The Benefits of School Uniform

From the birth, parents are dreaming to see their children in future as successful and happy people, who will grow and go through different phases of life. One of these important phases in everyone’s life is school. However, it is usually believed that school is also one of the most meaningful, yet a bit cruel places for a child to be. Is it true that the discipline in the school is hanging on the wearing school uniforms? What are the pros and cons of wearing school uniforms?

At the certain age children are sent to school to gain their first knowledge about this world and its separate parts. They are sent to gain the new skills that they can use in their future life. During many years, the school is considered to be the second home for every child after which everyone is ready to take another important step in their life – university. That is why most parents are concerned about their child’s activity while being at school, how skilled they are, how disciplined or otherwise what a trouble-maker their child is. There is no wonder that parents are also concerned about the expenses they will have to spend for school, which includes books, stationery like pens or exercise books, and for the most it includes school uniform.

The issue about whether school uniforms are necessary or not in the school life is still strongly discussed among many sociologists and psychologists. Some of them think that school uniform is an important element of school life and discipline in schools, while the others think that school uniform is the thing that limits children’s freedom and their rights on self-realization. One should not forget that school is a phase in everyone’s life that is necessary in order to take a proper job in future. However sometimes parents forget about this exact purpose of school in everyone’s life and think only about how their child is going to look like in this or that clothes for school; is he or she going to be popular or neglected. The National Association of Elementary School Principles stated that one from five schools, no matter if it is a public or private one, thinks about implementing school uniform issue or at least has it on its agenda. For the most, the main purpose is about implementing discipline and strong attention to children’s education, not the dress code. However, not all public schools have school uniforms as the obligatory part of the school policy, the ones who have it admit the good influence of its implementing. According to some researches it is stated that schools which have school uniform principle as the obligatory part of its policy, also have the higher level of discipline and the higher rate of students’ knowledge compared to schools that do not have one. The advantages of school uniform can also be seen in the relationships among students. It is very important that students relate to each other and communicate with each other not only according to their looks or social status, whether one is rich or not, but according to each other’s interests and knowledge. There are no battles among students about what is appropriate and popular to wear, and that is one of the main advantages of uniforms in school policies. With the implementing of school uniforms students started looking for the other way to show their talents and creativeness. Moreover, parents must not puzzle their head over where to find money on expensive clothes just to preserve their children’s reputation in school. Another advantage of implementing school uniform is that with it, students will pay more attention on gaining higher grades from this or that subject. Despite the fact that there are mostly advantages in the school uniform policy, one should not forget that there are disadvantages, too. One of the disadvantages was mentioned previously – sociologists believe that school uniform stands on the way of students’ self-realization and creativeness. It is said in many other researchers that school uniform deprives children from their personal interests, their individuality; it is stated that school uniform is even used to destroy school community and students’ unity. Moreover, despite the point that was made above that there is no need for parents to buy other fashionable clothes but just school uniforms. The opposite point is stated that school uniform is a waste of money because it became needless in everyday life after students’ graduation. Every child has their own style in clothing that is why it is believed that the school uniform policy deprives children from their comfort; it deprives them from their individual choice, individual manner of clothing.

As one can see from the information mentioned above, the issue about implementing school uniform in all kinds of schools is still on the heated dispute, and while there are disadvantages of the school uniform policy, there are still more advantages about it. With the implementing of school uniform several issues in school can be controlled like the school safety, low level of academic performance, the level of discipline and the problems of communication between students. Moreover, one should not forget that schools which have implemented the school uniform policy now have lower levels of violence and other incidents among students. To my mind, the school uniform policy is not just something that keeps the reputation of schools, but it is also a thing that keeps a tight rein on children’s behavior nowadays. It is very important, in my opinion, not just to make students wear school uniforms, but also to teach and explain them why it is so needful and useful to wear it.

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