Students Dislike Uniforms, Respond By Burning Them

[Seil]

Link

While in American public schools, dress codes (let alone full uniforms) are often hotly contested, they're very common Britain. So much so, that, traditionally, every student's uniform included a blazer -- which is in addition to the dress shoes, slacks and polo shirt that were also required.

These regulations have become increasingly relaxed over the past couple decades, and -- much to the delight of students -- the blazer isn't routinely mandated. However, in a move intended to bring greater order and discipline back to the classroom, some politicians are demanding that more traditional uniforms (including the blazer) be reinstated, and many schools are falling in line with that policy.

But not the kids at Abertillery Comprehensive School in South Wales. Students there staged a protest against the blazer, by abruptly leaving their classrooms at 11 a.m., walking outside, and burning their jackets in front of the school.

While obviously these kids were out of line (not to mention that they were breaking the law), it's always interesting to me how intense the debate surrounding school uniforms always becomes. Students are almost always adamantly opposed to being told how to dress, yet many educators and parents (myself included), seem to think uniforms could be a good idea.

So where's the balance? It seems that, at a school were children were so upset that they staged an organized, public protes

Act of rebellion, or they really, really didn't like the uniforms?

[Ugainius]

To be honest I really don't see why students have a problem with school uniforms, there that bad. In fact I quite like them, they give you sense of school unity. It's not as if it's a tool of oppression which some Americans make it out to be, and often gives you a few tips for later on in life. Besides even if you don't like uniforms the blazer is hardly the part you get really annoyed at.

[DFM]

If you grew up having to wear a school uniform, you're not going to think anything of it, but if you've gone to a school without them your entire life and then the rule is suddenly instated, it really does feel like they're taking away a part of your individuality. Probably similar if you're suddenly expected to give up freedoms you've had previously, even if you only had them through lax policy enforcement.

[bluestarultor]

I've been to schools both with and without them. In the schools with them, it was much easier to enforce the dress code, which led to many fewer distractions. In the ones without them, people tended to wear some crazy things without getting pulled over for it, but it allowed you to better know who you were dealing with coming in. It also probably caused some of that fragmentation, but things were less rigid when it came to cliques and people actually mingled more.

[Meister]

Originally Posted by Ugainius

they give you sense of school unity.

Which is precisely why I don't like them. What if you don't want to identify with your school any more than the bare minimum? At my school they sold sweaters and t-shirts with a school design, and while no one was put down by anyone for deciding whether or not to buy and wear one, every time I saw someone wearing one I thought "What in the world is that good for?"

(Incidentally that was a pretty ideal setup, I think. I can't recall anyone being displeased with it.)

[bluestarultor]

^ My high school also did that. You got points for your grade for wearing them on a certain day of Spirit Week. Nobody wore them, anyway, but the idea was good.

Then again, the school store was open all day EXCEPT for the lunch periods, and most people didn't rush to cram into a 10 x 8 foot space over overpriced shirts, rubber bracelets, and candy bars that were sadly cheaper out of the machines across the lunch room.

[Fifthfiend]

In my observation uniforms, and to a lesser extent dress codes, have less to do with any particular stated pretext and more to do with school administrators needing to arbitrarily exert control over students just to show that they can.

[Elminster_Amaur]

In my observation uniforms, and to a lesser extent dress codes, have less to do with any particular stated pretext and more to do with school administrators needing to arbitrarily exert control over students just to show that they can.

That's not true. Uniforms serve a very important purpose: It helps remove individual identity when you are attempting to brainwash people. That's why they use uniforms in all military everywhere, and why cults all dress the same.

That is one of the very first things a cult or a military will do to new recruits: remove normal clothing and add their own uniform code of dress.

[Ugainius]

Have either of you actually worn school uniforms?

[Elminster_Amaur]

I have worn a uniform for school, and I have worn a school uniform. Neither was very appealing to me. But I don't see how my having worn or not worn a school uniform has anything to do with my point.

Uniforms are among one of the first steps one takes when breaking down a person's identity and building up a "group identity". It is a symbolic way to remove a person's individuality, and separate that person from other groups, and has always worked wonders for those purposes.

Frankly, I don't see a reason to remove student's identities when they're that young, except if you are afraid they may become free thinkers.