Schoolchildren should have a uniform dress code

Thank you for your robust responses, Con. Your response to Paragraph 1: Con"s reasoning is rather sketchy and so I apologise in advance if I misrepresent his argument. It appears as though he insinuates that a uniform dress code builds social weakness, and that this social weakness turns a student into a target for bullies, thereby making it an undesirable policy. If this is Con"s argument, he falls victim of the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy, or the fallacy of causation. Bullies in Japan are not specifically attracted by their victims" "social weakness". Instead, "among children, it is clear that the incidence of bullying behaviour is higher among those who experience frustration as a result of stresses at school or in the home." What is more, the profile of Japanese schoolyard bullies includes "popular, intelligent children with good social skills". Clearly, bullying in Japan has very little to do with a uniform dress code. There are social factors as well, stemming from a "survival of the fittest" culture in Japan. I would like to inform Con: "children raised in an environment where the haves flourish at the expense of the have-nots are more likely to engage in systematic persecution of the weak". The social culture in Japan promotes this, and it is exactly these boundaries that a uniform dress code attempts to blur. Imagine how much worse the problem would be if the wealth status of children was plain as daylight, seen in the kind of clothes they wear. If Con looks closely at the article involving Qatar, he will notice that the Qatari players are in uniform. The Qatari women are wearing headgear and clothing of the exact same colour and pattern. Clearly, the issue was not to do with Islamic headgear. In fact, in most countries with a specific uniform code, concessions are made for groups with certain religious beliefs. I shall give another example of Singapore, as it is a multiracial country. In Singapore, both in schools and professionally, Muslims are allowed to wear headscarves (known there as tudungs) and Sikhs are permitted to wear turbans. One might observe the same in India, which has a large Muslim and Sikh population as well. A uniform dress code does not impinge on any of the fundamental liberties that Con asserts it does, because such liberties are understood, and concessions are made accordingly. The solution is not to do away with a uniform entirely. Sources: 1."Anatomy of Japanese Bullying." Nippon.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. <http://www.nippon.com...;. 2.Child Research Net http://www.childresearch.net... 3.Morita Yohji, Ijime no kokusai hikaku kenky$3;"Nihon, Igirisu, Oranda, Noruwē no ch!3;sa bunseki (International Comparison of Bullying"Analysis of a Survey of Japan, Britain, the Netherlands, and Norway), Kaneko Shob!3;, 2001 4.Watts, M. (1998), Cross-Cultural Perspective on Youth and Violence, JAI Press 1.National Institute for Educational Policy Research "Ijime tsuiseki ch!3;sa 2007-2009" (Pursuit Surveys on Bullying 2007~2009) Your response to paragraph 2: Even if team spirit in a school is "unnecessary", as you put it, it cannot be undesirable. The internet is replete with studies that show that school spirit is a positive reinforcement for the school"s objectives. I shall quote one, "It seems clear that school spirit is a very important dimension of what makes a school a place where students can achieve to their academic potential and develop as well rounded human beings able to operate in and contribute to our society." Dr. Cowan goes on to recommend "that schools develop a mechanism to review school spirit on a regular basis so that the part it plays in achieving the school"s mission can be used to best effect." Clearly a mechanism such as a uniform that unites the school is a positive outcome. Source: 1.Cowan, Linda. "Does positive school spirit allow students to engage more positively in learning and achieve greater success?." A Research Investigation Undertaken As Part of Principals" Sabbatical Leave - (2005): n. pag. Educational Leaders. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. Response to paragraph 3: To begin with, I have a source in my opening arguments that substantiates my claim that clothing affects first impressions, in specific context of school attire. The source that Con has quoted is vague and not tailored for a school related discussion. Nonetheless, I shall copy the original source again and accommodate Con. I quote the Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Professor Karen Pine of the University of Herfordshire, as well as the American Psychological Association, in saying that dressing style makes a big difference in first impressions. My original argument stands firm. Sources: 1.Holloman, Lillian. "VIA Holloman." VIA Holloman. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. http://www.via.vt.edu... 2.Howlett, Neil, Karen Pine, Ismail Orak"ioglu, and Ben Fletcher. "The influence of clothing on first impressions: Rapid and positive responses to minor changes in male attire." Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management 17.1 (2013): 38-48. Print. 3.Pine, Karen. "The Effect of Appearance on First Impressions." - - (0): n. pag. http://karenpine.com.... Web. 30 Sept. 2014. 4.Rowh, Mike. "First impressions count." gradPSYCH Magazine 1 Nov. 2012: 32. Print. Response to paragraph 4: I have no idea why Con has listed all the possible reasons for professionals wearing uniforms. It simply reinforces my argument that uniforms are a reality of the world we live in, and the sooner students adapt to that, the better. I have not, at any point, suggested that uniforms prepare students for the "harsh" realities of the world, nor do I suggest that wearing a uniform can prepare students for the job-scope of someone who wears a uniform. Instead (and I apologise for not being clearer), a strict dress code emphasises the importance of being neat and kempt, rather than being flashy and innovative. In many situations in this "harsh" world, adults are forced into certain dress codes. Be it for an interview, a meeting, etc. At such occasions, a major differentiating factor (which is substantiated in sources quoted above), can be how neat one looks, how well the clothes fit them, whether their clothes are ironed properly. These distinctions are best drawn with a uniform dress code, because it enables the minute differences between the clothes everyone wears to be highlighted. With all the above, I reinforce my original points and thank my opponent for a robust and spirited debate. As I am confident that I have proven, a uniform dress code is far more beneficial to students than a free dress code.