School Uniforms: Yea or Nea

Ruu · 15-02-2014 08:38PM

Yes to uniforms, we were the only school in the area with uniforms. I always thought it reflected better when we went away on trips or whatever. Generic is fine, nothing fancy.

There was only one shop to get the uniform when I was in school and was pricey enough for a blue shirt, navy trousers and navy geansai in primary school.

Midway through secondary school, they decided to change the grey top to maroon (had to have a school crest as well) and people in 5th and 6th year had to change as well. Girls were (and still are) allowed wear trousers after some protesting drummed up by one pupil.

MadsL · 15-02-2014 08:40PM

Nea

NiallSparky wrote: »

I voted no, but I think some standardisation of clothing is a good thing. Just set the dress code as a shirt, trousers and shoes.

Do you want this, beause that is how you get that.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 15-02-2014 08:41PM

Atari Jaguar

TheDriver wrote: »

4) practicality must show. Kids themselves will tell you they want uniforms as its much easier and no peer pressure.

Yet to meet one. On the other hand, I know hundreds who hate shirts and ties.

The Diabolical Monocle wrote: »

Anything to antagonize hipsters, wiggers, goths, emos, et al. Generally all the little scrotes who think a label is a great victory.

In other words "no self-expression"?!"

Deleted User wrote: »

School uniforms are great, no competing for the best clobber, no trying to choose what to wear every day, uniform was on the floor handy to just chuck on every morning, into the wash on a Friday evening... cannot imagine what not wearing it would have been like.

We didn't have crests on our uniform - I know my old school does, now, though.

Yeah, that really works. Kids have absolutely no sense of competition these days when it coems to clothes.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 15-02-2014 08:50PM

Atari Jaguar

MadsL wrote: »

Do you want this, beause that is how you get that.

How the hell is that a dress code...?

MadsL · 15-02-2014 08:51PM

Nea

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

How the hell is that a dress code...?

But Miss! I am wearing "shoes, trousers and a shirt".

Trust me, I was a teacher.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 15-02-2014 08:55PM

Atari Jaguar

MadsL wrote: »

But Miss! I am wearing "shoes, trousers and a shirt".

Trust me, I was a teacher.

Miss? Who the **** are you calling "Miss"?!

Greenmachine · 15-02-2014 08:55PM

Never saw any benefit in school uniforms. The price of crested jumper in my secondary school were ridiculously expensive £60 or so this was in 1997. Generic jumpers at that point could be got for little more than £10. Even then I was convinced of the school operating a kickback scheme from the one designated clothes shop selling the crested jumpers.

Paddy Cow · 15-02-2014 09:07PM

Atari Jaguar

How many people went to a school with no uniform? I didn't wear one in either primary or secondary and was never bullied for my clothes or had any problems getting dressed in the mornings.

MadsL · 15-02-2014 09:12PM

Nea

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Miss? Who the **** are you calling "Miss"?!

So, sorry. I clearly should have said "Your Royal Highness"

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 15-02-2014 09:19PM

Atari Jaguar

MadsL wrote: »

So, sorry. I clearly should have said "Your Royal Highness"

That's more like it, you little urchin! Uniforms clearly doing an ineffective job on you!

Crea · 15-02-2014 10:00PM

School uniforms are great for parents so at that end i'm all for them.

FizzleSticks · 15-02-2014 11:54PM

Nea

This post has been deleted.

DazMarz · 16-02-2014 12:14AM

Atari Jaguar

There was unholy murder in my secondary school about girls not being allowed wear trousers. I thought it was stupid and was fully supportive of letting them not freeze to death in skirts in the middle of winter. Even though the flimsy grey school slacks were useless in winter (hence my eschewing of the slacks in favour of warmer and sturdier jeans), they're a damn sight better than skirts!!!

I would agree with what a lot of people say: generic uniform. Nothing fancy. Shirt, slacks, normal shoes. No crests, no unnecessary bollocks and cheap and cheerful. I'm thinking along the lines of Homer Simpson (plain shirt, jeans, shoes), Hal from Malcolm In The Middle (shirt, tie, slacks) or D-FENS from Falling Down (short-sleeved white shirt, tie, slacks, GI Joe Boots, pump action shotgun... damn, not that much).

There's no need for fancy school uniforms (except for in posh private schools where the parents can afford to send their kids to school in blazers and all that nonsense). If a school insists on uniforms, something practical, comfortable and affordable is the way to go. Which pretty much nixes all current useless school uniforms in Ireland.

orangesoda · 16-02-2014 12:20AM

Nea

Aye they should without a doubt as it would just lead to more bullying, though you used to get abuse if you buttoned your top shirt button and tucked in your shirt neatly

thelad95 · 16-02-2014 12:34AM

People can argue about how uncomfortable or awful looking uniforms are and they truly are but they are a necessary evil. As a young person today your clothes say so much about you. Are you poor/well-off, a 'goth/emo' type, a 'skanger' or one of those stupid boyband impersonators with your purple skinny jeans and A&F hoody. Also, especially in girls schools you would need to wear a different outfit every day. I don't believe in so-called studies that say students wearing uniform perform better in school. There is no way there is correlation between the two. But with all the pressure above bullying would inevitably increase.

A lot of people here are slating blazers but in all honesty they are so much more respectable than those grandfather jumpers. I don't think they would be practical on younger kids though.

As for people calling for generic uniforms, while I think a lot of schools are up their own arse with their awful bespoke designs, bringing in generic uniforms would be the first step towards abolishing uniform altogether

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 16-02-2014 12:35AM

Atari Jaguar

The Diabolical Monocle wrote: »

Definite Yes. Keep uniforms.

Anything to antagonize hipsters, wiggers, goths, emos, et al. Generally all the little scrotes who think a label is a great victory.

Plus teen girls should always wear school uniforms. (with brief exceptions)
And pigtails.

i actually hadn't considered the jailbait angle. changing my vote to yes

Conchir · 16-02-2014 12:02PM

Nea

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

I have yet to hear ONE good argument in favour of uniforms that a flexible dress code could not be an equal if not better solution.

Students themselves (except the fight the power, school can't tell me what to do camp) tend to want uniforms. Always thought that was a decent argument for them

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 16-02-2014 01:08PM

Atari Jaguar

Conchir wrote: »

Students themselves (except the fight the power, school can't tell me what to do camp) tend to want uniforms. Always thought that was a decent argument for them

As I said earlier, I've never met one that liked uniforms, and that include when I was growing up myself. Dress codes, yes - no probelm there - but not uniforms. Kids tend not to like shirts and ties.

Also, there aren;t that many "fight the power" type kids - just the out-and-out messers. They type ypu portray is more of a universtiy/college ideal.

GalwayGuy2 · 16-02-2014 01:19PM

Nea

Being in school management, its important to clarify a few things:
1) I don't know of any school getting "kickbacks" from shops. in fact, I barely know who works in these shops
2) costs should be low. shirts, shoes etc should be generic. However having items of clothing that create fashion stakes can be problematic e.g. mini skirts, skin tight pants, nike runners..... etc. Unfortunately people have very wide ranging views on what is appropriate.
3) some schools and their parents want highly expensive uniforms to keep out people who can afford things. That's wrong.
4) practicality must show. Kids themselves will tell you they want uniforms as its much easier and no peer pressur

Hmmm, I doubt anybody gets kickbacks, but I'd say the school is artificially boosting a freinds stores sales.

The only place where we could buy uniforms was in the local village. Close to 60 euro and made in china:rolleyes:

osarusan · 16-02-2014 01:23PM

I will vote yes if the poll is amended to say Japanese school uniforms.

ProfessorPlum · 16-02-2014 01:43PM

MadsL wrote: »

Thread is topical.

http://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2013-Press-Releases/PR2013-12-09.html

-

Anyone got this yet?

Yep, got it home with one of the little darlings on Friday.
It seems that schools are given the choice weather to ask parents or not. I'll be going for the generic uniform with see on crest for the jumper. We're definitely in favour of uniforms in our house. We've had experience of both, and uniforms are just so much easier.

mymo · 16-02-2014 01:45PM

Nea

My daughters school has a uniform, grey trousers (or skirt, but never see anyone wear a skirt), grey shirt, black shoes and school jumper. School jumper has a crest and costs €30, the rest can be got anywhere, nice cheap uniform, they all should be like that. My friends girls have a full on catholic school uniform, special skirt, socks, shirt, jumper and coat, costs over €300, that is disgusting.
Kids do actually like the uniform in one way, takes the pressure off.

Frank Lee Midere · 16-02-2014 01:56PM

Nea

The cost of school uniforms is actually a seperate issue. They should be cheap but harping on about the cost is a "false dilemma" - the choice isn't between expensive clothes and expensive uniforms because the uniforms can be cheap.

It matters less for guys - who wear a uniform anyway( whatever teenaged guys wear) - but it's a serious concern for teenaged girls. They can't wear the same thing every day. Or get bullied. And no amount of lecturing from parents or teachers will stop this. In American schools the reaction is to join sub cultures with their own dress code : prom queen, nerd, Goth.

WoollyRedHat · 16-02-2014 02:04PM

Ah this takes me back to Primary schol when we were asked multiple times to talk about uniforms and the pros and cons... the go to debate question.

Conchir · 16-02-2014 02:15PM

Nea

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

As I said earlier, I've never met one that liked uniforms, and that include when I was growing up myself. Dress codes, yes - no probelm there - but not uniforms. Kids tend not to like shirts and ties.

Also, there aren;t that many "fight the power" type kids - just the out-and-out messers. They type ypu portray is more of a universtiy/college ideal.

Having spent the past 13, nearly 14 years wearing shirt and tie uniforms in school, I can guarantee there are definitely plenty of people who are thankful for them as a concept. For some reason uniforms come up often in Irish class for me, and through a sort of hands up vote thing, the vast majority (and I mean like all but maybe 2) like the uniforms we have now and wouldn't change them.

Also, the people who don't like them definitely are the fight the power crowd, whose only problem with the uniform is that they're made wear it. Trust me they exist, I have to put up with them every day

norrie rugger · 16-02-2014 02:21PM

Yes but generic uniforms would be easier on everyone.

A lot of schools in England do this and parents are able to kit their kids out for a tenner FFS

Tin Foil Hat · 16-02-2014 02:35PM

Atari Jaguar

I'm forever perplexed by those people who think that abolishing compulsory uniforms would lead to some kind of apocalypse of bullying and families being crippled by the costs of high end designer clothes. It's nonsense. Other countries manage just fine without them and kids need clothes for evenings, weekend and holidays anyway.
If anything, the constant trotting out of this pitiful excuse acts as an incitement kids to pick on other kids over their clothes.

Frank Lee Midere · 16-02-2014 02:47PM

Nea

Tin Foil Hat wrote: »

I'm forever perplexed by those people who think that abolishing compulsory uniforms would lead to some kind of apocalypse of bullying and families being crippled by the costs of high end designer clothes. It's nonsense. Other countries manage just fine without them and kids need clothes for evenings, weekend and holidays anyway.
If anything, the constant trotting out of this pitiful excuse acts as an incitement kids to pick on other kids over their clothes.

Weekends and holidays hardly add up to the cost of daily clothes changes and why do people need to change out of their uniform at night, or why not into simple casuals like a track suit. If they are staying out or hanging with their friends they can ( and do) wear the uniform.

Tin Foil Hat · 16-02-2014 02:52PM

Atari Jaguar

Frank Lee Midere wrote: »

The cost of school uniforms is actually a seperate issue.

It really isn't. When you let someone else tell you exactly how to dress your kids then then you lose control of how to dress your kids and you lose control of the cost of dressing your kids.

The J Stands for Jay · 16-02-2014 02:57PM

I didn't have a uniform in national school, it's crazy making small lids wear one. Secondary was just grey trousers, light blue shirt and a crested jumper that cost £30. Cheap enough and no stupid riles about coats.

School Uniforms: Yea or Nea

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