Creating school conditions for happy pupils and achievement is a multifaceted project
that can include uniforms, but we also prioritise inclusion, and these garments can be at odds with that goalUniforms are a rather easy, visible and low-stakes way to cultivate an element of social cohesion and much-sought-after 'harmony'. Some claim they are a great leveller, ensuring there is no differentiation between the haves and the have-nots, but this ignores the fact that life is crueller than that, and that uniforms alone cannot mask this.
We should not overstate the role of school uniforms, of course. Creating the conditions in school for happy pupils and academic achievement is a multifaceted project. But uniforms are a rather easy, visible and low-stakes way to cultivate an element of social cohesion and that much-sought-after “harmony”. Everyone wears the same thing every day, and whoever fails in this simple task is correctly reprimanded. As disciplinary overtures go, it hardly gets more straightforward than that.
All too often, the uniform argument falls to woolly notions of self-expression and the importance for teenagers to develop and cultivate distinct personality. Sure, of course it is needlessly haughty to preclude teenagers from all self-expression. But I suggest we have a rather low opinion of teenagers if we think their only means of cultivating their personality is via the clothes they wear.
Jen Hogan: No – these expensive, restrictive, cumbersome, overly formal, ridiculously priced garments are an outdated concept That is in spite of a Department of Education circular issued in 2017 detailing measures to be adopted by schools to reduce the costs of school uniforms and other costs.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
How to edit your garden: the one big skill all great gardeners shareCreating a beautiful garden means constantly reappraising and reassessing with a view to the future
Read more »
The Debate: Should inheritance tax be cut in the budget?Amid buoyant tax returns, there have been calls for a reduction in inheritance tax – but those opposed say this will benefit only the wealthiest of homeowners
Read more »
National anthem debate: 'We need to stop apologising for Amhrán na bhFiann'Shane Coleman claimed scenes on Sunday, which saw people cheering before the end of the national anthem, were “disrespectful”
Read more »
The great voice note debate: ‘Mini-podcast’ or ‘total waste of time’?More and more, people are abandoning the traditional text message for voice notes, both for convenience and fun.
Read more »
Data centres now account for 21% of electricity consumption, eclipsing urban householdsCSO findings come amid an increasingly heated debate about data centres and their energy demands
Read more »
The Irish Times view on the inheritance tax debate: calls for a reduction should be resistedA concession may not be hugely costly, but in a system where wealth and assets are lightly taxed it is not the right thing to do
Read more »