School Uniforms - What's Their Point?

anotheruser

I'm not entirely sure why most schools insist on school uniforms.

The first reason I have come across was so kids didn't bully other kids for not wearing labels.  These days, there are so many labels and clothes, I'm not sure it's really an issue.  Plus, those who will be wearing second hand uniforms or non-official (IE, supermarket versions) will still stick out anyway, so it's a moot point.

I can see an advantage for uniforms is it's one thing less for parents to worry about with what their kids are going to wear.  Schools also don't have to make judgement calls on whether sexually charged slogans are appropriate in the school setting.  But that wasn't a problem years ago for my schools.

But then the cost of many uniforms is stupid.
I heard one parent had spent over £700 a year on school uniform.

I personally never wore a uniform as the schools I went through, all the way from nursery - infant (Rec-Y2) - juniour (Y3-Y6) - high (Y7-Y9) - college (Y10-Y11 + 6th form) never had any policy.  The juniour school had a branded jumper but not many kids wore it.

Opinions on this?

tealady

I feel school uniforms are important.
It instills in children a sense of "belonging^
Also when they enter the world of work there may be a uniform of sorts (office dress, H and S gear, company logos).
Why allow kids the opportunity to bully others just because the parents cant afford what is in fashion.
And if any school leavers join any organization that has a uniform they will be used to the idea

onomatopoeia99

tealady said:

And if any school leavers join any organization that has a uniform they will be used to the idea

Made me damn sure I wasn't working (or volunteering) anywhere that required a uniform.

We are individuals, the entire point of a uniform is to crush that, make us all just one of a herd.

elsien

Waiting with bated breath to see if Ugg boots and plimsolls make an appearance at any point. 

74jax

elsien said:

Waiting with bated breath to see if Ugg boots and plimsolls make an appearance at any point. 

Ah the good old days.... 😂 

HampshireH

I agree with school uniform. Think its important to give the school an Identity.

But it think those in non branded supermarket uniform are probably the majority not the minority as alluded to in the OP.

Ms_Chocaholic

I'm another one who agrees with school uniform; it stops children being bullied.  If no uniform, one child could go into school with the most expensive trainers, hoodies etc leaving other children wearing hand me downs or cheaper clothes

FindMyWayBack

Garments are inanimate objects, they can't make a point.

theoretica

onomatopoeia99 said:

We are individuals, the entire point of a uniform is to crush that, make us all just one of a herd.

I came out with exactly the opposite lesson - my individuality does not depend on clothes and survives trivial impositions where I do not have a choice.

hangryconsumer

What I find interesting is that in school, girls and boys wear the same uniform (e.g. everyone wears a tie) but when you get out into the adult world, uniforms are more divided by gender. For example, girls and boys wore a tie at school, but in jobs which require uniform such as airline staff, the men wear a tie and the women wear some some of scarf thing. If you insisted everyone wears a tie there would be an uproar, likewise if you insisted men wore the foulard, there would be an uproar. More so in the latter rather than the former. For me that means that uniform at school is pointless since you come out into a world with severely divided male/female systems, although the "branded" issue does make a point. Why does it make a point though? What is it that's causing bullying because of it? Adults imposing this on children? Children deciding for themselves which brands are "cool" are which arent? People of a certain generation might remember that Helly Hansen trackies were all the rage but they definitely aren't now. Every male teenager I see has jogging bottoms but haven't noticed the dominance of any particular brand.

MalMonroe

hangryconsumer said:

What I find interesting is that in school, girls and boys wear the same uniform (e.g. everyone wears a tie) but when you get out into the adult world, uniforms are more divided by gender. For example, girls and boys wore a tie at school, but in jobs which require uniform such as airline staff, the men wear a tie and the women wear some some of scarf thing. If you insisted everyone wears a tie there would be an uproar, likewise if you insisted men wore the foulard, there would be an uproar. More so in the latter rather than the former. For me that means that uniform at school is pointless since you come out into a world with severely divided male/female systems, although the "branded" issue does make a point. Why does it make a point though? What is it that's causing bullying because of it? Adults imposing this on children? Children deciding for themselves which brands are "cool" are which arent? People of a certain generation might remember that Helly Hansen trackies were all the rage but they definitely aren't now. Every male teenager I see has jogging bottoms but haven't noticed the dominance of any particular brand.

I think you are a bit out of date with your uniform information.

The uniform of the school my daughter went to consisted (and still does) of a coloured sweater containing the school logo and black skirt (if girls were so inclined - most of them weren't) or trousers. Plus black blazer with school logo. No ties for either gender.

In the workplace, men don't always wear ties. And some jobs do call for women to wear ties.