Uniforms have been around for a long time. So long, in fact, that despite many students’ disapproval of uniforms, tradition keeps them in place anyway. But the question is, what do uniforms really do for students, and should they remain in place?

From one view, the implementation of uniforms is beneficial to students. It allows them to feel both comfortable and united under a single umbrella condition. In addition, uniforms bring a sense of unity and community within the student body, which has also been shown to decrease levels of peer pressure and bullying among students.

Additionally, uniforms propose the idea of simplifying the morning routine, which could theoretically improve tardiness and attendance rates. They are also easier to enforce than a dress code, which saves more class time for teachers and students to continue learning.

From another perspective, uniforms cause more harm than good for students. For example, a poll of a school that required uniforms revealed that 90% of its students were more comfortable wearing their own clothes in school than their uniforms, physically and mentally. These students felt that they could focus more on their school work because they were more comfortable in the school environment as a whole.

Many also feel that uniforms restrict the students’ freedom and expression, preventing them from fully being themselves at school. As a result, students cannot be comfortable while in school, which distracts them and prevents full focus on their work.

All of these ideas point to one thing: the decision to remove uniforms would be a major one and would require much thought, but what do you think? Should Good Counsel consider removing uniforms?

Sources:

Drew, Chris. 17 Surprising Uniform Statistics, Facts and Data. Published October 12, 2022. https://helpfulprofessor.com/school-uniform-statistics. Accessed October 18, 2022.

Gates, Andy. Honors Students Say No to Uniforms. Argus Observer. Published August 28, 2007. https://www.argusobserver.com/news/honor-students-say-no-to-uniforms/article_269ae401-5f94-5947-9cdf-338a1dc1db4f.html. Accessed October 18, 2022.

Pro and Con: School Uniforms. Britannica. Published May 3, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/story/pro-and-con-school-uniforms. Accessed October 18, 2022