School Uniforms

[author_by_night]

What do you guys think of school uniforms?

I used to be very much against them, perhaps partly because I went to private school and was forced to spend winter shivering in my skirt because leggings didn't do one thing to warm me up. However, I do wonder if I would have minded had we been allowed to wear pants more often.

Now I'm very conflicted.

-: It might inhibit self expression.

+: Of course, I speak as someone who rarely wore nice clothing to school until college. Meanwhile, a close friend of mine who was one of those people who'd shop at the same store for hours missed wearing a uniform and not having to worry about what she was going to wear. (Maybe she would have gotten better grades? Seriously, maybe she would have.)

+: School is a place where you're supposed to be learning.

-: School is also a place where you learn to interact with your peers, and that includes peers who might be wearing clothing you find distracting, that's more expensive or less expensive than your own clothing, or outfits that express beliefs and/or ideas you disagree with.

-: Skirts make for cold legs in the winter.

+: Schools wouldn't have to require skirts. 

Where do you guys stand? 

Comments

[baranduyn.livejournal.com]

I grew up on the other end of the spectrum but I also had relatives who went to schools that did require uniforms. I knew even as a kid that uniforms only slightly levelled the playing field. The kids who had brand new uniforms rather looked down on kids with used or handed down uniforms.

I do like the notion of uniforms if only because it takes a lot of the morning crap out of the day. You're gonna wear what you can wear, stop tearing your closet apart.