School Uniforms

Imagine waking up every day and having no choice but putting on the exact same uniform as you did the day before and the week before that and the year before that. Whether or not there are advantages or disadvantages of school uniforms is a highly debated topic with truly only disadvantages. School uniforms are a financial burden, don’t allow for any comfort, and they take away any individuality a student may possess.

 One of the many disadvantages to requiring school uniforms is the financial burden it may place on families. Uniforms are not cheap and every student needs multiple sets along with different pieces for different seasons and so on. The issue is not just the buying of these uniforms but in addition to that families have to buy “regular” clothes to wear outside of school. Kids are not going to wear their plaid skirts and khakis to the playground. The additional cost of then buying jeans, tennis shoes, t-shirts and sweatpants causes the issue and additional cost. Affording two wardrobes is extremely difficult for many families and is completely unnecessary.

Being comfortable is extremely important in the success of a student in school. Being required to wear school uniforms does not help with this. When kids are forced to wear the itchy, tight, and rigid uniforms they are not going to be comfortable, in more ways than one. First of all, literally this clothing is not going to be easy to move around and be active in and it is going to be distracting throughout the school day. Second, when children are told what to wear they are not going to feel right in their own skin. They might feel like they are being forced to dress like someone they are not and it is not okay to just allow that to happen.

Lastly, and most importantly school uniforms take away the individuality and diversity of students everywhere. The lack of choice doesn’t allow students to express themselves about who they are as a person. Kids are supposed to figure out who they want to be and how they want to be known. When they can’t express themselves through the clothing or shoes they wear they are missing out on that whole aspect of growing up. This may sound a bit ridiculous, just because its clothing but it makes a difference. Students who have to wear uniforms are deprived of making those everyday choices and setting limits that all other students get to experience.

 Because of school uniforms, students everywhere are missing out on the opportunities to express and define themselves as a unique human being. The lack of diversity in these schools is unfortunate and kids are not facing the diversity and individuality that they should be allowed to experience every day in school.