arguments

arguments back  I have asked three english people who have all woren uniforms to school about the folowing points:

* what is your opinion on school uniforms?
//Jack (school student, age 14):// My opinion is that school uniforms are unnecessary and they have no benefits. //Barney (school student, age 12):// I think their ok, i dont really mind, but i whould rather wear my own clothes. //Karen (former school student age, 30)//: I am a dance teacher and have only had good experiences with uniforms. I feel that with unifroms the students are more realaxed and not so focused on labels and whats "right" to wear. When I was in school I did not mind the uniforms, but i liked the days when we could wear our own clothes. I guess that now I see the value in wearing uniforms.

﻿﻿ * school uniforms wil make it harder for the students to create clickes and groups.
//Jack//: I think that without the uniforms, the clicks and groups whould definetly be bigger. There are groups of students at my school, but their not very big. //Barney:// I think as wel that the groups whould be bigger without the uniforms, so yes, the uniforms makes it a bit harder for the students to create clickes and groups.

* There wil be no more teasing and picking on students for what they wear.
//Jack:// There are definetly less teasing because of the clothes becouse of the uniforms. Though there are still some bullying. //Barney:// I agree with Jack, there whould be more teasing if we were alowed to wear our own clothes. //Karen//: There are still bullying and there might allways be in school, but now the teasing is not because of the clothes. That is not such a big issue. That is a positive thing about the uniforms.

* The families save money by using school uniforms instead of normal clothes.
//Jack:// I dont think there are such big a difference. Depends on how much clothes you need really. //Barney:// I dont really know, think its about the same. //Karen:// I think you save a lot of money on school uniforms. When I went to school, there was big differences in prices between the schools, but now they are quite reasonable all of them and you can get most of the uniforms in regular shops. But of course it depends, some people need lots of clothes and some hardly need anything.

* Uniforms helps to build school spirit.
//Jack//: No, i dont think so. I dont feel the school spirit with the uniforms. Not any more that with my own clothes. But one thing, when there are sports arangements between different schools, it is good to have the uniforms, I guess in those situations it helps to build some spirit. //Barney//: No, not realy. i gont get any school spirit from the uniforms. //Karen//: I dont think the uniforms help building school spirit, but i think they help giving a sence of disiplin from a very youg age.

* Makes the students take school more seriously.
Jack: No, dont think so. But i havent been to any schools where they dont have uniforms so i cant say if we are more serious than them or not. Barney: I dont think we are more serious, in fact Norway score higher then us when it comes to grades. Maybe you are more serious without the uniforms. Karen: I dont think students with uniforms take school more seriously that those without uniforms. It all depends on the people and how they feel about their uniforms. It can turn out both ways really.

* students lose their identity by wearing school uniforms.
//Jack:// Yes, i feel like I am loosing a bit of my personality by wearing uniforms. I use my clothes to express myself, but with the uniforms you cant do that. It probably depends on the person. Not everyone needs clothes to show who they are. //Barney:// I dont really feel like i am loosing my identity, but i dont really think the clothes are that important. I think also that it depends on the person. //Karen:// There are a lot of details you can ad to your uniform to express yourself: Even though jewelry arent alowed you can still show who you are with your shoes, bag and your hair.

* Uniforms are used as advertisement for the school.
Jack: Yes, the uniforms are being used a lot becouse of the advertisement. Barney: yes, I agree. the uniforms are used as a big advertisement for the school.

sources: Jack Halls, England Barney Halls, England Karen Halls Kulberg, Norway (England) [] []