School Uniform Should be Compulsory

That you believe and agree that schools must be lenient and considerate with regards to school uniform is indeed understandable - this is the hard truth in Asia. I never went to school there, But I lived there, And these were daily observations for someone like me. My main point is that if uniforms were done away with, There would be no such events occurring - no strict rules, No exceeding punishments. Of course, Rules should exist - students cannot come half naked - but dictating a very basic freedom, That is the freedom to choose what you wear, Should be promoted. We cannot have schools denying that freedom. An independent survey, Mirroring the one done in Nevada- returned at least 81% of students saying that they don't like uniforms. A districtwide survey in Florida found 70% of students saying they did not agree to the uniforms policy. Researchers have even proclaimed that there is no valid evidence whatsoever that supports claims that school uniforms are beneficial. As for students' opinions on uniforms, In the majority of schools, (and these are spread more in the Asia Pacific) uniforms do have an impact on grades - that's right. In addition to attendance and classroom discipline, Uniforms do affect the results of a student - for a student who cannot afford to clean his/her uniform on a daily basis or due to some reason cannot come in spotless uniform everyday, If uniforms are not fearful, What are they? Of course, The uniform code does mitigate bullying - no doubt about it. The question is whether students must really depend on that more than other things. If uniform was so beneficial, Then ask yourself, What about college? Yet bullying in colleges is far less compared to schools - this is no rocket science. Uniforms don't have a major impact on bullying. That bullying due to "economic reasons" did not make it to the list of the report I linked, Which, I shall take the liberty of announcing, Was authored by an eminent educator, Just reflects its relative obscurity amongst other reasons. Uniforms do nothing to promote the "equal image" that prevents bullying. In fact, The equality is reduced in most cases - to the eyes of a teacher, A student with a Head Boy badge appears "better" and more reliable than someone who's not elected. Isn't this a sort of dormant discrimination based on uniform? You say that uniforms victimize poorer students, Leading to an economic sort of bullying. Uniforms don't promote unity then, Right? Uniforms must be done away with because of this - if a student can appear poorer or richer just from their uniform means that in reality, Uniforms discriminate. Making them compulsory only promotes, Not inhibits, Such forms of bullying. My opponent has claimed that uniforms are cheaper - when parents don't need to buy an extra pair that their children CANNOT wear outside of school, Isn't it economically less viable than having them pay for uniforms. Instead, One's daily clothes can be a much cheaper option. Time - is it logical to think that choosing alone takes so much time, As to make uniforms more viable? The stereotype of the trendy girl/boy who wants to do everything fashionably must be dealt with here. I appreciate the complements about my poem. On a side note, That got me the first place in a school-wide poetry competition. Certainly, The clothes someone wears impacts their image in general. I agree. Yet let me put it this way - does this confined image reflect anything of the person's true character? I revisit my point of self expression and freedom - a person best suits himself to the surroundings in the clothes he defines himself by. So for someone to express themselves and to have the freedom of choice is an invaluable benefit. Regarding safety, The cases are scattered. Very rarely do in-school crimes occur, According to at least 3 statistics by a verifiable authority - in most cases, Crimes involving students take place outside of schools, Where the so-called uniform safety that we debated on takes place. Freedom at recess was not the freedom I was referring to. I was talking about the basic freedom to choose what you wear, The freedom to convey the message you wish to express. In a society that's rapidly progressing till modernity, One must expect that students are familiar with basic freedoms. It becomes, As one commenter rightly predicted, A freedom vs equality debate. Freedom trumps equality. In fact, As I pointed out, If one can distinguish amongst students by their uniforms (are they ragged or ironed/white or dirty) reflects poor unity. My points, So as to summarize - Not having uniforms does away with any problems that arise out of them - strict punishments, Low grades, Etc. The statistics show that students would much rather not have uniforms. In fact, There is no single piece of conclusive evidence showing that uniforms are beneficial in any way. Uniforms convey a rich/poor divide - those with tattered, Unkempt uniforms are treated as relatively poor compared to those with clean, Neat uniforms. Hence, If anything, Uniforms disregard unity. Uniforms are less economically viable - why must parents buy an extra pair of clothes that can only be worn at school, When a child's normal clothes can be used, Saving money. There is no logic that choosing one's clothes takes time. Hence, Not having uniforms, Saves, Or takes as much time, As having compulsory uniform. Freedom is promoted when students are allowed to express themselves. A uniform kills that expressive freedom. Hence above all else, One must see the aspect of liberty of choice of one's clothes, That is necessary as the society moves forward.