My issue with school uniforms
Why do we dress children in suits?
Ruffle feathers was always going to be a little erratic with the topics I write about, but all topics are written with passion. I feel as passionate about free speech, as I do about Australia’s obsession with dressing school children in little suits.
In Australia, we like uniforms, most Australian’s schools have a school uniform, public or private. I understand that it makes things easier for the parent and the kids. Here are some pro’s:
Everyone is dressed the same, so it removes a level of comparison amongst kids.
Uniforms can eliminate visible economic disparities among students, reducing the pressure to wear expensive brands. This isn’t always possible, I remember being incredibly focused on the brand of school shoes I wore.
There is also a security element to uniforms, they can help in identifying students who belong to the school, especially useful for excursions.
They save time, choosing what to wear each morning is eliminated, potentially saving time for both students and parents.
By removing fashion as a distraction, students might focus more on academics rather than on what they or others are wearing.
They foster a sense of belonging to the school community, enhancing school spirit.
I have no issue with uniforms, they make sense in almost all stages of life. What I have an issue with is the weird obsessions schools have at dressing children in little suits to go to school, most notably the passion of private school in Australia.
Here are my top 5 issues:
The fabric - POLYESTER IS PLASTIC. It doesn’t breathe, it may be more durable, but it traps heat. It is a stupid fibre to choose for children, who play, sweat and eventually smell. I have memories of my mother soaking my school shirts every single day after school. A tradition my sister is currently continuing. I see kids everyday sweating under the Queensland sun on their way home from school in polyester shirts, shorts and trousers. Ironically polyester is a cheap fabric generally, however, not according to the schools …
The cost - the price for private school uniforms is exorbitant, which doesn’t reflect the quality of the uniforms themselves. They’re in the $100s of dollars for items that wear within the year. My neices $100 backpack we bought her in January has ripped and the logo has faded away.
The colours - this is something I’ve only noticed since living in Queensland. There are some wacky colour choices for kids uniforms. For instance, the obsession with white shirts, a disaster for kids who spill things all the time. But, that is better then the grey, dark coloured unifroms that attract the heat of the sun. The amount of black or dark wool grey shirts, hats, socks and trousers I’ve seen on sweaty boys in my time in Queensland has confunded me enough to write this article.
The professional sense of dress - why are we putting children in little suit/ office style clothing? They’re children, they play, they run, they trip, they cartwheel etc. Putting them in restrictive clothing that limits their ability to be kids is forcing them into less active lifestyles we want to avoid.
Ironically, if a child rips their uniform or appears disheveled, they get in trouble. Why do we do it? Is it because we are subconsciously indoctrinating little workers into professional life, so they don’t question things and finish school, go to uni and get a job? Is it a weird hangover from aristocratic behaviours from England?
Can we stop with the ties, bows, high socks, black leather shoes? Must be choke our kids? Can’t we let them feel free to move?
Futhermore, we put girls in dresses and skirts. Some uniforms don’t allow a short/skort options for female students. Forcing girls to think about their knickers showing when they run, jump and even sit. This especially ridculous during highschool. When girls start mensturating and their bodies change, having to think about their skirt blowing up amongst every other worry they have is unncessary. Yes, some schools offer shorts, but the ‘official dress code’ is usually a dress or skirt. This also stops girls from partiicpating in lunch time spports, which contributes to girls pulling back from sports as they age.
There is some belief that wearing formal attire like suits is believed to have psychological benefits, enhancing self-perception of competence and seriousness, which might translate into better behavior or academic performance. That may be true, but I don’t believe children need to be focusing on that.
If little suits are here to stay, can they at least be weather appropriate? Let’s help all the parents out there who are spending their evenings trying to get sweat stains out of the armpits.
An ideal outcome would have uniforms that suit the climate and suit children. Shorts, joggers (running shoes), cotton shirts with wide brim hats. This is mostly what public schools have as their uniform. This is a generally because public school is free and they have less focus on being percieved as elite.
I’m here for uniforms, but I’m not here for children in little suits sweating under the Australian sun. Or in colder climates, girls only having skirts as an option and shivering in the playground (As was the case for my upbringing).
Thank you for indulging me on my seemingly pointless rant. Let’s add this article to the topics I truly care about but you may not.