Cassidy's Creative Corner: Should schools enforce uniforms?

Nearly all private schools require students to wear school uniforms. For seven years, I attended a school that enforced uniforms, and we only had a few days out of the year to “dress out.” Some people argue that uniforms promote positive student behavior and academic performance. Others say uniforms could deprive students of their self-expression. 

School uniforms do have the ability to deprive students of their freedom of expression and police students. Research has shown that in some countries, where the schools do not enforce school uniforms, there's a positive psychological effect on the students. When all students wear the same clothing, they're prone to compare themselves to their peers since clothes fit differently for everyone.  However, uniforms are shown to reduce bullying, which ultimately can result in increased student self-esteem. 

Uniforms aren’t free, either. They can be extremely expensive depending on the quality.  However, they can also be pressure relieving. According to Classroom “While buying a uniform instead of expensive branded clothes may seem like an economical solution to parents, it may sometimes actually be even more expensive, according to the Public School's Parent's Network. While students who are free to wear casual clothes at school usually use the same outfit for an entire day, students who are enrolled in a school that imposes a uniform tend to wear two outfits: a uniform during school hours and a casual one after school, forcing parents to spend even more money on clothes.” In addition to this, students going to school five to six days a week need at least two to three sets of uniforms, which can be costly. 

Despite all of this, school uniforms have many pros. They promote school spirit and encourage students to express themselves in other ways. Whether that is in the sports that they do or any other extra-curricular activities. In the end, any school considering a uniform should review all of the pros and cons. It is a big decision to be make, and despite the benefits, there are multiple drawbacks. 

Sources:

https://classroom.synonym.com/expert-negative-effects-school-uniforms-8043408.html

https://connectusfund.org/20-disadvantages-and-advantages-of-school-uniforms