Context

The question of whether children should wear a uniform to school always makes for a lively debate, and not
only among students! In some countries school uniform is normal and most schools make their students wear
one. Britain is the most obvious example of this, but in many other countries with strong links to Britain uniform
often has to be worn to school - examples include Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong,
South Africa and many other African countries. Uniform is also required at almost all schools in Japan. In other
countries, particularly in continental Europe, the USA and Canada, uniform is very rare in state-funded
schools, although private schools may have one.
Debates about school uniform have been going on for decades in different countries and districts, but during
the 1990s state schools in the USA began to adopt uniforms. At first uniform rules were seen as a way of
stopping children dressing in gang colours in troubled urban areas. Later, claims that introducing uniform leads
to better discipline and educational results encouraged other school districts and schools to make a change.
Both the Clinton and Bush administrations have been in favour of school uniforms. Other countries have
picked up on this trend - for example, there has been talk of making German children wear uniforms.
This topic looks at a very large number of arguments about uniforms. Not all of these will apply in every
country or school, so take care only to select the ones that are relevant for your debate. The proposition
(affirmative or government) side here is arguing for uniforms to be scrapped, but the case could easily be
reversed if your debate is about introducing uniforms instead.

Arguments

Pros Cons
We all have a right to individuality, to make personal Having all the students wearing the same uniform helps to
choices and to express our personality. This right of free create a sense of belonging and a good school ethos
expression includes the way we choose to dress. Making (culture or spirit). By showing that the school expects high
everyone wear the same school uniform infringes on (goes standards, expectations are raised and students respond
against) our rights and is a misuse of authority. The right to with better behaviour. US schools which introduced school
choose what to wear is particularly important for young uniform reported improved discipline.
people, who often have few other ways of expressing their
personality or making choices about their lives.
There is no good evidence that links school uniform to Schools with uniforms obtain better educational results.
improved results. A few schools in the USA reported better This is because there is better discipline and so the school
test scores after they started having uniform, but most of setting makes learning easier. Without the distraction of
these made other changes to the running of the school checking out what all the other students are wearing (or
which could have helped instead. Studies looking at lots of how much flesh they are showing), students find it easier
schools, with and without uniform, have not found any link to concentrate and do better in tests.
between what children wear and school results.
Only a few inner-city schools have had problems with Uniform is a social leveller - it makes all the children at a
children wearing “gang colours”. Many of these have got school equal no matter what their family background or
rid of the problem not by introducing uniform, but by simplyincome. If students can choose their own clothes, then the
having a dress code which bans such gang clothes and rich kids compete to show off their expensive designer
symbols. In fact, uniform boosts a “gang state of mind” by labels and costly sneakers (trainers). Children from poorer
marking children out and dividing students from different families get picked on for not being able to afford lots of
schools against each other. This can increase conflict pricey outfits.
between young people outside school, leading to bullying Schools in the USA have used uniform to overcome the
and violence. problem of students wearing “gang colours” if they were
allowed to choose their own clothes. Clothes with
particular colours or symbols marked rival groups of
students out as linked to street gangs. This often led to
fighting inside and outside the classroom. If everyone has
to wear the same clothes to school, this problem is
removed.
Uniform is often not practical or pleasant to wear. Designs Uniform has practical advantages. Students don’t have to
are often old-fashioned and ugly. Clothes that are waste time thinking what to wear at the start of each
designed to be worn by all shapes and sizes of student fit school day. The clothes are designed to be comfortable
no one really well. For cheapness uniform items are often and safe, with no long trailing sleeves, skirts or hoods to
made of polycottons which are hot in warm weather but catch on dangerous equipment in workshops or science
don’t keep children properly warm in winter. Children in lessons. It is also very helpful on trips as staff can quickly
uncomfortable outfits are unlikely to learn much. spot all the students from their school, keeping them out of
trouble and making sure no one gets lost.
There is no proper research that shows that introducing Introducing uniform can reduce crime in schools,
uniform cuts crime in schools. Uniforms can actually lead especially violence and theft. Headteachers at several US
to more violence, as they make students from rival schools schools report lower levels of violence and crime after
much more obvious in the street or on the bus. “Us-and- uniforms were introduced. This is partly due to better
them” feelings are made worse by uniform, and bullying discipline, but also because students no longer come to
and fighting between students from different schools can school wearing desirable designer clothes or $100 trainers
increase. (sneakers).
Uniform also helps makes schools safer as it makes
intruders much easier to spot. Anyone not in uniform can
easily be seen and reported.
Forcing children to wear uniform can ignore their religious School uniform can satisfy religious and cultural needs. In
and cultural needs. For example, Sikh boys, Orthodox areas with lots of children from different backgrounds
Jews and Islamic girls all express their religious beliefs (such as British cities) it is common to consult parents and
through the way they dress, and uniform stops them doing the local community. For example, Muslim girls can be
this. In particular, school uniforms are often not modest allowed to wear loose long trousers and tops in school
enough in covering the female body to suit Muslims. colours, instead of the skirts or dresses worn by other
Taking away this freedom of religious expression can also female students.
lead parents to choose private faith schools, limiting
integration and the mixing of different cultures.
Very few countries feel the need to put most of their School uniform is a tradition worth keeping. In countries
children in school uniforms. Mostly it is a British thing not like Britain many schools have had uniforms for over a
shared by the rest of the world. Outside Britain, most hundred years. The exact clothes can be updated with the
schools with uniforms are private schools trying to set times, but the overall look of the uniform provides a link
themselves apart from the state education system. with the school’s past. Wearing it encourages pride in the
Uniform is almost unknown in European countries, yet school and gives out a good image to outsiders.
their schools often have high standards of behaviour and
learning. Until the 1990s uniform was very rare in the USA.
Since then some US schools and districts have introduced
uniform, but the large majority of schools still do not have
it. Some of those which did adopt uniform have since given
up on it again.
Uniforms are expensive and can be hard for parents to Uniform is usually cheaper than letting children choose
afford - it is like a tax on sending your child to school. After what they will wear to school. Young people feel pressure
all, it is not as if children won’t need other clothes too, for to dress in the latest thing and not to wear the same outfit
evenings, weekends and holidays. Special clothes like often. This often leads their parents to spend 100s of
uniforms are only produced in small quantities, and so are dollars on clothes each year. With uniform taking away this
more costly than normal clothes. Often, they can only be pressure, there is usually a much smaller overall cost for
bought from one or two special shops, which also pushes the parents. Families who are hard-up can often get help
the price up. The cost of uniform often means that parents with the cost of uniform, or buy it second-hand. For these
dislike it and it can lead to a bad relationship between reason parents often like uniform. At some schools it is
them and the school. parents groups that start campaigns to introduce it.
Schools waste a lot of time trying to enforce uniform rules. Students will always kick against the system, whatever
Because children don’t like wearing uniform, they fight that is. If there is a dress code instead of a uniform, they
against it in many clever ways (e.g. shortening skirts, will try to bend those rules instead. For example, how short
wearing non-regulation shoes and hosiery, tying their ties a skirt is too short? Are crop-tops allowed? What about
in funny ways, etc.). Schools in the US often allow parents hats or hoods which hide the student’s face? Most
an “opt-out” from uniform, which means teachers have to problems of enforcing uniform rules in the USA are
check what list a child is on at the start of every lesson. because uniform is voluntary, or students are allowed an
opt-out from it. If uniform must be worn by everyone there
is much less confusion and enforcing the rules is quicker
and simpler.
Rather than introduce school uniform, why not have a Having a uniform helps students and parents resist peer
dress code instead? This has all the benefits of uniform pressure. In schools with no uniform, children may feel the
without the many disadvantages. While uniforms force all need to dress in certain ways in order to fit in. This can
children to wear the same clothes, dress codes give often mean buying a lot of expensive and fashionable
students a lot of choice what to wear. Only a few clothes that families cannot really afford. It can also mean
unsuitable things are banned - for example, gang colours, girls being pressured into wearing skimpy clothes to try
very short skirts, crop tops, bare shoulders, etc. and look sexy at a very young age. It could even include
Muslim girls feeling that they must wear a headscarf even
though they don’t want to.
Wearing a school uniform is not good preparation for Wearing a uniform helps to prepare students for the world
working. Only a few jobs require uniforms, and many of
these are low-paid service jobs - not what we want our
young people to aim for. After all, their main role-models at
school - the teachers - don’t have to wear a uniform. Well-
paid jobs used to require a suit, but this has been
changing in recent years and smart-casual clothes are
much more common now. Even if you have to wear a suit,
you still have a huge choice of styles, colour and
accessories with which to express your personality. This
isn’t true of school uniform.
Motions
This House would abolish school uniform
School uniforms should not be introduced
This House believes that we’re all individuals
This House rejects uniformity
of work, where uniforms are often worn. People like
nurses, soldiers, shop assistants, the police and railway
staff wear uniform as part of their job. Many other workers
are expected to wear suits - really just a grown up sort of
uniform, with little choice about it. Just like these adults,
students should dress in uniform when they are in school,
getting on with work. After all, students and adults can
both change into their own casual clothes at the end of the
working day, when they are “off duty”.