Today, a uniform school uniform, mandatory for all schoolchildren, has not been introduced in the country. But individual schools, according to their internal charter, can make it compulsory for their students if both the administration and the majority of parents agree. In this regard, the debate about the pros and cons of regulated school clothing continues, so we tried to understand the arguments of both sides.

Pledge of Equality

  • PRO: Teachers say that many children, especially in the younger and high school, still like to tease each other about clothes. If a child is dressed ugly by the standards of his classmates, his clothes were bought in a “nameless” store or at a clothing market, then he will most likely become an outcast, or at least an object of cruel jokes. School uniform It also allows children not to compete and not to judge each other, at least “by their clothes.” Thus, both schoolchildren from poor and wealthy families have the opportunity to dress absolutely the same, regardless of their social status and financial situation.
  • CONS: Others believe that it will not be possible to equalize the poor and the rich with form alone. Today's children pay a lot of attention to clothes, but they pay even more attention to various gadgets and other fashionable things. Wouldn't a child in uniform with a brand new iPhone feel the difference between a child in uniform and a Chinese smartphone from seven years ago? Cheap and expensive pencil cases, notebooks and bags also only intensify the rivalry. And if the uniform is sewn not by the school, but by each parent according to the sample presented, then wealthy families will be able to order better quality clothes from good materials, and this will also be noticeable.

Saving money

  • PROS: According to supporters, school uniforms can be a help for poor families. After all, it gives them the opportunity to avoid buying a large amount of clothing, limiting themselves to only purchasing a few sets of uniforms. Parents don't have to think about how to dress their child, and the child won't spend hours hanging around the closet with a mirror, choosing what to wear today.

  • CONS: Firstly, one set of school uniform can cost more than a pair of regular jeans and shirts. And you need at least four such sets: two for the warm and cold seasons, and two replacement ones for them in case of force majeure, unscheduled washing or damage. Secondly, ordinary clothes can be combined endlessly, and if you alternate a couple of sets of uniforms, they will quickly wear out and you will have to buy them again. The worse the materials (and in poorly funded public schools this is usually the case), the faster the clothes deteriorate. And if you consider that children are constantly growing... Obviously, a good school uniform can cost parents a pretty penny.

Improving academic performance and discipline

  • FOR: 20 years ago in the USA, where many public schools are now returning to school uniforms, a special Scientific research, which studies the correlation of uniform and school performance. It showed that students educational institutions, where school uniforms have been introduced, demonstrate better academic results than students from schools with a free clothing style. This is due to the fact that the school uniform has an educational function: it disciplines the child and clearly makes him understand the difference between behavior at school and behavior at home or in the yard.

  • CONS: But there are also those who want to argue with this advantage of the school uniform. Comparing the performance ratings of schools where school uniforms have been introduced and where school uniforms have not been introduced is not representative, because students' good grades depend on many various factors: professionalism of teachers, microclimate in school and classroom, family environment and upbringing of each student, etc. Therefore, it is impossible to say unequivocally that it is the presence of uniform that influences the difference in academic performance.

Aesthetics and cohesion

  • PROS: School uniforms for girls and boys are a great way to distinguish children in society: this is how they look neat, beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, and not like a motley mass. From an early age, they accustom themselves to the corporate culture and dress code that awaits them in the future when working in large companies. In addition, children who wear the same clothes as their classmates feel more united and like each other more.

  • CONS: Children in the same uniform look beautiful and neat only in the opinion of those who support this uniform, which means this argument is subjective and unconvincing. Quite the contrary, most children strive to show their exclusivity among their peers, their difference from others, especially teenagers, and the school uniform simply depersonalizes and unifies them. Even schoolchildren with uniforms are trying hard to stand out from the crowd by shortening their skirts, rolling up their sleeves, changing their hairstyles and the colors of their socks. And you need to understand that every boy and every girl has his own body type, the school uniform will fit perfectly on some, but it will completely ruin someone - it’s unfair.

More arguments for school uniforms:

  • When a child wears a beautiful, strict uniform with an emblem patch, this not only makes him a worthy student in the eyes of others, but also makes the school itself stand out. good light: The educational institution seems more solid and organized.
  • Some parents dress their children simply disgustingly, tastelessly, and children's school uniforms can hide this from prying eyes.

But there are even more arguments against:

What is the truth? Obviously, in the “golden mean”. An absolutely identical school uniform of the same type can hit parents’ pockets and limit the freedom of children, so it is better to compromise, as many schools do - to establish a moderately strict dress code. For example, prohibit wearing open blouses and tops, miniskirts, ripped jeans, sleeveless vests, high heels and flip-flops to school, but do not limit children to comfortable jeans, T-shirts and hoodies, especially in cold weather; introduce a ban on bright makeup, but not ban cosmetics completely. Then the students will look decent, and the parents will not spend more money than usual, and the children themselves will be able to continue to express themselves in clothes, just in a more strict form.

Interesting facts about school uniforms in other countries of the world

  • Perhaps the most famous school uniform in the world is the Japanese one. There are several varieties, but the most popular is the school uniform for girls, which is called “seifuku”: this is a shirt with a sailor collar, a pleated skirt above or below the knee, long knee socks and low-top leather shoes. The Japanese school uniform for boys is called "gakuran": straight-cut trousers and a dark-colored jacket with a stand-up collar. Clothes stylized as uniforms are worn not only by schoolchildren and schoolgirls, but also by other young Japanese and fans Japanese culture All over the world they are also happy to order “sailor suits” on the Internet.

  • School uniform is a mandatory element of ancient and prestigious schools in the UK, since it emphasizes belonging to a specific educational institution with its own history and list of merits. Children and teenagers in such schools are proud to be their students, so they always wear jackets and blazers with a distinctive emblem with pleasure.

  • An indicator of belonging to an educational institution, first of all, is the uniform in American and Canadian private schools. In public schools, uniforms can be found very rarely, although its introduction is actively discussed by parents and teachers in many states, but sometimes there is a dress code - moderately formal clothing in soothing colors and without revealing elements.

  • In Germany, the classic school uniform is also a rare event, but some institutions, with the consent of parents and students, introduce uniform clothing for attending school, and the students themselves participate in its creation.

  • Junior schoolchildren in South Korea they don’t wear a uniform, but starting from high school, regulated clothing becomes mandatory for all students.

  • But in Cuba, uniforms are a mandatory element of absolutely all schools and even universities.

An interesting video with the school uniform adopted in different countries world, awaits you further:

The debate about the positive and negative aspects of uniformity in the clothing of schoolchildren in our country is just beginning, while in Europe and America it has been going on for decades. Thousands of articles have been written and hundreds of scientific studies have been conducted on this topic. Gazeta.Ru has summarized the main ones so that you can form your own opinion.

Improved academic performance

Behind
In 1998 it was held Scientific research, which showed that students in schools that introduced uniforms perform slightly better than those in whose schools it is allowed to wear anything. Experts are confident: the fact is that children are not distracted by discussing clothes, the uniform sets them up for more serious behavior within the walls of the educational institution and reduces the time that the child spends deciding what to wear to class today. And of course, experts think, he spends this saved time on doing his homework.

It turns out that girls who are unlucky enough to “fit” the type of skirt chosen by the school look ugly and must suffer because of it. And in the end, a school uniform, made from not the best materials, is most often simply uncomfortable. Why should your beloved child wear uncomfortable clothes for 11 years?

One of the topics of the essay that is offered to schoolchildren is an argument on the topic “Why is a school uniform needed.” This topic is relevant because there are both supporters of uniform clothing and those who believe that this is an outdated tradition. The student is invited to express his opinion on this matter. The essay “Why do we need a school uniform” allows school management to also determine whether such a reform needs to be introduced in their educational institution, taking into account the opinions of students.

When they wore a uniform

If you look at old films, illustrations from history textbooks, students stood out from the crowd due to the fact that they wore special clothes. "A school uniform is required" it should be noted that in Soviet era all schoolchildren were required to come to educational institution in a single form.

And if you think about it, in those days, for many, the fact that everyone dressed the same was not perceived in a negative way, as it is with the modern generation. Why? Simply because in Soviet time there was a shortage of good quality clothing; not everyone had the money to purchase it. Therefore, for many this was a way out: in this way, children of different social groups did not differ in appearance. And those who wanted to somehow stand out from the crowd complemented their clothes with jewelry or decorated their clothes (moderately).

Why was uniform uniform for students canceled?

In the discussion on the topic “Why do we need a school uniform”, it is also necessary to give arguments against schoolchildren being dressed the same. One of the most important arguments is that in this way the freedom of expression of schoolchildren is limited. A single form depersonalizes and does not allow the student’s individuality to reveal itself.

Also, most people want to dress according to fashion. And the school uniform means simple elements classic cut clothes. In Soviet times, students' clothes were predominantly dark colors, which for some is wrong, because childhood is all about bright colors. On the one hand, these arguments can be called reasonable. After all, appearance is one of the ways of self-expression. But what arguments do supporters of uniform clothing for students give?

Why do we need a school uniform: arguments for its introduction

The arguments given by supporters of this point of view are also quite weighty and convincing.

  1. A uniform uniform helps maintain discipline in the classroom during lessons.
  2. Democratic.
  3. Allows you to save time getting ready for school.
  4. Practical - usually the uniform is sewn from fabrics of non-marking colors.
  5. Hygienic - natural fabrics are used to create uniforms for schoolchildren.

Some of these arguments are worth considering in more detail in the essay “Why do we need a school uniform?”

How are discipline and clothing related?

One of the arguments of supporters of a single uniform is maintaining order in the classroom during lessons. At first glance, this argument seems strange. Well, how can clothes help maintain discipline?

Everything is explained very simply. Schoolchildren simply do not have the opportunity to discuss in class what their classmates are wearing. After all, for girls, fashion issues are one of the most discussed. The students do not look at each other, trying to find out where they bought some item of clothing, and do not determine its cost.

Also, students should keep their uniform in order - after all, in simple classic styles, sloppiness will be immediately noticeable. And thanks to the fact that children do not have to think about and decide in the morning what to wear to school, the number of lateness to classes becomes less. Thus, a uniform form allows you to maintain discipline in the classroom.

Democracy is a component of a harmonious atmosphere in the classroom

One of the required points in the essay “Why do we need a school uniform” is an explanation of the point about democracy. This implies the availability of school uniforms for families of any income. Thus, through clothing, wealthier students will not show their wealth through their appearance.

IN modern society wealthy parents dress their children in clothes of expensive brands, although children junior classes They don’t pay any attention to the cost of their outfits. But for other parents, this can cause a negative reaction and prejudice towards such students, which they can pass on to their children.

And in older grades, teenagers are already consciously trying to demonstrate their status through their appearance, showing their superiority over children from less affluent families. And they, in turn, also show their negative attitude towards them. All this does not allow creating a harmonious and healthy atmosphere in the classroom. Therefore, a uniform school uniform avoids these problems, allowing students to stand out due to their talents and academic achievements.

Forming the right attitude towards appearance

But it also happens that parents and children do not understand why they need it. Due to the fact that families do not demonstrate with the help of clothes. social status and children do not try to show their superiority over others in appearance, the correct attitude towards clothing is formed. Children do not make a cult out of her, they do not believe that appearance is the main thing in a person.

They learn to appreciate the personality of the people around them and evaluate them by their actions. Girls have the opportunity not only to follow all fashion trends, but also to learn the finer art of choosing the right jewelry and accessories in order to diversify their image so that it does not look provocative. After all, girls often, in their desire to look fashionable, choose things that are not suitable for their age. Or they combine elements of clothing that are incompatible in style. And simple things of a classic cut, which make up the school uniform, have always been considered signs of a good sense of style.

School traditions

But opponents of uniform clothing for students often do not take into account such a holiday as " last call"And on this day everyone tries to come as schoolchildren of Soviet times were dressed. After all, how beautiful white starched aprons with lace, snow-white cuffs, turn-down collars, bows look! And on this day everyone is dressed the same. And this does not bother anyone So why don’t parents like the fact that their child is always dressed neatly, tastefully and in accordance with his age? And all these requirements are met by a uniform uniform for students.

Of course, everyone decides for themselves whether they want their child to stand out from the crowd, or whether everything is more important to him listed arguments(democratic, developing the right attitude towards appearance, etc.).

In the essay “Why do you need to wear a school uniform”, one of the arguments can be cited as an example of the alumni holiday. After all, it is necessary that the child early years understood that what is more important is not what a person wears, but how he behaves in society.

Russian light industry enterprises have proposed introducing a uniform uniform for primary school students throughout the country. Representatives of the industry consider it necessary to make school uniforms a separate segment of clothing and consolidate the standards of its production at the legislative level.

"Letidor" recalls when and where school uniforms first appeared, and examines major milestones in world history.

Since ancient times, school uniforms have been a distinctive sign of high society, because not everyone could give their children an education. It's not just an attribute educational system, but also an ancient tradition that changed along with the development of society.

When did school uniforms appear?

It is almost impossible to determine the “birthday” of the form, since the first schools appeared long before our era. Already by the 3rd millennium BC, many cities of Mesopotamia had schools at temples. The schoolchildren did not have a special uniform; they had to dress like future clerks: in a short chiton (like a shirt), leather armor with elegant chlamys trim (thick fabric). In the East, this uniform was worn for thousands of years by young men studying science (girls, as is known, did not take part in the learning process for a long time). But even then special insignia appeared. For example, in ancient Greece Aristotle's students tied their ties with a special oriental knot and wore white togas thrown over their left shoulders.

Ancient Indians studied in so-called “family schools”. The students lived in the house of their teacher-father and obeyed him in everything. They were supposed to come to academic classes in a dhoti kurta - that’s what a two-piece suit was called. The legs and thighs were wrapped in a strip of fabric, and a shirt was put on top, which differed in color, tailoring and ornament among different castes. With the development of Buddhism in I-VI centuries The dhoti kurta was replaced with a kurta and pajami - a long shirt and wide pants. Yes, the word “pajama” came to us from Hindi and literally means “clothing for the legs.”

What happened to form in the Middle Ages

In medieval Europe, with the decline of ancient culture, “dark” times for education began. Institutes and schools were practically destroyed. Only escaped this fate church schools at monasteries. The uniform in those days was ordinary monastic clothing. After difficult times, school uniforms were introduced for the first time in England.

Since 1552, Christ’s Hospital appeared - schools for orphans and children from poor families. A special suit was sewn for the students, consisting of a dark blue jacket with ankle-length tails, a vest, a leather belt and trousers just below the knee. This uniform still exists today, only now it is worn not by orphans, but by the future elite of Great Britain. The form was approved at the state level. At the same time, children from different elite schools came up with special symbols by which students understood each other’s place. How many buttons are fastened on a blazer, how the shoelaces are tied, at what angle a hat is worn, how a child holds a school bag (by one handle or two) - all these were social markers, invisible to the uninitiated.

What's wrong with school uniforms in Russia?

In Russia, the uniform appeared in 1834 with the adoption of a law that approved a separate type of civilian uniforms - student and gymnasium uniforms. The uniform was of a military style: caps, tunics and overcoats, which differed in color, piping, buttons and emblems. Needless to say, the boys proudly wore such clothes not only at school, but also in everyday life.

The girls wore very strict and modest attire - brown dresses and aprons. Each establishment had one color scheme, and the style changed depending on fashion. After the revolution, school uniforms were abolished as an element of the bourgeoisie. The time of “formlessness” lasted until 1949. Then the tunics gave way to suits with four buttons, a cap and a belt with a badge. At the same time, the student’s hairstyle certainly had to be “mixed”, like in the army.

In 1992, under the influence of democratic ideas, school uniforms were officially abolished by the Decree on the Rights of the Child. It was argued that every child has the right to express his individuality as he sees fit. In 2012, a law was passed again, returning school uniforms to legal status.

Whether a school uniform is needed is always an issue in our country, despite the fact that school uniforms have always been and are worn by many students of various educational institutions, both in our country and in others.

But during the difficult period associated with the change in the state status of the country in the mid-90s, everything old was abolished, including school uniforms. And now it’s not easy to return everything to normal.

Disputes about uniforms for schoolchildren are still ongoing, although it is worth noting that uniforms are still worn, especially junior schoolchildren. So why do we need a school uniform, let’s try to figure out this issue.

When discussing human rights, some believe that a school does not have the right to require a child to be present within its walls only in a certain form and to expel him from lessons. There is an education law that clearly states that a child has the right to study. But if the school has an internal regulation in the form of a charter, which stipulates the presence of a certain school uniform, then the school can legally require its wearing. Law and statute often collide, resulting in a large number of disputes. But it is worth noting that it is unlikely that parents should go into open conflict at the school where their child is studying; perhaps it is better to resolve everything peacefully, finding some compromises.

Wearing a uniform has both its disadvantages and undoubted advantages. Whether a school uniform is necessary, everyone speaks out differently for and against its presence in our schools. Let's consider both options.

Pros of school uniform:

  1. The school uniform disciplines, like any workwear. A child who puts on a uniform knows for sure that he is going to study and immediately tunes into the right mood. In addition, the uniform does not distract from studying.
  2. The uniform mitigates differences between the financial status of students' families as well as teachers.
  3. Form is a status thing. She talks about the student’s belonging to a certain school. In gymnasiums and lyceums it is customary to be proud of their school and its uniform.

Disadvantages of school uniforms:

  1. School uniforms make everyone look the same, not allowing for self-expression. And it is especially important for high school students.
  2. The material from which it is sewn is often of poor quality, individual characteristics The body structure of each child is not taken into account, so the uniform sometimes fits poorly, deteriorates, and looks unaesthetic.
  3. Sometimes it is not entirely comfortable, for example, when trousers are prohibited. In winter, girls are quite cold in a skirt, but it is not entirely comfortable to change clothes, and sometimes there is even nowhere. Boys complain that it is inconvenient for them to sit in jackets all day.

By the way, the issue of wearing a school uniform is not decided unilaterally, but only together with parents, so when deciding what your child will study in, you can consider various clothing options, check the quality of various manufacturers to choose the best. You can sew a custom-made uniform from another company, observing the color and style, but from the best fabric and according to the child’s individual measurements.

And there is no need to set the child against the form, because most disputes can be resolved quite peacefully. And besides, children go to school to study, so they should stand out, first of all, with their knowledge, and not with their clothes. And you can show your wardrobe in another place.