School Uniforms | Teen Ink

School Uniforms

May 25, 2010
By gato_fresco BRONZE, Buckhannon, West Virginia
gato_fresco BRONZE, Buckhannon, West Virginia
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

If my high school were to amend the dress code to include uniforms, the school's atmosphere would change greatly. Most of the changes this shift in policy would bring would be for the worse. Implementing school uniforms is undoubtedly a bad idea. Uniforms would only serve to take away from our individuality, cost parents a great deal of money, and add to the monotony of school.

Firstly, if students had to wear uniforms they would, obviously, look the same. If all the students look the same, then they lose their individuality. Being independent and having an identity is important to people, especially high school-aged children. With everybody looking alike, it would be more difficult for students to express themselves. Students are taught to be their own person, but how are they to do so if they all look exactly the same?

Furthermore, what would students do with all of the clothes they already have? Uniforms would be a waste of money for parents that have already purchased clothing for their children. About 3 to 5 sets of uniforms would be needed. At an estimated cost of $30 each, that would be $90 minimum and up to $150 just for clothes! Obviously, not every family can afford this, and it is unlikely that the school would cover the cost for around 1200 students.

Finally, would it not be boring to look exactly the same everyday? The monotony of wearing a uniform day in and day out would quickly become very mundane. The colors of the uniforms would be blue and white, the color scheme of everything in the school; there would be no diversity at all. Uniforms would do nothing but mute the school atmosphere.

Making uniforms a requirement would be an unpopular decision as it would make the students look too similar, put a financial burden on parents, and create a sense of repetitiveness throughout the school. A decision to mandate uniforms would be extremely unpopular with most of the student body. In short, uniforms lack support from those who would have to wear them.


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This article has 14 comments.


maddysmith16 said...
on Mar. 1 2011 at 10:13 pm
you just helped me with my essay

on Nov. 5 2010 at 12:29 pm
RosemarieCraig GOLD, Gloucestershire, Other
19 articles 0 photos 35 comments

Favorite Quote:
A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell."
"The world is not inherited from our ancestors. It is borrowed from our children"

I agree with you, I wear a uniform, and it is horrible. The only thing is- cliques. There are still cliques with a uniform! The boys who refuse to do their top button up, the girls with too short skirts, the kids who can't get a uniform the right size for them because they are too tall/short, too fat/thin for the school shop to supply their size. Every one looks the same, but it's still how you wear the uniform that people pay attention to.

If I got to wear my own clothes, I would be considered very unfashionable, but I would be comfy and confident that I feel good. I wish I didn't have a uniform... 


umhh said...
on Jun. 14 2010 at 10:50 am
they do too take  away individualaty like shush it does

natasha said...
on Jun. 8 2010 at 12:40 pm

this is such a boring topic like shesh,

why cant we do a funner topic?


QUICKSILVER said...
on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:52 am
It's true uniforms are boring because they don't give us enough independence they will give us unity.

master S said...
on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:50 am

oinkie is juceiy fruit and uniforms are not good they r pointless and its a waste of mney cuz u cant wear the clothes u actually like

 


vald said...
on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:50 am
I agree with you.. it will be a waste of money 4 parents to buy there childern clothes nd then uniforms kids should be free 2 what they wanna wear.................................LALALALALALAAAAA xD

Natasha said...
on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:50 am
So no uniforms in a flippin elementry school thaanks (:

on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:46 am
i agree whole heartedly. I used to have school uniforms and looking the same as all my friends drove me up the wall!!! plus like you said it takes away from your personality,in fact i almost forgot what i liked to wear when i stopped having to wear uniforms!!. boo to uniforms!!!!!!!!

juicy fruit said...
on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:46 am
hey master s wats up long time no see your wrong about the uniforms

meeps said...
on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:45 am
thats dumb

Natasha said...
on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:45 am
well yeah the uniforms are a good idea but the kids that are going to grade 8 next year its no point  for  them cause when they go to  high school they have to buy some more so why waste the  money on your last year,and i dont  think it shows what kids  personalitys are like some people make there  clothes  better,and some buy them and making  them good in there  own way with your  uniforms you cant.

master S said...
on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:41 am
i dont think we should have school uniforms because than u cant really tell anything about someone 

on Jun. 6 2010 at 6:52 pm
Elie_labelle BRONZE, Surrey, Other
3 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
Human vocabulary is still not capable, and probably never will be, of knowing, recognizing, and communicating everything that can be humanly experienced and felt.
Jose Saramago (literary nobel prize winner)

I understand your opinion but Uniforms do not take away individuality. All of highschool I've worn a uniform and though me and many of my class mates will be happy to stop wearing it when we graduate ,it was the best thing. It makes people explore their individuality more because what we wear on a non-uniform day counts more. We are all the same so there are less cliques. I got my uniform in grade 8 and now grade 12 I still have the same uniform. It cost a bunch in the begining but I have maybe only bought one or two pieces of clothing every year. A unifrom expresses the identity of a community and that is what a school is a kind of community. A uniform is a symbol of constancy. When everything else is always changing it has been easy to know exactly what I have to wear everyday. I've explored my identity internaly and not externally. I respect your opinion but the long term benefits of uniforms if properly chosen further exceed the cons.