Reading  for  9/3  -­‐  School  uniforms   Please,  read  the  articles  below  and  try  to  think  about  wearing  a  school  uniform  pros  and  cons.   -­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐   What's  the  point  of  school  uniform?   You  might  hate  your  school  uniform,  but  I  think  it's  there  for  good  reason,  says  15-­‐year-­‐old  Chloe   Spencer.   A  shirt,  tie  and  blazer  may  not  be  the  ingredients  for  my  favourite  outfit,  but  if  I  were  given  the   choice,  I  wouldn't  throw  away  the  idea  of  school  uniform.  Wearing  a  uniform  is  a  badge  of  pride,   creates  an  identity  for  a  school  and  is  an  important  part  of  being  a  school  student.   "Uniforms  show  that  you  are  part  of  an  organisation.  Wearing  it  says  we're  all  in  this  together,"   Jason  Wing,  head  teacher  at  the  Neale-­‐Wade  academy  in  Cambridgeshire,  says.   "Also,  if  you  wear  your  uniform  with  pride,  it  means  you  are  half  way  there  to  being  respectful,   buying  into  what  the  organisation  is  all  about.''   Claire  Howlette,  an  English  teacher,  agrees:  "Uniforms  give  students  a  sense  of  belonging  to  a   particular  school  and  create  an  identity  for  the  school  in  the  community."   My  school  is  one  of  many  that  seem  to  be  reverting  to  a  more  formal  uniform  –  this  September  I   will  be  wearing  a  shirt  and  blazer  instead  of  my  old  jumper  and  polo  shirt.  A  number  of  students   have  complained  about  the  change,  but  general  opinion  is  that  the  jumpers  and  polo  shirts  were   "childish".   A  school  uniform  teaches  students  to  dress  smartly  and  take  pride  in  their  appearance.  Howlette   says:  "Uniforms  help  students  to  prepare  for  when  they  leave  school  and  may  have  to  dress   smartly  or  wear  a  uniform."   Some  people  believe  that  a  school  uniform  can  improve  learning  by  reducing  distraction,   sharpening  focus  on  schoolwork  and  making  the  classroom  a  more  serious  environment,  allowing   students  to  perform  better  academically.   Perhaps  most  importantly,  a  uniform  means  students  don't  have  to  worry  about  peer  pressure   when  it  comes  to  their  clothes.  When  everyone  is  dressed  the  same,  worrying  about  what  you   look  like  isn't  so  important.  There  is  no  competition  about  being  dressed  in  the  latest  trend,   which  would  put  a  great  deal  of  financial  pressure  on  students  and  parents.  Potential  bullies  have   one  less  target  for  their  insults;  it's  hard  to  make  fun  of  what  someone  is  wearing  when  you're   dressed  exactly  the  same.   In  America,  where  a  majority  of  schools  do  not  have  a  uniform,  roughly  160,000  children  miss   school  every  day  due  to  fear  of  attack  or  intimidation  by  other  students.  This  might  not  be   directly  linked  to  what  they're  wearing,  but  having  a  uniform  can  be  a  safety  net  for  many   students  who  might  otherwise  suffer  from  bullying.  A  strict  uniform  gives  the  impression  that   rules  are  strict  too,  perhaps  helping  maintain  a  sense  of  order  at  school.   Although  wearing  a  school  uniform  is  less  expensive  than  buying  a  whole  wardrobe  of  outfits,   uniform  can  still  be  pricey.  Many  schools  have  a  specific  supplier,  and  wearing  cheaper   alternatives  can  result  in  punishment  if  the  black  skirt  you're  wearing  isn't  exactly  the  right  black   skirt.  Finding  uniform  that  fits  you,  especially  if  you're  limited  to  one  shop,  can  also  be  a  struggle.   Recently  the  Liberal  Democrats  held  a  conference  about  the  cost  of  school  uniforms  across   England.  The  education  minister  David  Laws  is  to  issue  new  guidance  to  end  the  practice  of  using   a  single  uniform  supplier,  enabling  parents  to  shop  around  for  uniform.  If  schools  decide  to   change  their  uniform,  for  example  with  a  new  emblem  or  colour,  changes  should  be  restricted  to   one  or  two  items,  preferably  with  sew-­‐on  logos.  Changing  from  a  one-­‐supplier  system  could  help   families  with  the  cost  of  school  uniform.   Although  it  might  seem  a  shame  to  miss  out  on  those  two  years  of  dressing  as  you  like  at  school,  I   welcome  the  smart  dress  code.  Not  only  does  it  make  getting  dressed  each  morning  a  lot  easier,   but  it  sets  sixth  formers  up  as  role  models  for  younger  students,  and  that's  important.   Macy  Vallance,  a  year-­‐eight  student,  says:  "I  like  uniforms  because  everyone  is  the  same  and  no   one  can  be  left  out  by  the  way  they  are  dressed.  Our  new  uniform  looks  smarter,  which  is  good."   My  uniform  might  not  be  what  I  would  wear  in  my  own  time,  but  it  gives  me  a  sense  of   belonging,  takes  away  the  pressure  of  what  to  wear  and  deters  the  bullies.  School  uniform  isn't   fashionable,  but  that's  exactly  why  I  think  it  should  be  here  to  stay.   Source:  http://www.theguardian.com/education/mortarboard/2013/oct/03/why-­‐wear-­‐school-­‐uniform   -­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐   Arguments  about  Uniforms   Many  well  intended  adults  have  justified  the  use  of  school  uniforms  for  many  different  reasons.   While  they  make  valid  points  I  often  disagree  with  them.  Below  are  the  3  points  I  disagree  with   the  most  or  you  can  skip  down  to  what  I  believe  is  a  summary  of  valid  pro  and  con  arguments   about  uniforms.       Theme  1:  Uniforms  will  stop  other  students  by  being  judged  on  how  they  look  /  Uniforms  will   make  it  harder  for  cliques  to  form.     Response:  No  matter  what  you  dress  students  in,  they  will  always  find  a  way  to  pass  judgement   upon  their  peers.  If  it's  not  based  upon  the  style  of  clothes  worn  there  are  many  other  superficial   ways  to  judge  people  and  form  cliques.  Including:   • hair  style   • hair  colour   • height   • weight   • accessories  (necklaces,  watches  and  etc.)   • odor  (type  of  purfume/colone  and  etc.)   • the  way  one  walks   • smoking  habits   This  list  is  by  no  means  exhaustive,  but  you  get  the  idea.  Yes  cliques  can  be  a  problem  in  schools.   Yes  judging  people  upon  their  appearance  can  be  bad  in  schools.  However  making  everyone  wear   the  same  type  of  clothes  is  not  going  to  make  the  problem  magically  disappear.  Instead  of  hiding   from  the  problem  why  not  tackle  it  head  on.  Teach  your  kids  to  accept  the  odd  kid  out.  Teach   your  kids  not  to  judge  based  upon  superficial  criteria.  Kids  can  be  taught  to  be  open  to  all  sorts  of   people.  However,  by  making  everyone  wear  the  same  types  of  clothes,  I  believe  you  are  just   sending  the  message  that  since  you  can't  accept  each  other  when  you  are  different,  we're  going   to  make  you  all  the  same.  How  will  your  child  ever  cope  in  the  adult  world  when  they  actually  do   encounter  someone  who  is  different  then  themselves.     Theme  2:  Uniforms  will  save  families  money  /  Students  won't  pressure  their  parents  to  buy   clothes  some  families  can't  afford.     Response:  Firstly  uniforms  have  not  saved  my  family  money.  If  one  avoids  buying  name  brand   clothing,  clothes  can  be  relatively  affordable.  When  my  mom  bought  my  little  brother  his   uniforms.  She  bought  him  2  separate  outfits.  2  golf  shirts,  2  pairs  of  pants,  1  sweatshirt  and  1   vest  came  to  around  $250.00.  She  could  have  easily  bought  a  full  weeks  worth  of  street  clothing   (7  shirts,  3  pairs  of  pants)  for  slightly  less  money.  Mind  you,  we  aren't  in  the  habit  of  buying  new   wardrobes  every  time  a  new  school  year  starts,  this  is  just  a  comparison.  It  should  also  be  noted   that  when  you  buy  uniforms,  regular  street  clothing  also  needs  to  be  bought  for  weekends  and   during  the  summer.     Some  might  say,  "Wait  a  second.  My  kid's  T-­‐shirt  costs  $40  or  more."  It  is  not  that  difficult  to  find   long  lasting  clothing  in  the  10-­‐20  dollar  range.  The  only  catch  it  may  not  have  your  child's   favourite  company  logo  that  is  endorsed  by  a  multi-­‐millionaire.  So  what  if  your  kid  says  that  all   the  cool  kids  have  Nike  shirts?  This  is  an  ideal  time  to  teach  your  child  there  is  more  to  life  than  a   cool  logo.  This  would  also  be  a  good  time  to  teach  your  child  not  to  choose  their  friends  based   upon  what  logos  their  peers  wear.  If  all  the  parents  didn't  buy  their  kids  all  logo  clothing  or   taught  their  kids  not  to  put  emphasis  on  the  logos,  this  wouldn't  even  been  an  issue.     Theme  3:  Uniforms  will  make  it  easier  to  identify  those  who  are  not  from  the  school  and   therefore  increase  security/safety.     Response:  This  is  what  I  consider  to  be  the  only  valid  point.  I  guess  sometimes  students  from   other  schools  do  go  to  other  schools  to  cause  trouble.  I  guess  if  they're  in  a  t-­‐shirt  and  baggy   clothes  they  will  stick  out  like  a  sore  thumb.  So  from  that  respect  the  school  will  be  protected   from  unruly  outsiders.  However,  I  somehow  doubt  uniforms  will  stop  circle  beatings  in  the  pit   and  students  sneaking  in  contraband  weapons.  I  am  also  sure  it  would  not  be  that  hard  to  borrow   uniforms  from  friends  who  may  go  to  the  uniform  school.  If  there  is  a  will,  there  is  a  way,   especially  with  students  who  have  lots  of  time  conjure  up  ways  to  create  mischief.     Pro-­‐Uniforms   Anti  uniforms   • Save  money  on  clothing   • Uniforms  will  cut  down  on   teasing  and  cliques   • Schools  will  be  safe  from   • Uniforms  ultimately  cost  more   • Uniforms  do  not  teach  children  how  to  deal  with  people   who  are  different  then  themselves.   • Cliques  will  still  form.   outsiders   • Parents  will  no  longer  have  to   buy  designer  labels   • Uniforms  will  separate  the  public   schools  from  the   catholic/private  schools.   • It  is  impossible  to  prevent  all  outside  intrusion   • Children  will  still  ask  for  designer  labels  for  outside  of   school  clothing.  (Uniforms  will  not  make  this  issue   go  away.)   • If  you  need  uniforms  to  distinguish  between  public  and   catholic/private  schools  it's  time  to  re-­‐evaluate   where  your  child  is  going.   • Uniforms  teach  children  that  in  order  to  get  along   everyone  must  conform  to  the  same  standards.     Source:   http://www.angelfire.com/ca/bygranite/uniforms/args.html