Should schools have a Uniform? – A Layman’s View

Almost all schools in India have a Uniform that they want the students to wear in order to attend the school. These uniforms are same for every grade and no other custom dress is allowed to wear. There are several points put forward by schools and uniform supporters to prove their cause of uniform and I am going to address some of them here.

There are two major points that always appear during debate for school uniform:-

1.   Freedom to chose
2.  Individuality

Now, I shall discuss these two points one by one.

Arguing point no.1.

• Does freedom to choose is interrupted by school uniform? Let us analyze the definitions. Freedom is right to do or speak anything you want without somebody stopping you. Now what is right in this context? It is a moral claim to do something. What is moral? It is the connection of principles with right and wrong behavior. What is right here? That is suitable and justifiable. Also, a person’s choice in his own matter is justifiable. Now, if a uniform is already decided for students, then they (or their guardians) cannot chose what dress to wear which, of course, is a personal matter of the student (and their guardians and school is an external institution meant for education, not fascism. If a school pokes a nose in the personal matters, then this is the breach of freedom which is unjust.

• The supporters of Uniform would argue that this is a fallacy because little kids cannot choose what is right for them for example, if a child is hurt while playing and has to take an injection but refuses to take then the doctors and parents would forcefully inject the kid with the necessary dose which again, is the breach of freedom but because it was necessary, they forced which implies that freedom is not absolute. Yes, freedom is not absolute but a when a child is hurt; it’s a child’s health and life which is at stake and not some demand for an ice-cream or chocolate that can be reasoned.

• Another thing that the supporters argue is that the uniform breeds the feeling of equality among children. I want to ask them whether they support the idea of uniforms at home or in parks or restaurants too because equality is what we want. If there are two or more children at a home, then in order to spread equality, they should be bound to have uniforms too. If we want to have a perfect society, then why leave public places? Let children go to the parks in uniforms only so that any sense of inequality is forbidden to take the space. Yes, this is extreme but why have double standards when it comes to spreading equality among children.

• One more argument given by Uniform supporters is that casual dresses breed the feeling of inferiority complex in the ones who don't have good clothes. Well, if this is the case, then you would want to control what comes in the lunchbox because good food is also likely to breed the feeling of inferiority. You might also want to control the vehicles that are used for transport because a cool car attracts not just kids but adults too. I wouldn't be surprised if they start admitting the students of same height only because the shorter ones would feel inferior.This is clearly a breach of freedom to live freely and choose from options.

• Next, they would also say that teachers can teach better when all the children look same. Well, this is surely an ill argument because when you stand on the dais and teach, all children look different no matter what they are wearing. If teaching is dependent on dress then I think that no parents or extra tuition would be able to teach their pupil but the reality is just the other way round. You don’t know how to teach and you blame casual dresses for that.

Arguing point no. 2.

• Individuality is defined as the qualities of a person that makes him different from others. These qualities could be anything ranging from studies to how they carry themselves. If we can’t give equal marks to anybody then why given them same dress?

• Then comes the argument that quotes military and sports where same dress is used for soldiers and players, respectively. Well, the soldiers and players are paid for what they do but in schools, children pay for what they want. 

• Also, soldiers and players have different purposes that are fulfilled by their dress. Let us take military first. The soldiers must be able to identify their fellows in the war front  Second, they must be able to hide in bushes and mountains so that they cannot be recognized from far. Third, they have carry armor with them which has special requirements. Fourth, they must not think of themselves as a different identity and should work like a team. Fifth, they should be identified from civilians. For all these purposes, they have a Uniform. Let us take players now. Players play with different teams and they must be recognized from their opponents. Also, they need special dresses for stretching and doing exercises that casual dresses cannot provide. Also, they need a sense of team to play together. Now, what purpose does school uniform fulfills? Do they have to hide or play or group together against a cause or carry some armor in the classroom or anything that I can’t think of? Of course, the answer is no and again it proves that school uniforms are nothing but a boastful lot that gratifies the ego of school authorities that they are running a regime with them as the Supreme Being.

• It has been repeatedly said that children don’t have any sense of dressing so having or not having uniform doesn't matter. Well, this is wrong. A child, when taught properly, will take out a handkerchief when there is a probability of sneezing. A child knows that cleanliness brings more recognition than being dirty. A child also knows that colors have their importance. A child is also aware that not all people are similar. Depriving a child from learning how to dress properly is actually taking their individualistic properties away.

• The last point that a supporter would throw is that this individuality is going to cost parents to much because a child would demand lots and lots dresses when they see their fellows wearing. Well, suddenly these money-mongering beasts have developed a conscience about parent’s economic situation in the times when they demand donations with free mouth and make children buy stuff from school operated shop only. They treat children like some lab rats and beat them whenever they are unhappy with their own life. They pay the primary teachers a monthly wage that even a truck driver could earn in 15 days. Let the parents handle their economy and their child’s demands and I sure that children won’t pay too much attention to dresses as compared to other things like toys and eatables.

From above arguments, it is clear that school uniform are just an interruption in freedom of children and Guardians just to prove that schools are the sole thinkers for the betterment of children which is false.

In the end, my opinion is that children should be expected to wear clean and decent clothes but imposing a school dress is not what they need. If a child learns how to choose what the right dress is for him/her, then they will learn to encourage themselves and become more self-aware instead of believing that they are what their classmates are.