Pros and Cons - Debbie Newman, Ben Woolgar 2014

School uniform
Section F. Culture, education and sport

The norms for school dress code vary around the world from a strict uniform through dress codes to no, or very few, restrictions on clothing. This is usually a debate that school pupils themselves have very strong opinions on. A definition may want to address the age range it is targeting, and the anti-uniform side could clarify how free it wants dress to be.

Pros

[1] A school should encourage tidiness and discipline in its pupils. A uniform aids this, whereas freedom of dress tends to make pupils too eager to express their individuality, becoming obsessed with clothes and appearance. Teenagers may often choose clothes that are unsuitable such as skirts which are too short or trousers which are too tight. There is also a widely accepted connection between smart dress and good behaviour as the clothes help to create a work ethos.

[2] School uniforms remove the opportunity for fashion-related bullying and the pressure to spend money on labels to impress friends and fit in with the crowd. A uniform is a leveller and emphasises the similarities between students rather than pointing out the differences.

[3] School teachers must manage a large number of pupils in a variety of situations. Uniforms inevitably make that task much easier when the pupils are out in public, on school trips. It is an administrative nightmare trying to monitor a group of pupils who are dressed casually. Uniforms also allow the public to recognise pupils and report bad (or good) behaviour back to the school.

[4] Uniforms prepare students for the smartness demanded in office life. Many people have no choice in what they wear to work, either wearing a uniform or the semi-uniform of jacket and tie. Children should not expect total freedom in their working lives.

[5] Uniforms reduce the cost for parents on their children’s clothing, as they do not have to replace wardrobes every few months to follow the latest fashion trends.

Cons

[1] Many schools do not have uniforms, while still demanding certain standards of dress, such as banning jeans, or requiring long skirts while allowing a choice of colour. There is no reason why pupils not wearing uniform cannot still be smart. When pupils reach a certain age, they are old enough to behave responsibly while still making their own decisions, and this is what schools should be encouraging rather than a blind following of the rules. Why should they not be able to choose how to dress?

[2] Expressing their individuality is important to many young people. Clothing can be a powerful way of establishing your identity. A uniform seeks to turn pupils into drones rather than allowing them to grow and experiment.

[3] Uniforms also help the pupils to stand out to other people as well; fights are frequently picked between pupils from different schools who recognise each other’s uniforms. Sometimes anonymity is preferable!

[4] A relatively small percentage of jobs require uniforms to be worn. Why should pupils planning to be doctors not wear white coats, or future computer programmers not wear t-shirts and jeans?

[5] Uniforms are very expensive and have no value or chance of use outside school. Parents end up buying double as children still need clothes for the evenings and weekends.

Possible motions

This House believes school uniforms are a good idea.

This House would rather wear ’mufti’.

Related Topics

School sport, compulsory

Child curfews