Uniforms in Public Schools

School uniform, a dress that you never forget even when you are eighty years old! And sadly, the memories are not the happy ones! Most of us remember school uniform as the thing that made us look shabby when we strove to look pretty! I am sure you must remember the days when you tried your best to look different by tying your hair up or wearing a stylish bracelet, but the school uniform succeeded in making you look silly! But on the other hand, school uniform is the identity of your school and also yours as a student of that school. Without school uniform you are just another person. By wearing a school uniform you share the glory, the proud feeling of belonging to that specific school! Well, it won't be right to decide the answer without weighing the pros and cons of both.

Pros

• The first major pro of wearing uniforms is that it provides an identity to the students. Intruders cannot enter school due to the school uniform. Due to this, gang wars are prevented. It becomes impossible to differentiate students from other schools without a uniform.
• In a way, school uniforms promote equality and prevent peer problems. A particular student can be pressurized to buy cool clothes by his friends, or a student can feel inferior than other students due to his clothes. A uniform solves all these problems, thus a school uniform is necessary.
• Students get distracted by small things, if each student is wearing something fancy, students will surely get distracted. They also get conscious about their looks when in a casual dress, which adds to the distraction. To prevent this, uniforms are necessary.
• Discipline and decorum is maintained due to school uniforms. Teachers don't have to embarrass students by warning them about their inappropriate clothing. If there is no prescribed uniform, every school will need to have a special fashion police department!
• School uniforms have a positive mental effect on students, especially on the younger students. A uniform is like a 'work dress' for them, they take school more seriously when they are in a uniform than when they are in 'play dress'. A casual dress gives them a feel of being at home, so they fail to give necessary importance to school work.

These were some benefits of wearing uniforms to school. I am sure these facts on school uniforms have given you an idea as to why it is necessary to have a school uniform. Let us now take a look at some cons of same before deciding.

Cons

• The first major complaint with school uniforms is that they curb the individuality of the students. It is often complained that students are denied the right of expressing themselves due a school uniform. Some strongly state that a uniform steals the feel of self. And that is why they shouldn't be allowed in public schools.
• Households having more than one child cannot afford to buy a school uniform for every kid. The uniform needs to be washed and maintained, and they are not durable which increases the cost. Kids can wear inexpensive and durable clothes if there is no restriction.
• Kids are often comfortable in a specific kind of clothing, that is why many kids do not find school uniforms comfortable. Sometimes the uniform is against the rules of their religion, which adds in to the pressure.
• Some experts argue that the pros of uniforms, like they prevent groupism, are not true. Students do whatever they feel is correct, even in uniforms, so there is no point of having uniforms at all.

These were some facts against school uniforms. Let's now see if there is any solution to this debate.

Suggested Solution

As you must have observed, this debate is based on valid points. So while finding a solution, points of students, parents, and school authorities need to be taken into consideration. One easy solution that can solve this problem is a dress code. Schools can have a specific dress code in public schools which students have to follow. The students should be allowed to wear different colored and patterned clothes, as far as they stick to the dress code. The dress code should be mutually decided. The schools can also allow the students to wear the dress of their choice once in a week, on a specific day. By doing so, there will be discipline and the students will also have limited freedom.

I am sure there will be debates on the solutions given by people. So it is necessary for parents and teachers to come together and solve the question forever.