uniforms?

Have you ever wondered how it feels not to wear a school uniform to school? I know some are lucky not to use them, that’s for sure. But as an Indonesian, it's a very complex topic that's easily debatable.

I for one am against the use of uniform in schools. Why, you ask? Well, for one, you can express your identity when you use your own clothing. You’d certainly be more comfortable and people can really see who you really are. Sure, appearances don’t matter much but everyone has their own styles that would be reflected when they can use whatever they want. Appropriate, of course.

Not many would disagree on the statement that schools can easily increase the uniform prices and we wouldn’t know why. Wearing your own wardrobe would certainly result in less cost and people who can’t afford to go to school can look at school kids not wearing uniform and feel equality. Because in some cases, these kids that can’t go to school sees us in uniforms and may feel really depressed because they don’t have enough to be able to go to school, let alone buy a uniform.

We’d increase the school’s artistic side by indulging in our creativity and being colorful in what we wear. Clothes can reflect your feelings, like when you’re feeling down, most would wear black. When you’re feeling happy most would wear energetic, bright colors like pink or yellow, etc. This is not constant though, some people are happier with comfortable clothes like baggy pants and sweatshirts for no psychological reason and who are we to judge, right?

Parents would be concerned with the level of appropriateness of the child’s clothing as they are entitled to but if we wanted not to wear a uniform, we certainly would have created a policy segment that discusses the dress code rules on its own inside the student handbook everyone receives and should definitely follow.

“I want students to wear school uniforms because not wearing them results in no school identity!” Shouts one person.

Well I can’t really agree with you on that one, bud. Your uniform should not define you, you define your school uniform. Your behavior, your attitude, your respect. That defines your school. In addition to that, if you can conclude that no uniform means no school identity that means you’re insulting universities and colleges for no incoherent reason.

Look at them, for example. Even though they don't have uniforms, they’re united. And that's the whole point. Besides, if you’re worried that on trips you’d get separated with the group, a few schools has applied a wonderful strategy of making official school jackets, shirts, ribbons, bracelets, caps, it can be anything.

The wealthy and poor case that everyone takes intense notice of can also be avoided because most schools in Indonesia have economic standards that has to be fulfilled to be able to enroll to said school and that basically decreases the wealthy and poor range for we’re not that far of from each other. Almost equal.

The former statement can also explain the lack of jealousy that would occur in the certain school and the bullying levels would not be high, maybe not at all.

Based on the opinions and facts above, I don't see any problem with not using a uniform. I’d say that the advantages are worth more than the disadvantages that could easily be wriggled out of.

But everyone’s entitled to their own opinions. Tell me what you think!:)