uniforms in schools is one that needs to be critically looked into. Teenagers are old enough to understand what they need in their life, making their own dressing choices is one of the first steps in helping children to start making their own decisions. Denying students the chance to make their own choices in regard to clothing bounds their readiness for the real world where they are required to make important life decisions. Uniforms limit the chances of teenagers being critical thinkers and also limit their rights of expression. It is time that policy makers consider the needs of the students before implementing any form of policies that affect them. The students are the ones that have to wear the uniforms and so it is only right that they are allowed to express their views on the issue.

 

 

 

References

Aghasaleh, R. (2018). Oppressive Curriculum: Sexist, Racist, Classist, and Homophobic

Practice of Dress Codes in Schooling. Journal of African American Studies, 22(1), 94–108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-018-9397-5

Hobbs, T. D. (2019, July 15). Schools Relax Dress Codes in Bid to End Body Shaming. Wall

Street Journal - Online Edition, p. 1. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=137462336&site=ehost-live

Paige, & Lucas. (2018). Should Students Wear Uniforms? Two friends face off in the debate.

Scholastic Scope, 66(8), 24–25. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=129308331&site=ehost-live

Tarshis, L. (2011). School Uniforms: Awesome--or Awful? Scholastic Scope, 60(5), 22–23.

Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=67722756&site=ehost-live

Underwood, J. (2018). School uniforms, dress codes, and free expression: What’s the

balance? Phi Delta Kappan, 99(6), 74–75. https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721718762429