Critics of school uniforms, such as David Harker and Halla Bellof (The Issue 31003), ignore the fact that schools who insist on high uniform standards are actually doing their students a great favour. This is because they’re preparing them for a world where the reality is that almost EVERYONE wears a uniform of some kind or another.
Suppose one of those rebellious students Bellof talks about leaves school and ends up working for McDonalds. How long will they last if they try to modify the uniform they will be forced to wear? Not long I fancy. And also, how many punks with purple hair work in city share dealing rooms?
Uniforms are also necessary for health and safety reasons. Dustmen, plumbers, builders all have to wear some form of uniform to protect themselves.
Having worked in corporate clothing I know that such a policy could be easily implemented - it’s all there, it just needs to be pulled together and a network of suppliers set up - and a national uniform could be in place inside two years.
Shaun Joynson
co London School of Economics
