Uniforms are seen as school identities on students. It is very essential but below are some of the 10 reasons why students shouldn’t wear uniforms to school. Analyzing the disadvantages of wearing uniforms to institutions of learning will help us understand the importance of this content.
Giving credence to certain circumstances and understanding the frailties of the human desire, the habit of joining the bandwagon of putting on uniforms when going to school may be some mistake in itself. Hence, the 10 reasons why students shouldn’t wear uniforms to school will serve the stress of convincing you to grasp the truth of agreeing with me as highlighted below:
1. It Deprives Students of Freedom of Expression
Being able to express yourself is a right that every parent wants their children to learn from a young age. If students are not permitted to demonstrate their individuality and originality through dressing, they may develop feelings of oppression and discouragement, which can damage their personality.
2. It Does not Improve Academic Performance
One of the significant problems schools today is poor academic performance. There is no detectable correlation between school uniforms and the academic performance of students. One of the many reasons for going to school is to boost academic performance. And, once a student is ambitious and hard-working, academic excellence isn’t far ahead. So, wearing of school uniform does not affect a students’ performance.
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3. It Can Be Expensive
Paying for school uniforms can be a waste of money, especially if they attend school for up to 5 or 6 days weekly. The implication of this is that they would need an extra set of uniforms. Some parents cannot afford a lot of uniforms! Sometimes they have other children too and they have to buy for them as well.
4. It Creates Equality
Those who agree that children should wear school uniforms reason that this kind of outfit actually helps to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. If everyone wears the same thing, there would be no teasing or making fun of those that can’t afford expensive designer brand clothing or those that are said to have no fashion sense.
However, who’s to say that wearing school uniforms really solves that problem? Those who can’t afford to buy new uniforms would just buy second-hand ones.
If they have other children that have already graduated from the school, their outfits would be passed down to their siblings. There are also those who would have school uniforms made using cheaper cloth to lessen the expenses.
5. It Might Be Sexist
Some uniforms may strike students and parents as sexist. For example, if a uniform requires girls to wear skirts and pants are not allowed, some students and parents may object, leading to conflict with the school administration. Not all girls want to wear skirts and some may resent being told to wear traditionally “feminine” garments.
Also, if a student is unsure of their place on the gender spectrum or is experimenting with different forms of gender presentation, school uniforms can present a real challenge.
6. It Can Lead to Being Over-Cautious of Students
If a school has a uniform policy, it generally tries to enforce that policy by monitoring students’ clothing and punishing students for violating uniform requirements. Of course, even schools that don’t require uniforms may police student clothing that’s deemed too revealing or offensive, but uniforms may add to the attention focused on student dress.
7. It Can be Stressful
In relation to the point above, if the family can’t afford several sets of uniforms, they may have to wash the uniforms when the kids get home. This can be tiresome and takes away time that could have been spent on schoolwork or rest.
Some kids may have allergies or feel uncomfortable due to tightness and rigidness. This can affect their mood and learning throughout the whole day.
8. It Can Also be Segregational
This can make students feel that they’re being scrutinized and punished for their appearance, which could have negative effects on student self-esteem or attitudes toward the school. And if students are sent home for uniform violations, they will miss valuable learning time. Plus, policing student uniforms takes time and effort on the part of administrators.
9. It is not Culturally Encouraging
Most uniforms are not designed according to the cultural dress of a population or they represent only one culture. Also, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender students may become confused if they should wear a uniform that represents their inner sexual orientation or their external gender.
10. It Can Cause Unnecessary Rivalry and Fight for Superiority
As children start to develop their own opinions, they won’t like being forced to do something they don’t want to. So requiring students to wear uniforms against their will can breed resentment towards the school, faculty, and even their parents.
School pride and rivalry is something that some students take very seriously in a negative way. They can taunt or bully kids belonging to a rival school who they can easily identify through the uniforms.
