Pro & Cons for School Uniforms
School uniforms---often hated by children, often loved by parents and faculty. When switching a school from no uniforms to uniforms, it's important to weigh the pros and cons that can range from cost to style to individually to comfort. All pros and cons must be weighed, and parents, as well as students, should be let in on the conversation. The discussion should include all those who will be affected by a change to school uniforms.
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Cost
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The first issue is cost. The cost of possible uniforms should be weighed first. While the cost of clothes for school may become more reasonable for some families, if they purchase only uniform items, the cost may be a hassle for families with lower incomes and more children in school. Purchasing clothing from second-hand stores may be the only way these families can clothe their children, so bringing in required uniforms may cause budget problems for these families. If a required system is implemented, financial assistance should be readily available.
Style
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The style can be a big issue. Especially for families with less money, having all of the children in a school wear the same clothing can make it less obvious that their children have less money to spend on clothing.
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Individuality
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Individuality can be expressed through clothing, and this can be a pro for administration and a con for the students. Depending on the individuality, a required clothing style may keep some students in appropriate classroom attire, even though they would rather choose too-short skirts or too-low tops. Conforming with school uniforms also avoids students disagreements based on style choice, and keeps students from poking fun at each other for wearing Wal-Mart versus brand-name clothing.
Sense of Belonging
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As more and more parents are forced to work two jobs to keep up with bills, uniforms can, arguably, create a sense of belonging for students. Outside of school still in uniform or with a group of friends walking to school, students can have a sense of belonging by wearing a clothing that everyone in their school wears. It creates a sense of identity with a larger group than just a group of friends.
Comfort
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Comfort can become an issue, especially for some children with weight issues. If there is a lack of variety, a girl with bad cellulite might not be able to hide it as well as she could if she could try on and purchase her own clothing styles to wear.
Clothing Rebellion
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Some children, regardless of what you put them in, will rebel. With tighter rules on what can and can't be worn, the rebellion may go to an all-time high, and the number of students sent home for wearing improper clothing may skyrocket.
Gang Issues
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Due to "gang colors" (a color or colors chosen by a gang to represent the group), many students who accidentally wear the color or students who aren't aware of a gang's color can be harassed or assaulted due to simply wearing that color. If everyone---students both in and out of gangs---wear the same color, this problem can be avoided.
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