The “uniforms in schools” is a highly debated subject nowadays. There is often a debate on “should students have to wear school uniforms?” School uniforms are highly debated in the United States, UK, and several other countries of the world.
The former President Clinton advocated school uniforms for students. The President Clinton’s State of the Union address, “public schools should be able to require their students to wear uniforms,” kicked up a row in 1996. It really fired up the debate on “should students have to wear school uniforms?”
General public and the experts are divided on the issue – “should students have to wear school uniforms?” The advocators on the both sides have strong arguments. The supporters of school uniforms opine that school uniforms solve the school discipline problems and bring conformity that is essential among the students, but on the other hand, the antagonists view school uniforms as symbol of servility, violating right to freedom.
According to the advocators of school uniforms, the school uniforms hiders the activities of gangs in schools; they stops gangs from displaying their colors and garb. School uniforms help stopping violence. The uniforms inculcate sense of pride and discipline among the students. Uniforms help bringing conformity among student. Uniforms give an identity and status and promote a sense of respect and security among students. School uniforms help bringing economic, psychological, and social equality among students. The advocators of school uniforms include people from all segments of the socio, economic, and political structure.
The opponents on the other hand feel that school uniforms infringe the right to liberty, personal identity and self-expression. According to opponents, Uniforms are regimental, militaristic, and faceless. Uniforms are symbol of submissiveness that affect the psyche of students and obstruct the free development of personality. The students should be given the complete freedom of self expression for the development of their real personality.
The arguments of both sides, on “should students have to wear school uniforms“ sound to be genuine, which has made the issue rather complicated. What comes out is that there are several merits and little demerits associated with school uniforms. Some of liberal experts suggest a middle path to pacify the debate on – “should students have to wear school uniforms?” They recommend school uniforms for right up to junior standards, but they should be freed from school uniforms when they enter senior standards.