What is your experience with school uniforms and dress codes?
A row recently erupted in western Switzerland when school authorities told a dozen teenaged schoolgirls to put on oversized “t-shirts of shame” after they came to school in crop tops, or be sent home. This week, the local government banned the practice in response to student protests.
Do you think school uniforms and dress codes contribute to a better learning environment for students, or are they unnecessary? Let us know by logging in and commenting below.
From the article The ‘T-shirt of shame’ from an anonymous tip to a cantonal ban
From the article Debate flares over Geneva pupils’ ‘shame t-shirts’
Our daughter had to wear a uniform at a private girl's school and I liked the idea. She didn't seem to mind either. There was no class consciousness that way, who had the coolest clothes, etc. It looked nice although the girls really disliked their blazers, and often the tunics were ridiculously short.
I'm looking at some of the comments from the other guests and feel sorry for the totally online schooling that some children are receiving now. I don't think it will produce the same results in critical thinking, team work and fostering EQ. They're getting short shrift, will be much more distracted in following their study plans. I see many disadvantages of full online learning.
Get rid of all the schools. They are a high risk palce for virus spreading. Just give everyone free online courses and tests. No teachers needed once the videos are recorded. Efficient and 1000x cheaper.
Uniforms are perfectly fine. Poorer children will not feel like they are excluded. It is a good concept as long as they are really cheap.
Anyway these things will soon be meaningless. One of our children was suppose to go to university this year. We decided to pick an online university. No need for uniforms, travelling, housing or books. They just watch videos and do the tests online. It is a lot cheaper and there is no risk of getting the virus from a teacher.
Uniforms are a great equalizer, especially if all schoolchildren have to wear the same quality uniform. Schools should not be a fashion show. What's important is what is in the children's heads, not what they wear. Also, poorer children who cannot hope to keep us with fashion will not feel left out. Plus, uniforms encourage respect, a sense of belonging to a club. When I first came here, I was surprised there were no uniforms - at school, or at work (very few suits). I've seen heads of Government departments (e.g. the cycle guru Herr Vogel) on TV with long hair and jeans. That does not present a very good, or serious image.
I am all for uniforms, I was in a school with one and went to a school without one and it was a nightmare, everybody tries to be stylish and branded, it is really distrusting and divides us into categories much quicker, like goth, nerd and such just by the clothes not talking about the amount of wealth people can represent even though their children did not earn it. but with no uniform they try to make a point about their status and ones who can't keep up with them are losers in their eyes from my experience.
Anne Emery-Torracinta (government of the canton of Geneva - responsible for education) was recently interviewed on TV about this question. "School uniforms are unnecessary. However, it should be clear to everybody that one must not dress like going to the beach". Uniforms have just one advantage – make all look alike irrespective of social status. They are also symbolic for belonging to a unit or profession. However, in public schools it makes little sense because every canton would probably want to have its own and families are often moving across cantonal borders. Fashion designers should be reminded of decent dressing. Those low waist jeans are OK as long as the person is not seated...
Best thing after sliced-bred. No issues on who is wearing what, especially nowdays. My daughter was furious about this debate in general. She told they are always distracted by such attributes of differences, such as mobile brand, but especially cloth. I had a uniform, darn well made, unbreakable and could pass it on.
The problem of dressing appropriately has been an issue since after 1968. There is a moral dress code for public places and it needs to be enforced, no exception, for male and female. If a person has to be provocative like the prostitutes in the street to attract their customers, you will get what you represent! If you think you are earning respect as a person in that way, you are really wrong! Unfortunately, our society emphasizes on sexual attraction, promotes it in magazines and fashion, especially for women (even though men are getting more attention there, too). Women have to understand that. There are other ways for a girl and a woman to change a mindset of a men dominated society. A school can use tools to punish bad behaviour without sending the culprits home. Protests of students need to be banned. If a student gets bad grades because of his inappropriate behaviour, oh well, he has to bear the consequences. By the way, this rule is for everybody who does not accept authority. Social and gender rights? What about the obligations that come with them? I remember the 1980's, when Coop magazine wrote a bold printed title, quoting the words of a famous psychologist "children do not need authority". The lack of respect for humans and matter is the consequence of such declarations. It is high time that the pendulum needs goes the other way and teach children RESPECT again.
Uniforms just mean more clothes that parents have to buy and more laundry they have to do.Also schools that have basic uniforms like you can wear this color polo and this color dress pants still have the label wars in regards to child A has designer polos and child B does not.
I most certainly believe in school uniforms - it does away with the notion that one student (better dressed) is better than one (worse dressed). No "latest fashion" competition.
I wore a school uniform when I was in primary school, and when I was in secondary school, the school talked to the parents about promoting some kind of rustic sportswear, but the parents didn't agree, so I never wore the "school uniform" again. As a former female teacher, I thought it would be a good idea to dress conservatively and not too revealingly for school. I don't believe that the Swiss girls, who sometimes dress a little too revealingly, are not the least bit provocative. It's also bad for some of the boys. It's a trend to walk behind boys with their trousers halfway down their hips and most of their underwear exposed. The kids who are studying, it's better to focus more on their studies and less on how to wear sexy feminine power. And don't be too glassy-eyed, people say a few words on the line into people engage in sexism, in insulting you, sometimes people may just don't want to see you just.
我上小学时穿过校服，上中学学校曾经跟家长商谈过，想推广某种土得掉渣的运动服，家长们都不同意，就没再穿过“校服”。作为曾经的女老师，我想啊，既然是上学，那还是应该穿得保守一点，不要太暴露。瑞士小姑娘的穿着有时让我也觉得袒露得有点儿过头，说她们一丁点儿挑逗之心都没有，我才不信。一些男孩的穿着也让人糟心，有阵儿特流行裤子拉到臀部一半，大半个内裤露在外面，走在这样的男孩后面我经常得替他们捏把汗，万一走着走着裤子滑脱下来怎么办？话说读书的孩子，还是多把心思放在学习上，少去琢磨怎么穿性感女权更好。也别太玻璃心，人家说几句就上纲上线成了人家搞性别歧视，在侮辱你，有的时候人家可能就是不想看你而已。
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