I have a few things that are on my mind and I feel that they need to be addressed (pertaining to the topic of school uniforms, of course).
First, I had a comment and they brought up a good question, but of course I have a good answer. The question, or comment really, was even though uniforms are readily available and inexpensive these days, it adds on to the cost of the students wardrobe as a whole. I do not agree with this at all. If a student needs to purchase uniforms, WHY IN THE WORLD would they buy "street clothes" at the same time? If they have to wear a certain set of clothes 5 days a week that are essentially cheaper than the clothes that they would usually buy, I see a DECREASE in costs, not an increase. A student wouldn't have to add to their everyday wardrobe unless their clothes are too tattered or no longer fit properly. WHEW! Alright enough with that one.
So, back in 2000, a Philadelphia school decided to implement uniforms to enhance school academic performances. When the school board presented this at a meeting, one student said that it wouldn't help with disciplinary issues but only worsen them; saying that the once "good kids" would want to rebel because they're being made to look like everyone else.
Now, not to be blunt or rude but COME ON! I laughed when I read that. My question is what makes him think that uniforms are going to change every students biological chemistry? If I wore the exact same thing as every college student in Austin, Texas, I guarantee that I will look nothing like any of them. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe kids these days can only identify themselves with what they wear or what they have instead of their intelligence and personality.
I don't believe our generation has an healthy conception of identity. I think the lack stems from the hegemony's efforts to do allow with identity politics and to reconsile issues of class advantage and disadvantage. However, Uniforms are bandaids applied where we need staples and anaesthesia. Not gonna work, sir. Plus, they are MIGHTY ugly.
ReplyDeleteWell, you ask "WHY IN THE WORLD" students "would... buy 'street clothes" at the same time" they buy school uniforms. But you then say that students "wouldn't have to add to their everyday wardrobe" unless their clothes are unwearable. What everyday wardrobe? In your rhetorical question, you suggest that students wouldn't buy those "everyday street clothes" if they're buying uniforms. Of course, that also suggests that students wouldn't spend much time away from school - that is, they wouldn't need street clothes when they're at school. However, kids are only at school a few hours a day. What would they wear the rest of the time? What about weekends? Would they wear their uniforms? If not, wouldn't their parents have to buy them extra sets of clothes? If so, isn't that an increase in spending, rather than a decrease?
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