School Uniforms: Lo...
 
Notifications
Clear all

To all SSC Station occupants

Thank you for the donations over the past year (2024), it is much appreciated. I am still trying to figure out how to migrate the forums to another community software (probably phpbb) but in the meantime I have updated the forum software to the latest version. SSC has been around a while so their is some very long time members here still using the site, thanks for making SSC home and sorry I haven't been as vocal as I should be in the forums I will try to improve my posting frequency.

Thank you again to all of the members that do take the time to donate a little, it helps keep this station functioning on the outer reaches of space.

-D1-

School Uniforms: Looking at both sides of the argument

(@solace)
Trusted Member

Most people in the world disapprove of the concept of school uniforms existing in public schools, despite this, a few individuals (primarily lower-class individuals living in England) approve of the concept. So let's just take a moment and look at the pros and cons of school uniforms.

Why school uniforms shouldn't ever exist in public schools:

-Students work better when they are able to choose their own attire.

-This is one thing that separates public schools from private schools, since private (often religious) schools have them, and public schools don't. If you want your son/daughter to wear a uniform, you send them to a private school, if not, then don't.

-Contrary to popular belief, real life school uniforms are (for the most part) not the sexy and revealing uniforms that anime shows, and they are usually hideous looking garbs.

-It gives students the ability to express themselves in a healthy and non-violent manner.

-Uniforms repress and punish individuality.

-Students who wear uniforms often find them uncomfortable.

-It's unnecessary totalitarianism and a limitation of freedoms.

-Uniforms have proven

-Uniforms do not prevent bullying.

-No one would listen to the rule, because you can't give someone freedom their entire life, and then just take it away, students, especially in high school, would just ignore the rule.

-If such a rule was ever passed, it would start protesting, riots, and rebellion. I've witnessed this first-hand when the school board of a district in my area tried to pass a rule requiring uniforms, and many students and parents protested and started a petition, banning the passage of their uniform rule.

-Uniforms are often expensive, more expensive than normal clothing. Also, bear in mind that it is not required to have the latest and greatest most popular fashion.

-Most students dress appropriately anyway, and most responsible school boards do have some minor guidelines prohibiting too revealing or inappropriate clothing from being worn (i.e. coming to school in your underwear, or wearing a shirt that advocates using meth).

-Uniforms wouldn't stop gangs if such gangs existed (there are no gangs in my area, so I wouldn't know much about that). Assigning a uniform would just be trying to blanket the gang issue, instead of getting to the heart of the problem (putting an end to the gangs).

-It makes normal clothing almost entirely useless since what's the point of owning normal clothes if you can only wear it two days a week?

-Uniforms would promote violence, since many people don't like the idea of school uniforms, so more people would shoot up school board meetings, from political activists who are against school uniforms and willing to become martyrs for their beliefs against school uniforms.

-Sub-culture is not a bad thing, and not having uniforms allows students to explore both mainstream culture and sub-culture, should they wish to.

"Good" things that school uniforms can possibly bring:

-It eliminates the ability for students to choose their own clothing, because if it actually worked (which it wouldn't), it could in theory make it so that they have to wear the same thing everyday.

-It forces people to actually care about school pride, whereas normal schools that don't force school uniforms often do NOT require students to actually take "pride" in their school. But even this "pro" for school uniforms is a fallacy, since just because you wear a uniform depicting something, doesn't necessarily mean you support it.

Quote
Topic starter Posted : December 22, 2010 11:37
(@shant)
Estimable Member

This is a great topic mate, but honestly I can't tell if you're being serious or if this is all tongue in cheek! Here for instance:

Quote:
-Contrary to popular belief, real life school uniforms are (for the most part) not the sexy and revealing uniforms that anime shows, and they are usually hideous looking garbs.

'Hideous looking garbs'? Anime?? I didn't realize popular belief over uniforms was rooted in anime. 😆 Also, isn't the fact that uniforms are "not sexy and revealing" a good thing?

Quote:
-If such a rule was ever passed, it would start protesting, riots, and rebellion.

Like an anti-uniform revolution? Would the militia spearheading this rebellion have their own uniforms? 😉

But those were nothing compared to this one:

Quote:

-Uniforms would promote violence, since many people don't like the idea of school uniforms, so more people would shoot up school board meetings, from political activists who are against school uniforms and willing to become martyrs for their beliefs against school uniforms.

😕

Seriously dude?

The topic says 'looking at both sides'...seems a little heavily weighed to one side if you ask me...assuming you were being serious. 😉

On the issue itself, I have never given it much thought but on the surface I like the idea of uniforms.

- I don't know why they should be more expensive than regular clothes as you mentioned, I would think it's the opposite. So that's one advantage.

- School shouldn't be a place for trying out and expressing new fashions. Let kids deal with clothing styles and fashion outside of class and on the weekends. In class it should be all business.

- Kids are cruel, they will judge and be judged by what they wear. I don't think a child whose family can't afford the latest fashions and $200 shoes should be subject to the inevitable ridicule that goes with wearing cheap clothing to school. The abuse I'd seen some of the children endure over this in elementary and junior high would make you wonder how they wouldn't go on to be anti-social menaces later in life.

ReplyQuote
Posted : December 23, 2010 12:52
(@s2odan)
Noble Member

Shant is correct, I see only one side of the argument here.

Quote:
(primarily lower-class individuals living in England)

hehe, that made me chuckle. The reality is though that the 'lower-class individuals' as you call them are the only supporters of the abolishment of school uniforms in the UK.

However, those mainly with an education can truly see the benefits that the system offers.

There are of course situations where the promotion of individuality is a good thing among children, but there are many better ways to achieve this than with the abolishment of school uniforms.

Didn't you already make a thread about this Solace?

ReplyQuote
Posted : December 23, 2010 14:23
(@dramacius)
Trusted Member
Quote:
- I don't know why they should be more expensive than regular clothes as you mentioned, I would think it's the opposite. So that's one advantage.

as a father who has to by school uniforms, a basic school shirt with required logo (can only be bought in two places, the school or a shop who supplies to the school) costs about £15 each, to by the same shirt with no logo costs £3-£5.

I don't think schools should have no school uniform, but I am against school logo's on everything!

ReplyQuote
Posted : December 23, 2010 14:42
(@shant)
Estimable Member

LOL yes, I almost posted that one as well, re:

Quote:
(primarily lower-class individuals living in England)

😆

Like I said, I can't tell if he's taking the piss, tongue in cheek, or if he's dead serious when he says that stuff.

ReplyQuote
Posted : December 23, 2010 22:19
DarkOne
(@sscadmin)
Illustrious Member Admin

I think a very strict dress code should be in effect at schools. School isn't meant to be a fashion show. This causes more issues with kids and their self esteem and social issues than school uniforms. Kids freedom for expression is the least of my worries and theirs. The kids today care more about what people think about them than learning and trying to be successful in life. If anything kids today need a hell of a lot more structure and discipline than they get right now. Because the kids today are very disrespectful and unappreciative.

ReplyQuote
Posted : December 24, 2010 11:47
(@s2odan)
Noble Member
Quote:
Because the kids today are very disrespectful and unappreciative.

Here, here. 🙂 Take away their X-boxes and they will learn to be more appreciative. 😉

ReplyQuote
Posted : December 24, 2010 12:04
(@dramacius)
Trusted Member
s20dan wrote:
Quote:
Because the kids today are very disrespectful and unappreciative.

Here, here. 🙂 Take away their X-boxes and they will learn to be more appreciative. 😉

I second that.

I work in a home for children with behaviour problems and half if not most of them wouldnt be there if they had more disapline growing up

ReplyQuote
Posted : December 24, 2010 13:26
(@shant)
Estimable Member

Currently I'm going back to school to be an X-ray tech. The first 2 weeks of class was free dress, as our uniforms (called "scrubs") were in the process of being delivered. The types of styles/fashions people wore ran the entire spectrum and sure enough the class seemed to divide into groups based upon attire. Even with an older crowd, comments and jokes were made about one student's or group's attire as compared to another. Finally, when our uniforms showed up, it was pretty amazing how quickly the groups and cliques faded away and the people began to interact based on who we were, not what we wore. We all look the same now, and we all get along as one large group. Recently we had a 'free dress' day and most of the class elected to come to school in their scrubs anyway. Almost nobody wanted to wear their regular clothes given the choice.

ReplyQuote
Posted : December 26, 2010 13:35