School Uniforms Are They Important?

[KarenIsabella]

My child is just about to start nursery in at an independent school where children are not required to wear a school uniform and I just want to air my thoughts about this topic after various discussions with friends and collegues.

For me it is important that children be free from the constraints and ideas imposed by others and nurtured to develop their own ideas and ideals. I am all for children looking nice and smart but what is the real purpose of the school uniform? Really it?s the removal of a person?s individuality and free thinking.

This can be seen in the military where individualism and willfulness is seen as a negative thing! In these organisations uniforms are given a very high importance and any deviation from the prescribed uniform is a serious issue.

Individuals are not welcome in the military, perhaps they are scared that if military people realised that war was not a good idea they would abandon the organisation!

So all in all uniforms are really a form of control, is that what we want our children? Preparing them from an early age to have no personality, no freedom of thought or individualism is not for me.

[mathanxiety]

Bonsoir, that is an interesting comment. From what I have seen in the US, uniforms including tie and blazer and smart khaki pants tend to crop up in all-boy schools set up to be non-failing alternatives to state schools. They are also used in areas where gang activity makes the clothes and headgear you wear a significant choice. Also in elementary schools where academic achievement has been poor and discipline a challenge.

The more middle class and motivated a student body and the safer the neighbourhood the more you are likely to find the schools have no uniform and maybe a very basic code (no nudity, no see-through clothes, no swimsuits, no head covering in school, no body parts from collarbone to start of legs displayed through cutouts, no flip flops, no offensive slogans or symbols displayed on clothing - offensive under categories such as racism, sexism, ethnic or religious intolerance).

Nooka -- my mum sent us to the school she chose (having given up on the local National School that had no uniform due to massive overcrowding) based on the uniform, which she thought very distinguished. Looking back, a red v-neck sweater and red tie might not have been the best choice for a primary school in Ireland, where so many children have red hair and pink/freckled faces. The uniform continued to secondary but the tie was dropped. Ties in primary had to be tied, no elastic allowed. I learned this life skill (so important to women the world over) at age 5.

What I really needed was lessons in how to apply makeup but makeup was completely verboten, as were high heels, and funny enough those two elements featured prominently in my list of things that caused me angst as a young woman in the world of work. My uniform and the regulations on appearance prepared me for life as a nun. Worse, being forced to accept the constant comments on appearance from teachers, nuns, etc., went a long way towards conditioning me as a girl to accept that other people had a right to comment, judge, remark upon and correct your appearance. It's quite a boundary infraction.

I noticed even in the DCs' primary school (a school with good points too numerous to list) that when it came to field trips to a play or an opera when the DCs were supposed to wear their own choice of clothes, the policing of what the girls wore was far more in evidence than policing of what the boys wore. One teacher in particular was downright neurotic about clothing and notorious for calling mothers on field trip days (never fathers) and insisting they bring something 'more appropriate' for their DD. She sent out a list of banned clothing styles and footwear, with a drawing of what was considered acceptable. It was laughable. The kind of outfit she wanted girls to wear was basically the uniform, but in different colours. Most mothers told her where to get off, that they were at work just as she was.

[nooka]

I agree girls are generally more policed than boys. Even at my children's non uniform school with a code much as you describe dd gets more grief than ds ever did, and she is generally much more suitably dressed than he has even been.

She got most peeved on a recent school trip that the girls were not allowed to wear bikinis/tankinis to swim, or only with a (non white) t-shirt, whilst the boys had no swimsuit guidance and all were (obviously) top less.

My big sister had the pleasure of a bright pink school uniform (with red and white stripy tie too!). However I can't say that the pin stripes and wing collar uniform didn't influence my choice of where to go for sixth form

[nooka]

Both dh and I went the other way really though. I am inclined to total scruffiness whilst dh has a serious authority problem (has been a real issue at work) acquired from stupid fights about the length of his hair etc.

[Nicky898]

Have no idea what you are referring to by "conditioned to obey" my 15 year old is at Rugby, and she would treat this comment with derision! As for the uniform, you may know that girls wear a box pleat skirt which touches the ground, and a sports jacket and bouse/shirt in a pastel colour. I initially thought such would be a problem to overcome but was very quickly educated out of that notion. The girls are fiercely supportive of the uniform, and whereas most girls wearing school skirts roll them up at the waist band (for obvious reasons) Rugbians tend to focus in making the skirt sweep the ground. I really think the OP is speaking from an idealogical standpoint (no harm in that) but unsupported by any real experience. Both my daughters wore their uniforms with pride and there is no way they were ever expected to conform to mindless rules. A full set of uniform, including sports kit, can easily top £700, but the school is keen to reduce the cost wherever possible and stocks uniform and allows resale of outgrown items. My daughter gave away her place at grammar school to go to indy and has never looked back. She is far more wise and knowledgable than I was at her age, and mixes very comfortably with a wide range of boys and girls from diverse backgrounds; some wealthy and some who are "hard up" - I count myself in the latter!

[Doubletroublemummy2]

All I can say is that you show very little understanding of what goes on in an average primary school. Your options, either educate yourself better so your statements/choices are better informed. Or continue with your judgmental ignorance, but accept when people slam you down for it. Silly girl.

[luckystarshine]

I personally prefer my children wearing a school uniform as it saves me some valued time in the morning without the arguments of "i dont want to wear this today", "Can i wear this instead"- "But my friends all wear these ones" etc!
Uniforms look smart and are very practical and you do not have to worry about the children ruining them as much as their best clothes.
It also gives the childrem less time to worry about what they wear and more time to concentrate on their studies. I have enough arguments about what pencil case, lunch box, umbrellas the other children have and how "theirs are better"more expensive etc! also which parents are wealthier, own a boat, horses and so on..
School uniforms are Great! and gives parents and children one less thing to worry about.
As for individuality i think children discover this through art, creative play and forming friendships and they have plenty of time to choose their clothes after school and at the weekends.

[luckystarshine]

Also, when there is a non-uniform day, disco etc, i find that most of the children discuss what they will be wearing and many turn up dressed the same as they copy each other which takes away their individuality anyway with peer pressure.

[cory]

Do zombies wear uniform? I suppose they do look rather like another...

[cloudskitchen]

Uniforms are important. Whatever school you go to. There are always going to be people from all walks of life. Even in independent schools. There are always going to be kids that come from more affluent families that can afford designer this that and the other and those that can barely afford the basics. I don't want my kids feeling superior to other children because of what they wear and vice versa. I also hate to think of children from poorer families being teased or bullied because they don't "fit it" uniform removes all of this.

[luckystarshine]

completley agree, cloudskitchen.

[Ingrid1964]

Dead simple............all character flows from self discipline: the independent learner, a work ethic, personal integrity.....You cannot develop self discipline in an ill disciplined environment. The seemingly small matters, including school uniform. It is part of the creation of a disciplined environment, within which we can create independent character.

[vociferous]

My Oldest DS now 25 had a nice maroon round neck sweatshirt with school logo on and white polo shirt at his village primary school. He then had a Royal blue round neck sweatshirt with school logo on and white polo shirt with school logo on. (Will leave you all to guess what South Cambridgeshire village we live in!) My youngest DS just started at the same secondary school and loves wearing a sweatshirt and polo shirt. He finds it more relaxing to wear and seems to feel more comfortable wearing it. I'd hate for him to have to wear the whole blazer, shirt and tie caboodle that I had to wear some years ago. I think it also looks much better than the more formal shirt and tie uniform!