James H wrote:Uniform is extremely important because it shows people that you come from a school and that you are proud to come from that school. I think this is also very important to a student's mental image of the school and how they behave and learn within that environment. If a school's uniform is a polo shirt, sweatshirt and jogging bottoms, it's not going to garner a very professional image, nor is it going to be too enticing to the student, who I would imagine can't wait to get out of the thing at 4pm.
I *strongly* disagree. I had my motivation for being at school - I knew academically what I wanted and needed to get out of it, and I had great friends. Although I probably wouldn't have been saying it at the time, by and large it was a great experience. Without trying to be too arrogant, I did well at school. At no point was I compelled to take pride in my school, or identify with it. I knew very early on that as an institution, I didn't need to invest any emotion in the concept of the school to benefit from it, and it was clear to me that the promotion of uniform was nothing more than a device to try and fabricate a reputation and image that would completely belie the reality of a fairly horrid culture. I absolutely refuse to believe that wearing uniform has any correlation with people's attitudes, behaviour or commitment.
If you want to avoid students not being able to "wait to get out of the thing", then perhaps this can be achieved through more direct ways of actually making the prospect of learning remotely attractive - I don't have the answers to how that's done, but I know it doesn't start with forcing someone to sling a tie around their neck.
You concede that uniform is used to garner a "professional image" and that's precisely what concerns me. Absolutely, schools have big roles in their communities, but again that comes down to what they actually do, rather than a carefully crafted marketing message. In my last couple of years at school a "business manager" was brought in, the heads became the "senior management team", and teachers became "curriculum leaders". With every passing day, it seemed to become more bogged down in acting as a PR campaign, rather than a place to inspire learning and the sharing of ideas. Over those last couple of years at that school, I must have spent a good hour a week going through the motions of being lambasted for my decision not to wear uniform, including being told I was personally responsible for endangering the school. Time taken away from studying for Highers and Advanced Highers which I wanted and needed to try and pursue a life.
I don't have a problem with schools passively trying to instill a bit of spirit, futile as I believe it is - but there's a very fine line between that, and chasing an elusive image which serves absolutely no-one.
but it seems to forget that kids exist after 3pm. Perhaps the ultimate vision is to distribute grey jumpsuits to every child so that we can try outlaw any differentiation between anyone.
