DEBATE THIS - Term 1

Brainstormer: Miné Bronkhorst

Writers: Dylan Kondos (Opposing) and Oliver de Sa (Proposing)

Should school uniforms exist?

Proposition:

1. Unity of the School

Unity is for us to be whole, to be one. Unity is what connects us, to have unity is to have order. It is what separates us from chaos and discourse. When you enter a school, you want to be accepted into it and uniforms are a way to show that. If I go to a school and see that kids are wearing completely different things it shows division in the school and its students, when a uniform shows unity and connection with the students. I am not saying that students shouldn't be able to express themselves, but I am saying that uniforms are an expression of unity.

2. To Have Uniforms is to Have Equality

In schools around the world and in South Africa there is bullying. Children who can't afford to buy the newest Nikes often get bullied. However, with a uniform you don’t get bullied for your clothes because you all wear the same things. If children can't afford to go and buy new school clothes, old kids can donate their old clothes to the clothing bank for them. There are also organizations to help with costs specifically for schools and there are other cheaper options like a second-hand shop.

3. Civvies Sows’ Discourse in Our Schools

When we wear civvies, our behaviour becomes more informal. Civvies is a privilege and should not get abused in schools, which is what some children do. Many schools only have a few days where uniform is not required for that exact reason: the children are less behaved. Now not all children misbehave when wearing civvies, but some do and that is why uniforms help keep order. The uniform doesn’t make a student unhappy. Students also perform better when there is order in the classroom.

Opposing:

1. The Right to Self-Expression Through Clothes.

Clothes have come a long way from just wearing them for warmth. Now more than ever in our society, expression is deeply important to us. We express ourselves through the way we talk, our hairstyles or even our profile pictures, but an extremely important way of expression, is the way we dress. Whether it is your culture, religion, personality or a simple emotion you feel, your clothes are an excellent way of communicating and part of multiple learners’ self-identity. Uniforms strip us of this basic form of expression and promotes the idea that everyone must look the same. Civvies supports the great diversity we have as a school and community. Having happy learners being able to show their personality or identity and feel connected to the school is more important than the school looking "unified" and having learners that feel foreign in their own skin. That is the true division, the division between student and school.

2. Improved Moods in Relation to Civvies Vs Uniform.

When comparing uniform to civvies, the happiness of the students is a key factor. This is one of the most important things in a school. The mood of a school's learners is not only vital to its public image but is also crucial to the academic ability of the students. If visitors, other schools or potential new learners see unhappy students tired in the same uniform day in and day out, then it will look bad on the schools’ image. No matter how hard you study or try to focus on class, your mood will affect your academic and learning processes. An unhappy student is not a good learner. The behaviour is not "informal", but rather natural. Students can feel comfortable. There are a minority of kids who misbehave, but this does not mean that the entire school should be punished. The reason that behaviour happens in the first place is, because civvies is seen as this rare privilege instead of a basic right. This culture will only change when we change our minds and adopt civvies.

3. The Forever Increasing Costs of Uniforms.

Around the world, uniforms are expensive as is, but in South Africa we get the worst of it. Like clockwork, uniform prices go up every year. For financially burdened families, school uniforms are like a hit in the gut. Not only do you have to buy one full school uniform, but two because multiple schools have, "formal" and "PT" uniforms. Children do not stop growing so you constantly need to replace school shoes, shirts, and pants. Normal/civvies clothes are often less expensive than uniforms and, the versatility of these clothes is greater than uniforms. Adopting civvies will stop people from having to

deal with these costs.