There will always be an argument for and against school uniforms. But though uniforms rob children of their individuality and waste much staff time in enforcing the prescribed dress codes, I am in favor of school uniforms for four main reasons:
1. The uniform itself is a source of identity and provides a sense of belonging. To many children, who believe their chosen school is a sort of achievement, a school uniform is a mark of inclusion something to boast about, to be proud of and to feel empowered wearing it. There is nothing like getting the opportunity to wear the uniform of a school which one has long admired and wanted to attend. I remember when I was a sixth-former I felt particularly thrilled with my uniform because it was slightly different from the rest of the school. The little straw boater I cocked neatly on my head, which only older pupils could wear, told the world I was a senior. And in the world of teenagers growing up, such silly demarcations, especially in the absence of designer labels, helped us to feel more adult. Other schoolmates had to give us due respect too and we enjoyed that exclusion as a privileged group.
2. A uniform immediately dispenses with the child's need to worry about what to wear each day. It also relieves the parent of having to spend an awful lot of money helping the child to keep up with the school Joneses in current fashion and style. It reduces dress rivalry and at least allows less well-off children to feel included and on par with wealthy friends and classmates. I came from a very poor family because my father died the year I started high school. My uniform was not only chic and smart, but it saved me from having to wear the same clothes over and over each week. My mother, now a single parent with four mouths to feed, couldn't afford to buy too many clothes for me. The uniform became a godsend. Though many days I also couldn't afford lunch, no one knew that because I looked and acted no differently in every other respect. I felt terribly proud of who I was, being given the opportunity to go to one of Jamaica's most famous grammar schools, and felt totally accepted by my friends and classmates.
3. The uniform allows a sense of unified purpose to develop, particularly in rivalry with other establishments. If no one could tell who was a part of their team, because everyone wore what they liked, it would not engender such fierce support and loyalty. But the the specific school uniform demarcates territory and affiliation and provides a great sense of purpose, pride and mutual support for team members. It is also a fantastic feeling when one uniform wins out over another!
4. A group of kids in uniform, especially one with a long tradition, appears much smarter and eye catching than in individual styles. The overall effect of a uniform that represents a particular history, ethos, philosophy and objective, like Eton and Harrow in Britain, never fails to draw admiring glances and aspirational goodwill. The fact that it is likely to cost far less than having to maintain a daily wardrobe, wins out every time too.
For children who can afford a lot of clothes, one would think that a uniform would be superfluous to some extent. However, there are very few children, as I was, who would not be thankful for a uniform because it clearly reinforces their parity with others and their sense of belonging to a wider, reassuring community.
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ELAINE SIHERA (www.myspace.com/elaineone) is an expert author, public speaker, media contributor and lifestyle columnist. The first Black graduate of the OU and a post-graduate of Cambridge University. Elaine is a Personal Empowerment and Relationships Consultant. Confidential advice is available on the quiz site. Author of: 10 Easy Steps to Growing Older Disgracefully 10 Easy Steps to Finding Your Ideal Soulmate! Money, Sex & Compromise, among others (available on http://www.amazon.co.uk as well as her personal website). She describes herself as, “Fit, Fabulous, Over-fifty and Ready to Fly!”