'What purpose do school uniforms serve nowadays?' - Reader's list
G Shepherd questions the use of school uniforms...
Yet again the cost of the school uniform becomes the subject of discussion in The Star.
Why does nobody ever state the obvious solution? Just do away with uniforms. They serve no purpose.
The assumptions that uniforms have a positive effect on attendance, behaviour, academic achievements, social skills reduced peer pressure and bullying, are false assumptions and have been discredited in properly conducted research.
In this day and age no child is so poorly clad as to attract bullies, who are more inclined to pick on physical attributes, weight, race, personality or whatever.
On the negative side, uniforms are expensive, remove personal expression, increase conflict between students, staff and parents, create gender issues, and remove fundamental rights of parents.
Uniforms are necessary when professional adults in the public eye need to be recognised, for example the police, fire service, nurses etc.
In these cases, dress is dictated by the employer, who is therefore compelled to provide the uniform free of charge. Why then should a school, academy or education authority impose dress rules on parents and expect them to pay.
It doesn’t happen in sixth form or university, and, significantly, why don’t teachers wear the school uniform?
As a somewhat related matter, I note in the same press release that nurses have been told they must not display personal concerns for humanity in the form of an “I Support Palestine” badge.
I await with interest what will happen to those who wear a poppy when November 11th comes around.
Editor’s note: Another letter writer, Rosalyn Parfrement, added on the same topic:
When I went to secondary school in the late 1960s the school blazer was bought from anywhere usually the Co-op no school logo but a school badge was purchased and sewed on the pocket of the blazer. Surely this is a more effective way of saving money on the school uniform.