Should school uniforms be abolished ?

Helix · 06-09-2011 08:00PM

hondasam wrote: »

We are talking about teenage girls here, of course they will want the latest fashion item, I'm sure some boys will also

isnt that just bad parenting that has them like that though? bit of cop on wouldnt go astray there

Helix · 06-09-2011 08:01PM

Gordon Gecko wrote: »

There was some mickey taking, but some of it was unquestionable bullying. Looking back on it I (and a lot of school mates I've talked to since) wish we'd have done something about it back then because a lot of it was seriously out of order.

fair enough

what kind of area did you go to school if you dont mind me asking? my school was very much working class for the most part and there was never anything like that. would i be right to assume its a middle class thing then?

Lefticus Loonaticus · 06-09-2011 08:03PM

Should be abolished, its discriminatory towards students.

If they are to stay, it should just be black/grey pants with some plain shirt or whatever. Teachers should be forced to wear the same thing aswell, to ensure equality :cool:.

You will actually find that the senior staff in most schools dont give a rats ass about the 'label' hypothesis. They are just mad into enforcing the status quo and abusing what ****ty little power they have.

I went to non uniform primary + uniform secondary. Makes zero difference, apart from the abuse you get from staff enforcing their precious rules.

kingtut · 06-09-2011 08:03PM

hondasam wrote: »

NO because there would be to much competition on who was wearing what everyday.

I very much doubt that would happen to be honest and anyway so what if it did ? People should be entitled to wear whatever they wish and not be forced by society to wear a particular thing :cool:

Gordon Gecko · 06-09-2011 08:05PM

Helix wrote: »

fair enough

what kind of area did you go to school if you dont mind me asking? my school was very much working class for the most part and there was never anything like that. would i be right to assume its a middle class thing then?

I went to a fee paying school in the City centre but there was quite an economic mix and about 10% of students were there on scholarships so there was quite a bit of scope for that kind of bullying. I couldn't say whether it was purely a middle class thing as I haven't really had any experience of working class schools but I'd say this kind of thing is prevalent wherever you get students of different means in the same school.

Helix · 06-09-2011 08:06PM

Gordon Gecko wrote: »

I went to a fee paying school in the City centre but there was quite an economic mix and about 10% of students were there on scholarships so there was quite a bit of scope for that kind of bullying. I couldn't say whether it was purely a middle class thing as I haven't really had any experience of working class schools but I'd say this kind of thing is prevalent wherever you get students of different means in the same school.

the issue is more with the raising of the haves then the problems of the have nots then

again, its not a school uniform problem, its a parenting problem

hondasam · 06-09-2011 08:07PM

Helix wrote: »

isnt that just bad parenting that has them like that though? bit of cop on wouldnt go astray there

No it's not bad parenting imo anyway.

Helix · 06-09-2011 08:08PM

kingtut wrote: »

I very much doubt that would happen to be honest and anyway so what if it did ? People should be entitled to wear whatever they wish and not be forced by society to wear a particular thing :cool:

this.

i dress like an absolute tinker a lot of the time when im just around the house and my local neighbourhood. ive got the means to dress myself in armani feckin suits if i wanted to, but i dont see the point. i was never raised to put any kind of value in that kind of nonsense

Helix · 06-09-2011 08:08PM

hondasam wrote: »

No it's not bad parenting imo anyway.

yes it is.

hondasam · 06-09-2011 08:09PM

kingtut wrote: »

I very much doubt that would happen to be honest and anyway so what if it did ? People should be entitled to wear whatever they wish and not be forced by society to wear a particular thing :cool:

It would happen. I always thought the majority of parents were happy with school uniforms, maybe they aren't.

Gordon Gecko · 06-09-2011 08:09PM

Helix wrote: »

the issue is more with the raising of the haves then the problems of the have nots then

again, its not a school uniform problem, its a parenting problem

I don't think the issue can purely be ascribed to parenting. Personally I think school uniforms go a long way to preventing problems like these arising in schools and therefore they should not be abolished.

hondasam · 06-09-2011 08:11PM

Helix wrote: »

yes it is.

what ever, I have no interest in arguing about what makes a good parent.
I know I'm a good parent and that's all that concerns me.

The thread is about school uniforms, not parenting.

kingtut · 06-09-2011 08:13PM

Helix wrote: »

this.

i dress like an absolute tinker a lot of the time when im just around the house and my local neighbourhood. ive got the means to dress myself in armani feckin suits if i wanted to, but i dont see the point. i was never raised to put any kind of value in that kind of nonsense

No but you should at least have the free choice to wear what you want in school, whether it's armani or not.

hondasam wrote: »

It would happen. I always thought the majority of parents were happy with school uniforms, maybe they aren't.

but so what if it did? What is wrong with people choosing what to wear themselves and as a result being able to express themselves?

My primary school had no uniform and it was great.

Gordon Gecko · 06-09-2011 08:13PM

Helix wrote: »

this.

i dress like an absolute tinker a lot of the time when im just around the house and my local neighbourhood. ive got the means to dress myself in armani feckin suits if i wanted to, but i dont see the point. i was never raised to put any kind of value in that kind of nonsense

I agree with what you say about the nonsense of brand labels etc. but the issue here is with school kids who just don't have that level of maturity.

paddyandy · 06-09-2011 08:14PM

The Fashion Business would love nothing more than the abolition of school Uniforms and no doubt they are on this thread.They are a Tyranny on Parents and Children alike and they work fiendishly to promote Strife with comparisons throughout all western societies in League with the other Evil Sister industries.It's the Huge Jealousy Machine.It wreaks Havoc with Family Budgets.

KittyeeTrix · 06-09-2011 08:15PM

hondasam wrote: »

what ever, I have no interest in arguing about what makes a good parent.
I'm know I'm a good parent and that's all that concerns me.

Hondasam, I'm not implying you are a bad parent and I hope it hasn't come across that I am:(
forgive me if it came across that way!!

I'm just expressing an opinion that some parents don't seem to be able to say no to their kids without holy war breaking out in the house. Obviously, I'm not saying this is the case for you:)

I'm all for the uniform but a more cost effective one than is currently being demanded by some schools

whydoibother? · 06-09-2011 08:16PM

In Germany they don't generally wear school uniforms. Is there any evidence that German children are bullied as a result?

We should stop guessing what would happen, when there are other countries that do this on a wide scale which we can look to.

Jess16 · 06-09-2011 08:18PM

Just because you went to school, doesn't make you an expert on education. Most schools have uniforms for good reason and as a result of professionally thought out policies. If you think you know better than professionals, perhaps you should be educating your children at home.

Helix · 06-09-2011 08:18PM

kingtut wrote: »

No but you should at least have the free choice to wear what you want in school, whether it's armani or not.

absolutely. i agree with that

Professey Chin · 06-09-2011 08:18PM

Gordon Gecko wrote: »

I agree with what you say about the nonsense of brand labels etc. but the issue here is with school kids who just don't have that level of maturity.

maybe not that mature but also at the stage where things get boring after 20 seconds.
If it was a case of no uniform in every school then there might be competition for about a week but after that theyd find something new and itd get less and less down the line cause theyd be used to it.
People are saying itll happen cause it happened in their school on non-unfiorm days/tours(cant say it ever happened in mine) but theyre a rarity. Make it the norm and itd stop

Noo · 06-09-2011 08:19PM

I just remember uniforms being so handy!
Being a teenager dragging myself out of bed early in the morning, my brain not working, last thing I wanted to do was root out something to wear. Uniform right there on my floordrobe. Dead handy!

I finished 6th year wearing the same uniform I wore on my first day in 1st year, best damn investment my mother ever made!

whydoibother? · 06-09-2011 08:20PM

Jess16 wrote: »

Just because you went to school, doesn't make you an expert on education. Most schools have uniforms for good reason and as a result of professionally thought out policies. If you think you know better than professionals, perhaps you should be educating your children at home.

What are these good reasons and professionally thought out policies? As far as I can see, the uniform has been given very little thought in the modern era in most places. It's just an unquestioned tradition to have one. How do other countries function well without it?

The leave it to the establishment because they know best attitude has gotten us into enough trouble in this country. Anyone can express a view on how any profession do their job and it's important that outsiders sometimes do.

Professey Chin · 06-09-2011 08:21PM

Noo wrote: »

I just remember uniforms being so handy!
Being a teenager dragging myself out of bed early in the morning, my brain not working, last thing I wanted to do was root out something to wear. Uniform right there on my floordrobe. Dead handy!

I finished 6th year wearing the same uniform I wore on my first day in 1st year, best damn investment my mother ever made!

Did you not grow at all as a teenager?

KittyeeTrix · 06-09-2011 08:23PM

Jess16 wrote: »

Just because you went to school, doesn't make you an expert on education. Most schools have uniforms for good reason and as a result of professionally thought out policies. If you think you know better than professionals, perhaps you should be educating your children at home.

Jesse16, as the mother of 2 secondary school boys and 2 primary school kids I may not be an expert on their education but I will let you know that I am a bloody expert on the costs involved in buying their school uniform every September:(

Helix · 06-09-2011 08:24PM

fluffyorganic1 wrote: »

Jesse16, as the mother of 2 secondary school boys and 2 primary school kids I may not be an expert on their education but I will let you know that I am a bloody expert on the costs involved in buying their school uniform every September:(

playing devils advocate here, but would you not end up spending as much, if not more, on other clothes in place of the uniform over the course of the year if they didnt have the uniform?

Noo · 06-09-2011 08:25PM

Mega Chin wrote: »

Did you not grow at all as a teenager?

Haha nope. Stopped growing when i was about 11/12 (being a girl and all), if anything my uniform was bigger on me leaving school.

KittyeeTrix · 06-09-2011 08:29PM

Helix wrote: »

playing devils advocate here, but would you not end up spending as much, if not more, on other clothes in place of the uniform over the course of the year if they didnt have the uniform?

I'd imagine it would due to general wear and tear but my kids only ever get their clothes from Penneys/Dunnes and no brand trainers etc. so no massive costs.
We also operate a hand me down system with regards their uniforms/clothes so again savings made.

I'm not actually against the uniform at all. I think it is a good idea in schools but I feel there needs to be some serious review to the notion that schools can demand that ridiculously priced crested uniform parts are worn.:)

Twee. · 06-09-2011 08:30PM

Generic uniforms for the primary school kids, sew on the crest if required. My school sold the crest for about £5 at the time, got the jumpers in Dunnes usually.

Secondary school should have a dress code allowing some individuality, and a proper fit! A boys secondary I know allows the 4th-6th years to wear any brand chinos (black in winter, cream in summer), and any brand blue or white shirt, a subtle stripe is also acceptable. Girls should have guidelines in skirt length and appropriate tops.

WonderWoman! · 06-09-2011 08:31PM

Helix wrote: »

playing devils advocate here, but would you not end up spending as much, if not more, on other clothes in place of the uniform over the course of the year if they didnt have the uniform?

Id say you end up spending more on clothes not to mention the pressure on parents aswell as children also kids with self esteem issues would be victimised in this change too

Jess16 · 06-09-2011 08:33PM

fluffyorganic1 wrote: »

Jesse16, as the mother of 2 secondary school boys and 2 primary school kids I may not be an expert on their education but I will let you know that I am a bloody expert on the costs involved in buying their school uniform every September:(

It is a false economy to think regular fashion items can withstand the daily wear and tear that comes with being worn to school 5 days a week. Of course uniforms are an expensive outgoing at the start of the year but you're paying for much more durable clothing that is far more cost effective in the long run.

Also, I'm all for expression but children need to be given the message that there are other, less shallow ways to express themselves outside of the clothes they put on their back. Also, there are plenty of hours outside of school time where they can go down that route if they want to.

However to avoid the serious problems that comes from a child being negatively judged by their peers, schools need to be kept as a level playing field as much as possible and school uniforms are one way of achieving that.

Should school uniforms be abolished ?

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