Unity Through Uniforms

Clothing and materialism have become extremely important in today’s world, and can result in prejudice and judgment, especially among children.

This is why I believe that school uniforms should be required at every school campus, in order to prevent visible wealth divides, and hassle resulting from distractions to the learning environment. Clothing is a reflection of wealth. Since the Middle Ages, clothes have been a way for the affluent members of society to display their prosperity, and one’s social level could be determined by the quality of their garments. This trend is reflected today as well, and one can tell a rich person from a not-as-rich person by observing their garb and accessories. Just imagine: you have one woman donned in a thick fur jacket and spotless pants, with pearls around her neck and six-inch stilettos on her feet. Another woman is wearing a second-hand sweatshirt, baggy jeans, and sneakers.

Which one would you guess to be wealthier? This visible wealth divide is pattered in schools as well. A student who wears branded clothing from high-end stores is likely richer than a student who wears garb from not-as-expensive brands. This display of wealth is unnecessary, and can make not-as-rich students feel bad about their financial situation. Sometimes, students clad in high-end brands of clothing bully other students for their visible lack of wealth. This can be completely prevented by mandating school uniforms, which is why I believe that uniforms should be required at all school campuses. If your school does not have a uniform, it likely enforces a dress code in order to “prevent distractions to the learning environment”.

Girls are told to avoid wearing short-shorts, tank tops, and many other skimpy garments, and boys are told to not “sag” their pants or wear bro tanks. Of course, students may accidentally or intentionally break the dress code, and this results in a trip to the office, a call to the student’s parents, and the student’s parents bringing a change of clothes for the student. All of this hassle can be avoided if uniforms were mandatory for all students, which is why I feel that uniforms should be required on all school campuses. In order to avoid visible wealth division and hassle resulting from learning environment distractions, school uniforms should be mandatory on all school campuses. Let’s shift the modern values from materialism and brand-name prejudice to valued learning and acceptance.