It is common sense that compulsory school uniforms are necessary.

The United Kingdom

Government department of Children, Schools and Families recommends school uniform as a
way of driving up standards and increasing discipline and order within schools and lessening
bullying. Eighty-three percent of British parents, in a recent department-sponsored survey,
voted for compulsory school uniforms. These are compelling arguments in favour of
compulsory school uniform, but they are not the only ones. In the UK, most secondary
schools and many primary schools have a compulsory uniform.
School is not a fashion parade. Compulsory uniform means that everyone is dressed alike
and children from poorer families do not immediately stand out from the others.
Uniform is smart and neat, and this must affect a child's mind and his or her approach to
learning. If you have to wear special clothes to school, it follows that school must be a
special and important place. Uniform gives a sense of belonging and helps a child to identify
with, and have a pride in, his or her school.
It is possible to buy the basics of school uniforms, e.g., trousers, skirts, sweatshirts and
school shirts, in the United Kingdom on any high street from chain stores, supermarkets or
discount stores; one does not have to go to an expensive school outfitters. Many loving
Grandmothers even knit the school sweater or cardigan. The basics of school uniform are,
therefore, inexpensive. If there is no uniform, children - especially teenage girls- would
require many sets of clothing for a school term. This would be terribly expensive for
parents. School uniform clothing is durable, hard-wearing and easily washable and,
nowadays, eminently practical.
School uniform forestalls all those arguments and tantrums in the morning. Children cannot
argue with parents because there is no argument when it is the school, not the parent,
insisting on uniform.
Detractors might argue that compulsory school uniform does not allow children to express
their individuality. This is a false argument. Adults are not always allowed to express their
individuality. Many workplaces require staff to wear a uniform. In many others, a particular
standard of dress is required e.g., a business suit in some professions, and others, such as
the building trades, require safety equipment to be worn. Children are not at school to be
individuals, they are there to learn. There is plenty of time outside school hours for children
to express their individuality.
In schools that have a compulsory school uniform, clothes cease to be relevant, and one
distraction from getting an education is removed. For all the above reasons, compulsory
school uniform is necessary.

There are several reasons why a school will decide to implement compulsory uniforms. Most
schools have them to create a reputation for high-class education, as well as lessening the
chances of disorder. They have many social benefits for students, and in some cases, can
make a school much safer.
A school can create an atmosphere that encourages maturity and responsibility, because
when teens are wearing clothes that make them look mature, they will act more mature.
It's the "clothes make the man" scenario with teens, and we should take advantage of that.
With a compulsory uniform, a school will have more order, and the students will seem more
civilized.
Another issue is the problem of over-tolerant or unenforced dress codes. In a society where
fashion overruns a country in weeks and an age where fashion is getting more and more
scandalous, uniforms are needed more than ever. Building on the "clothes make the man"
scenario, if students dress like rap stars and supermodels, chances are that they'll want to
act like them. It's not something that we want to happen in our schools.
Students will distinguish themselves from each other, be it by comparing the various gizmos
they have or fashion senses. It's not something we can control or do anything about, it
happens and will always happen. A lot of students can be picked on for wearing different or
unusual clothes, and having school uniforms can prevent this. Especially among teens, the
sort of clothes worn have a huge affect on social profiling (discrimination based on economic
status), and having uniforms will be, at the very least, an impediment to that.
Lately, questions have been raised on the safety issues of clothes that students wear
nowadays. I remember seeing a video on the internet that showed a teenager wearing
simply baggy jeans and a baggy t-shirt, who pulled out twelve or thirteen guns from his belt
line and pockets, including a Uzi sub-machine gun and a shotgun. It was a demonstration
on the safety problems of students wearing baggy clothes, and it really made me think
about how dangerous lax dress codes can be.
Teen gangs often have certain styles of dress or symbols that represent them. Having
compulsory uniforms can definitely reduce tensions between rival gangs, and can prevent
rival gangs from identifying each other. Furthermore, high schools have become a target for
drug dealers, and students often contribute to this problem by dealing drugs and tobacco
themselves. If a school uniform is well designed, then it can make it difficult for students to
carry large amounts of drugs around whenever they're wearing their uniforms.
A school with a nice uniform will often have a good reputation. Especially when a school
hosts an event or goes somewhere for a performance, having a mature uniform (even if it's
not the normal uniform) will definitely impress parents and spectators.
School uniforms are a must in our education systems. For the well-being, self-esteem, and
safety of our children, schools should implement compulsory uniforms, else we risk our
children growing up into uneducated, uncivilized, and irresponsible adults.

Education is seen as the equalizer within a diverse class population, but in many ways its
segregations populations. Unfiorms may actually make education the equalizer. Others
believe ituniforms takes away personal expression, but may be there is a compromise.
Segregation by Status
At the truancy board hearings, a very attractive teenage girl cried she could not attend
school. She claimed through tears to receive teasing for her dress. Her style of dress did not
reflect her internal identity, but the financial status of her parents who loved her dearly and
hurt from their daughter's pain. She was neither dirty, nor unkempt, but could not afford
the clothes in style at the time. The parents of all want children to learn what is necessary
for them to be upward mobile, but self-esteem challenges of dress places them at risk.
Community organizations, which work to collect backpack and school supplies, are available
to assist in providing the uniforms. In addition, many children need to wear hand be down
so family as a means to stretch the family badger.
Personal Expression vs. Uniformity
We all have our unique personality and succumb to the requirements of society. How many
men in our society actually want to wear a necktie? Since most men choose, to avoid
wearing this portion of the professional uniform during casual time, the necktie is not an
expression of identity but the acceptance of a professional uniform. Society rewards
uniformity.
Unfortunately, uniformity in the traditional high school falls within the styles pushed by
magazines, and television and movies. The uniformity exists, but it is a reflection of style
and not personal expression. It requires parents and schools to police these fashion styles
for decency, and respectability. How often have a parent had an argument with a children
with the words, "you are not wearing this out of the house."
Schools have had to write regulations on what is acceptable dress for school. Sometimes we
can envision the changes that will surface later and school district react rather that provide
a proactive educational environment. Once schools only had to give standards on skirt
length, but now we discuss the waistline of pants and skirts. Uniforms prevent the ever-
changing regulations.
Substitute
Uniforms provide continuity in the education process without having to place it into
regulatory language. Some students might want to have an opportunity to share their
expression through personal experience. Just as the business has casual Fridays, the school
can have personal Friday.
School uniforms let students learn the education that will prepare them for adulthood. The
uniform helps the community to regulate the schools and provide the means to assist some
students.

Compulsory school uniforms are a technique that some schools use to create a particular
atmosphere on their campus. The school uniform is no longer exclusively associated with
the prep school and selective academy. Instead, it is becoming more common as schools
look for ways to manage their student body through attire. There is also the issue of
"image", which is a fairly broad concept but in the case of schools it refers to how the school
is perceived by parents, school boards, and the surrounding community. Whether school
uniforms result in greater scholastic excellence carries with it some debate but there are
certainly educators who believe in the power of the uniform. Here are a few thoughts on
why people might believe that compulsory school uniforms are necessary in today's society.
Leveling the playing field
For some people, school uniforms are about providing students with some level of equality.
Schools should not attempt to remove the individuality from students, but sometimes
clothing can be a very divisive quantity. In other words, some people have the money for
clothes while others do not. In addition, gangs activity can be a very real difficulty in some
schools and clothing may go beyond division to actual conflict between groups. Granted,
uniforms will not necessarily make everyone get along. People still split into groups and
treat others badly. However, uniforms may remove one element that creates obvious
differences between students.
Clarifying the rules
School uniforms is also a way to make dress code rules more clear. Sometimes when
students are allowed to wear their own clothes, it can be difficult for teachers to enforce
rules that are subjective. Trying to determine "appropriateness" may be difficult given the
variance of things that people wear. Granted, school uniforms can still be worn in an
inappropriate ways if students wear things that are too big, too small, in poor condition, or
simply ill-fitting. However, the school uniform at least creates less variables that must be
enforced.
Mixed results
School uniforms are not necessarily the solution to all school problems. Studies have
produced some mixed results in terms of behavioral problems, atmosphere, and academic
environment. If a school adds compulsory school uniforms they must still enforce their
revised dress code and they must deal with the daily discipline problems. Otherwise, school
uniforms are just "window dressing" that is intended to mask larger problems in the school
that cannot be addressed with matching shirts and pants.