Are School Uniforms Necessary? NO.
While our schools get away with strict policies on student’s dress codes/clothing with almost no one questioning them, I feel that we can do away with school uniforms. In this article, I have written why I feel school uniforms are unnecessary.
Let’s look at reasons why people seem to want school uniforms.
School uniform encourages equality and prevents discrimination.
This is plain wishful thinking. Let’s admit that there is inequality at every step of our lives and we can’t do much about it. If not with uniforms, there are thousand other reasons to discriminate and people often amuse themselves by discriminating. When the student goes out the of the school. Wait, even when the student is wearing a uniform and is very much within the school, he/she is going to experience discrimination at multiple levels.
So why hide behind the veil of uniforms and try to conceal the fact that we are a discriminating species? The only thing uniforms seem to be promoting, in my point of view, is hypocrisy.
Uniforms teach students to dress smartly and formally after they join corporate companies
They can also learn how to dress smartly and formally after they join work. There is no need to be trained 12 long years for that.
Uniforms enable one to take pride in being a part of the organization
If a uniform is required for this, and not other important factors like quality of education, etc. then I wonder why schools even exist.
Uniforms discourage discrimination, social conflict, bullying & crimes
Why not ask all the prisoners to wear uniforms and roam freely on the streets? Uniforms prevent crimes, right?
Uniform makes students take studies more seriously and study without distraction
If uniforms are going to make students study better, I wonder what are teachers for and what those millions of tuition and coaching centers are for!
School officials can recognize their students faster
Even an emblem on one’s shoulder or a badge/ID card in one’s pocket will do the job. I wonder if schools want to brand/advertise their schools through uniforms?
School uniforms support unity in diversity
One of the easiest things for the society to do is to rest happy that at least in schools we have ‘succeeded’ in eliminating all forms of discrimination and hence have achieved unity in diversity, all because of a uniform!
Think about this – parents not only have to buy multiple sets of uniforms (white on Mondays/PT periods, colored – on other days, etc.) every year, they also need to wash and maintain them. And uniforms are expensive. Some schools even create an additional revenue stream by selling or recommending the ‘only preferred seller’ for their uniforms.
Freedom of expression is thawed. Yes, we are free to express ourselves in any way we want and our freedom of expression, including clothing, is guaranteed in the constitutions of most countries. But not in our schools!
It doesn’t allow a person of a particular sect/tribe/religion to wear/not wear what they might want – wearing a head scarf, not wearing shoes/tie – for example. If I don’t prefer wearing shoes and I am comfortable wearing chappals, why not allow me to? Why compel people to wear shoes, coat and tie in a country where temperatures easily cross 40 Deg. C? Isn’t this sadism?
Destination Infinity
