School uniforms
Forced or Forgotten
Is Appearance Important
One of the most significant issues for modern schools is the question of students’ appearance. Whereas children would most likely enjoy dressing the way they want, teachers and education authorities would tend towards seeing students wearing standardized uniforms. There are many opponents and proponents of an obligatory enabling of school uniforms, both coming up with reasonable arguments in favor of their claims. However, to my mind, students should not be forced to wear uniforms, as it can negatively affect their personalities.
Uniqueness
Wearing school uniforms is a significant obstacle for a child’s self-expression. It is not a secret that children are much more artistic than many adults; besides, in high school, teenagers often experience an increased need to be unique and special. The clothes one wears is one of the most available means of self-expression, and school uniforms do not allow students to demonstrate their individuality. Research shows that students who were forced to wear school uniforms were more likely to use makeup earlier than their peers, and later, to use more extreme accessories to alter their fashion (short skirts, mohawks, piercing, and so on)
Individuality
Another serious reason not to make students wear uniforms is when children look different and express different outlooks, it encourages them to be tolerant to those who differ from them, and to accept alternative lifestyles (Examiner.com). This is especially important considering one country can be inhabited by the representatives of different cultures, religions, and so on. Therefore, allowing students to dress according to their liking will encourage them to tolerate and accept people of other cultural, social, and religious groups. At the same time, a forced introduction of school uniforms results in a loss of diversity and a lack of tolerance towards strangers and people who are different from the majority.