While many people agree that the use of dress codes is a great instrument in schools, there are just as many people who oppose such a policy. For many years, the pros and cons of dress codes have been debated among parents, teachers and students around the world. To develop a well-informed opinion about this, let us take a look at both sides of the story.
List of Pros of School Dress Codes
1. They can bring a sense of equality.
There will always be some rich, middle-class and relatively poor children, which means that there would always be those who have the luxury to buy what they want and those who would not, exposing them to economic and social inequalities at a tender age. According to research, children have been noted to have been facing pressure to dress well without a school dress code policy, where they feel bad, insecure and even depressed to see others dressed in expensive garments. Now, such a policy will do away with all such worries, as everyone would feel equal.
2. They can help parents save more on their children’s clothing.
In most cases, a school dress code would cost less than normal dresses. In contrast to a practice that makes purchasing clothes imperative, which is the case when a dress code is not implemented, parents would only have to buy a few uniforms for their children to be worn again and again with regular washing. This means that parents would not have to purchase dozens of new clothes every few months, and buy just a few uniforms for an academic year instead. This saves parents hundreds of dollars in a year, which is a grat benefit.
3. They can help students focus more on academics.
Implementing a dress code brings about a sense of discipline and responsibility among students. They would pay less attention to what they wear and how they look, and at the same time, they can focus more on their studies. Research shows that school dress codes do help students to get better in academics.
List of Cons of School Dress Codes
1. They take away the freedom from students in choosing what they like to wear.
While school dress codes are seen as social and economic equalizers, they will prevent the freedom of children to wear what they want. A child may not like to wear a particular uniform, and having it would be imposing the rule and thrusting on him the need to wear it. Also, there would be personal aversion to the practice and idea of a dress code.
2. They hinder the way students would express themselves properly.
Imposing such a policy thwarts children’s ways to express themselves through attire, causing them to vent their wishes via other means, which can be not desirable as alternatives that parents need to watch out.
3. They do not always make for comfortable wearing.
The comfort of uniforms depends on their design, materials and the students’ physical attributes. If any of these factors does not fit, then the uniform would not be comfortable.
While there are pros and cons of implementing school dress codes, it is ultimately up to the combined efforts of the parents, school officials and teachers to decide the best course of action when it comes to this policy. Each situation and school is different, and should be addressed when the question arises.
Crystal Lombardo is a contributing editor for Vision Launch. Crystal is a seasoned writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience. She has been an editor of three popular blogs that each have had over 500,000 monthly readers.
