Uniform…is it a necessity?

    Let Karim wear a tie to school and Salma, a skirt. How is that going to help them become better human beings? How is that going to educate them?
Some explain it this way: without uniform, the ‘have-nots’ are jeered at by the ‘haves’ but uniform places every student on an equal footing. So no inferiority complex is built into the ‘have-nots’; they can walk around with their heads held high.

    But is this happening in today’s schools? The sons of rich fathers still mock the poor men’s sons. Since nothing remains hidden in today’s world, a child’s financial status can’t be a secret for long. Besides, isn’t that the truth? A thinker said,      “Economic distinctions are part of the fabric called society, and they will not be hidden by covering them with uniform.” A beggar will still remain a beggar in a prince’s suit.

    Schools assume that uniform will bring unity among the students; it will stop students from being aggressive. But don’t we have gang fights in schools that maintain strict dress code? To sum it up, hooligans will remain hooligans no matter what they wear, and the same goes for the ‘goody-two-shoes’. It doesn’t matter what‘s on outside, it’s what’s inside that counts. The beauty or the beast is inside a person and no uniform can change it.

    Now some may argue, since it doesn’t matter what’s on the outside, why such a fuss about having uniforms. Here’s how the anti-uniform fraction explain it:

    A harmonious world is the ultimate dream for many but it will never come true because beloved ‘mom and dad’ (Adam & Eve) have already lost paradise. We can reach equilibrium following the middle path, but not by wearing uniforms. If uniform was the answer then footballers wouldn’t fight among themselves, army personals wouldn’t be so merciless, police wouldn’t take bribes and students wouldn’t form groups. Yet these are all people who wear uniform.

    Uniform calls for a lot of money. This is an extra burden on the parents who already have to struggle to buy the books and stationeries. Without it, a student can wear his usual color clothes and that’s economical!

    Some moms always complain about cleaning uniforms. And none can deny that it is a fair complaint. The color of uniform is usually white and so they get dirty easily. After being scolded for dirtying their uniforms, children remain alert always and avoid playing. In turn the constant alertness creates stress, and avoiding sports makes them dull as the saying goes, ‘All works and no play makes Jack a dull boy’.

    It does matter how you look. Some say uniform makes one look tidy, neat and pretty. Others contend that uniform demotes a princess to a ‘maid’. The usual white color of the uniform is a contrast to the skin tone of our students. A high school student I interviewed said, “Uniform makes me look like a crow wearing a doctor’s coat. I hate them.” With all the awareness on style and fashion can uniform win the battle?

    Who enjoys being strangled by a tie on a hot summer day? And if a student isn’t comfortable can he pay attention to the class? Kids need to enjoy going to school, they need to feel at home; it’s then they can learn. This is why everything has to be done to make these kids feel comfortable and not entrapped at school. Having uniform is a headache because it keeps the child worried if it’s clean and ironed. Why not get rid of it? Who likes to have a pain in the butt?

    Then we have the case of a creative kid named Zarina. She loved to create and she loved to beautify things in her own way. She dreamed of being a fashion designer and disliked uniforms because it took away a major piece to exercise her creativity. But the principal of the boarding school was too arrogant to bend the rule. As time passed by, her natural creativity was reshaped and she forgot what she once knew. She did become a fashion designer at last but not the fashion designer she was born to be. She was the man-made product of a factory called school.

    This is what uniforms do. Zarina’s mom said, “Uniform took away the purpose of my daughter’s life.” Just imagine, without uniform when a creative kid full of extravagant ideas, complete standard 10 the whole world will have a 10-year experienced fashion designer already.

    But Sabrina, another advocate for uniform, strongly disagrees. “Uniform gives kids a bigger challenge. They have to find creative ways to of expressing their individuality while staying within bounds. We used to fold our sleeves to make them look smaller. Japanese kids use glue to bunch their socks at a ‘cool’ length.”

    I say, “Thaaat’s a point.” However, the philosopher says, “People behind bars and chains can eat, sleep, drink and talk like the free people outside but yet they are prisoners.” The philosopher is correct. The prisoners can eat with their left or right hand. But they don’t have the third option of eating with a spoon. In the same way one can fold one’s sleeves but can’t color them; one can glue one’s socks but can’t draw flowers on them. And if expressions are within bounds they can’t be called art; they are not creative at all, they are just clever ways to breaking the rule. (This paragraph has been written with positive intentions and with all due respect)

    A major non-verbal communication in human beings is through their clothes but schools having uniforms are depriving students of it. When uniform doesn’t suit a child, he may feel ashamed of it, which can cause depression. In fact some students feel frustrated because they can’t pick out what they wear to school. This frustration makes them aggressive, which leads to crimes. Many educators believe that uniform takes away a child’s individuality and violates a child’s ‘Free Expression Rights’. When the world is fighting for freedom of thought, speech and action, why should schools be unfair to their students?

    A research paper says that uniform doesn’t inculcate any positive behavior in a child. Why wear it then?

    Because Rajesh said, “I feel so proud to represent my school in sports events wearing my uniform.”

    So it would be fair and square for both sides (advocates and antagonists) to make uniform compulsory in case of events and happenings. This will have a positive effect. Students, when restricted to wear uniforms only for a few days of year will put them on with interest and happiness unlike the usual fuss. Because for youngsters there’s nothing sweeter than restricted activities, parents and teachers must learn to make use of this reverse psychology!

    A faint uproar of the supporters is already in the air. Is a non-uniform policy worth the effort? Will violence and theft decrease? Will gangs in schools be prevented? Will students be more disciplined or will they become worse then what they already are? Will there be no peer pressure? Will students concentrate more on their studies?

    The most logical answer is ‘nobody knows’. But it’s worth a try since uniforms are not effective. Besides, a kid has to be taught to stand up for himself, be proud of what he really is, instead of enveloping himself with something he’s not. Above all, if a child isn’t disciplined, obedient, honest and friendly it’s the defeat of his teachers and parents because these values are seeded in a person’s heart with education and has got nothing to do with the clothes.

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