School uniform

Students in Bangkok

Over one thousand students in uniform during an assembly at a secondary school in Singapore.

Stupid School uniforms are common in primary and secondary schools in many nations. They are the most widely known form of student uniform, other types of which include uniforms worn by students participating in higher vocational training, such as in health occupations.

Traditionally, school uniforms have been subdued and professional. Boys' uniforms often consist of dark trousers and light-colored shirt, tie. Girls' uniforms vary greatly between countries and schooling systems, but typically consist of a dress or a blouse worn either with a skirt, culottes or under a pinafore. Gender-specific uniforms have been a point of contention, with some schools permitting female students to choose either skirts or trousers while still requiring male students to wear trousers. The use of a blazer or suit-like jacket for either gender is also fairly common, especially in cold weather. Management of the school uniform program is an important task.

In continental Europe, uniforms have not been required in public (state-sponsored) schools. Private schools, though, often have a school uniform or a strict dress code. This is different in the United Kingdom and Ireland however, where the majority of state schools adopt a uniform for a more formal look.

School dress codes vs. school uniforms

School dress codes dictate what cannot be worn by any student, such as sheer or midriff-baring tops, clothing that advertises tobacco or alcohol, unkind comments directed towards other children and/or parents or the like. Uniforms, on the other hand, are specific in describing a limited range of officially sanctioned clothes that a student can wear. The difference is between "everything that is not allowed is forbidden" (uniforms) and "everything that is not forbidden is allowed" (dress codes).

Use according to country

Australia

Photograph of the front of an Australian Year 12 school uniform top, taken in 2005.

Photograph of the back of the same Year 12 top.

School uniforms in Australia have traditionally followed the model of their British counterparts. Most private and public schools, in all Australian states, have a compulsory uniform policy. For boys, the uniforms generally include trousers, shorts, jumpers and a button-up shirt and/or polo shirt. Girls' uniforms generally include skirts, culottes, dresses, jumpers, blouses and/or poloshirts and sometimes also trousers and shorts. Uniforms for either gender may also include a blazer, tie and hat. A different uniform specifically for sports is usually worn for physical education activities.

In recent times Year 12 students at Australian schools have been allowed to wear special jumpers (jerseys) or printed tops to denote their final year status. In some schools this has taken the form of a different coloured jumper (sometimes white or cream), a special commemorative year 12 top (eg a rugby top) with the last two digits of the year and a name or nickname displayed, other tops are printed with the names of all students in that year level.) Some schools also have different ties or blazers for senior years.

Canada

Most public schools in Canada do not require that students wear uniforms, but most include rules against indecent or offensive clothing. Many regions of Canada have publicly-funded Catholic schools, and many of those schools have uniforms. Prior to the integration of Newfoundland's public (government-funded) school system in the late 1990s, those public schools administered by the Catholic Church mandated strict, uniform-like dress codes (shirts and ties for boys, dresses or skirts for girls) at the elementary and junior high school levels, lifting most restrictions for high school students. In recent years, some schools have eliminated skirts and kilts, in favour of dress pants for girls, or replaced skirts with the culottes or a garment called a skort which is a skirt that has an attached short on the inside for modesty. Also, bike shorts are sometimes worn under skirts. The tops are either dress shirts or golf shirts, and either sweaters or sweatshirts are worn. Grey or khaki dress pants are worn by both boys and girls.

There are also some schools in eastern Canada that have converted to being Academies as opposed to standard secondary schools. These facilities usually require a uniform, most often a white shirt over a grey or dark patterned skirt or pants.

A few private schools also require students to wear formal British-style school uniforms (blazers and ties).

Germany

School uniforms have no strong tradition in Germany and are virtually unknown today.

From the 16th century, students (especially of secondary or grammar schools and similar institutions) were often subject to regulations that prescribed, for example, modest and not too stylish attire. In many cases these regulations were part of wider laws concerning the clothing of all citizens of certain social classes. A blue coat became a widespread, obligatory status symbol of students of secondary schools; it fell out of use during the latter half of the 18th century. In newer times, school uniforms in any real sense did not exist outside of convent schools and private boarding schools. At times, certain fashions became so widespread that they approached uniform status; this is true in particular for so-called student hats (Schülermützen) that became widespread from the 1880s on and remained somewhat popular until they were banned by the Nazis. Their wearing was advocated by teachers and the students themselves and occasionally made mandatory, but never on a national or state-wide level. Another instance are the sailor suits that became fashionable around the turn of the 19th century. These, too, were not usually a prescribed uniform.

The Nazis banned student hats – the last remaining, if voluntary, form of unified student clothing – because they considered them an attribute of class society. They did, however, institute mandatory membership in the uniformed Hitler Youth (HJ) from 1936 on. HJ uniforms were worn in the Adolf Hitler Schools and in the Napolas; students of other schools sometimes wore them to school at their own discretion.

In recent times, the introduction of school uniforms has been discussed, but usually the expression "uniform" is avoided in favour of terms like "school clothing." School clothing has been introduced in a small number of schools, for example in Hamburg-Sinstorf in 2000, and in Friesenheim and Haag (Oberbayern) in 2005. In these cases the clothes are collections of shirts, sweaters, and the like, catering to contemporary fashion senses. Uniforms in a more traditional sense are almost never proposed in earnest.

Ireland

Most primary schools and virtually all secondary schools in Ireland require school uniform. An exception is Educate Together multi-denominational primary schools, and also students repeating the Leaving Certificate Examination.

Israel

School uniforms used to be the norm in Israel in the early days of the state's existence, but have since fallen out of favor. However, in recent years, the number of schools using school uniforms has been increasing once more. Many teachers, parents and students all around the country are in favor of returning the school uniform into common use as to prevent the deepening of the gap between children who aren't well-off and children who are.

Today, school uniforms in Israel consist only of a shirt with the school logo. In the summer, the uniform shirt is a simple T-shirt, while in the winter, the shirts worn are warm sweaters and hooded sweaters. Although the shirts are uniform, they usually come in various colors, and allow students to customize and express themselves even while wearing a uniform. The shirts sell for a very small amount of money, so that even those who do not have a lot of money can acquire them.

Japan

Japanese high school students wearing the sailor outfit

Main article: Japanese school uniform

Japan introduced Western-style school uniforms in the late 19th century as a part of its modernization program. Today, school uniforms are an established part of Japanese life. They are almost universal in the public and private school systems with various schools being known for their particular uniforms. They are also used in some women's colleges.

In many areas, elementary school students do not need to wear a uniform to school. Where uniforms are required, many boys wear white shirts, shorts, and caps. The uniform codes may change depending on the season to work with the environment and occasion.

The junior and senior high school uniform traditionally consists of a black military style uniform for boys and a sailor outfit for girls. These uniforms are based on Meiji era formal military dress, which were in turn modelled on European-style naval uniforms. While this style of uniform is still in use, many schools have moved into more western pattern parochial school uniform styles.

Malaysia

Malaysia introduced Western style school uniforms in the late 19th century during British colonial era until post-independence. Today, school uniforms are almost universal in the public and private school systems. The current Malaysian school uniforms are compulsory for all students attending public schools. The uniforms at Malaysian public schools are as follows:

Malaysian primary school girls wearing the pinafore

File:18548000849097l.jpg

A Malaysian secondary school class photo. All but one of the girls sitting in the front row are wearing the baju kurung

• Primary school
  • Boys
    • White shirt and
      • Navy blue shorts; or
      • Navy blue trousers
  • Girls
    • Navy blue pinafore over white shirt; or
    • White baju kurung (a long tunic that covers the arms) over long navy blue skirt

• Secondary school
  • Boys
    • White shirt and
      • Olive green shorts; or
      • Olive green trousers (more common); or
      • White trousers (generally only for Form 6 students)
  • Girls
    • Turquoise pinafore over white shirt (Form 1 to Form 5); or
    • Turquoise skirt with white blouse (generally only for Form 6 students); or
    • White baju kurung (a long tunic that covers the arms) over long turqouise skirt (Form 1 to Form 6)

Students are also required to wear white socks and white shoes with the above uniform. For modesty reasons as well, most schools require female students who wear the baju kurung to wear a plain-coloured camisole underneath.

In addition to these, schools usually have their own school badges which must be sewn or ironed onto the uniform - generally the left chest. Some schools also require students to sew their name tags in addition to the school badge. For upper forms, students generally have to wear a school specific tie, except those who are wearing the baju kurung.

In Malaysia, Muslim girls tend to wear the baju kurung. Most of them start wearing a white hijab upon entering secondary school, for religious reasons. Non-Muslim girls tend to wear the pinafore. Some non-Muslim girls also wear baju kurung, and some Muslim girls wear the pinafore. This crossover is quite common, and is usually due to the girls wanting more variety in their choice of uniform, level of comfort, or wanting to blend in or stand out with the more commonly worn uniform in their school.

Girls who choose to wear the pinafore, especially those attending co-ed schools, also usually wear shorts under their pinafore to allow for carefree movement as the skirt of the pinafore only covers up to the knee. Those who wear the baju kurung tend not to wear shorts under their long skirt as their long skirt already covers their legs.

Public schools also have their own authority to set special school uniforms for prefects, class monitors, librarians and as such, there are many varieties of them depending on schools.

The hairstyle of students is also given attention by schools and the Ministry of Education. Schools do not allow students to colour their hair. For boys, there is usually a maximum length of hair allowed, for example, the hair must be a few centimetres above the collar, and no sideburns are allowed. The use of hair gel is prohibited in some of the stricter schools, in order to prevent excessive hairdressing. For girls with long hair, their hair must be properly tied up, often into a ponytail. Some schools dictate the colour and type of hair accessories that can be used. Some schools even prohibit girls from having long hair.

Schools usually enforce their school uniform code thoroughly, with regular checks by teachers and prefects. Students who fail to comply may be warned, given demerit points, publicly punished, sent home from school or even caned.

Private schools

Most Malaysian private schools have their own school uniform, and this differs from school to school, depending on the school's ownership. Most private primary schools have uniforms identical to those of the public system. Most private secondary schools, however, have their own school uniform. Today, many private schools have their students wear polo shirts in the school colors, and girls wear skirts instead of pinafores. The "baju kurung" is also accepted.

Kindergarten

There are no set uniforms for kindergarten as they are privately owned. Each kindergarten might have different uniforms or allow free choice of clothing.

The uniform in most Malaysian kindergartens is the sailor uniform. These schools also tend to have a sports uniform. The remainder have uniforms identical to that of the public primary school uniform.

Malta

All schools in Malta require their students to wear school uniforms. These tend to follow the British example of skirt, blouse, school tie, blazer, dark tights and lace up shoes. Boys wear slacks and there are jumper dresses for the younger girls.

Just like in the United Kingdom, students who are 16+ and attend 6^th form do not usually wear a uniform.

New Zealand

Traditionally, many New Zealand Intermediate and high schools have followed the British system of school uniforms. This usually consists of a variety of the following apparel: an 'official' school jersey, jacket and tie, a grey/white shirt, pants and/or shorts, and, in many girls' schools, kilts. Blazers and jackets are of varied colours according to the school - dark or light blue, grey, crimson, scarlet, green or black. Some follow the British practice of having contrasting colours edging the lapels and jacket fronts. Caps or other headdresses have generally been discarded since the 1970s.

Being allowed to wear long trousers as part of the uniform, rather than shorts, often marks the transition from junior to senior classes. At some schools, seniors are allowed to wear mufti casual clothing. It is customary for boys' schools to have long ("knee-high") socks in school colours worn with shorts, in contrast to that of American or Mexican schools, where girls wear knee-high socks..

During the 1980s and 1990s there was a tendency for the traditional uniform to be replaced by cheaper and more 'modern' options: polo shirts, polar fleece tops, or a complete doing away with uniforms in favour of mufti. This trend seems to have been reversed in recent years and only a small number of secondary schools have now abolished uniforms entirely. Intermediate schools usually provide the option of skirts or culottes for girls and sometimes shorts while boys will wear shorts. Also bike shorts or tights are sometimes worn under girls skirts. At high school girls will usually wear skirts or pants and boys will wear shorts or pants. Some Girl Schools also have navy blue skirts and open necked white blouses long in winter and short in summer as the skirts are not allowed higher than below the knee; the skirts also have splits up the center at the back

Philippines

File:Last days 082.jpg

Schoolgirls and boys in Manila, Philippines.

School uniforms are common in Philippine schools for both elementary and high school, as well as a few colleges. For boys, a school uniform normally consists of a white shirt (some similar to the Barong Tagalog) with short sleeves and slacks of either khaki, black or blue. For girls, a uniform would be a white blouse with short sleeves, a ribbon, a necktie and a pleated skirt. The skirts for girls are usually long, usually ranging 3-4 inches below the knee, while the shortest is 2 inches before the lower knee.

In the 1970s and 80s, school uniforms were usually white long-sleeved shirts and neckties with black slacks for boys, while short or long sleeved blouses with ribbon and blue pleated skirts for girls. During that time, the skirts were usually shorter, ranging from about half an inch after the upper knee or shorter, while the longest was 1 inch before the lower knee. Due to the growing cases of abuses, the school uniform code for girls slowly grew stricter until the late 1990s, when skirts were made much longer.

Some schools, especially for boys, require wearing a coat and tie alongside the white shirt. But it is usually required in colleges and international schools.

Singapore

All schools in Singapore require students to wear school uniforms. The normal uniform for boys is shorts/long pants, as well as a short sleeve shirt. Girls' uniforms include pinafores or skirts, with blouses, with the exception of schools like the Singapore Chinese Girls' School and others. Girls tend to wear shorts underneath their uniform.

South Korea

All South Korean secondary education students wear uniform called "교복"(校服, Gyobok). Some private elementary schools, kindergartens and almost all high schools and middle schools require uniforms as well, with strict rules about wearing uniforms neatly. Girls can not have their hair longer than shoulder and guys have to keep it really short. There is a student or a group of students who checks the uniforms and some tolerate more than others. Every morning there is a teacher or student representatives checking students' appearance in front of school.

Sweden

In Sweden has school uniforms occurred sparsely. A part faith agencies had a special peak cap that students was expected carry outdoors. Some occasional private school has also used school uniform. Although Sweden do not have school uniform is it however prohibited that students carry clothing and symbols that fights against the school's value basis, for example symbols with pronounced Nazism reasons. In recent year, arguments have for school uniform been consulted everything more often in Swedish debate. Swedish Christian Democrats suggested 2005 that individual schools would be given fairly to introduce school uniform if they so desires. Similar ideas has again been consulted after the the civil choice victory years 2006, but no concrete proposal has been presented.

United Kingdom

Almost all British schools require pupils to wear uniforms, although further education colleges (for age 16+) do not usually have a uniform.

Typical British secondary school uniform often, but not exclusively, consists of:

• School blazer with school crest or logo
• Plain white shirt, which is tucked in at the waist and has its top button done up
• School tie
• Black, navy, grey, or maroon trousers or skirt (sometimes shorts will be allowed in Primary Schools).
• Grey or black socks (boys)
• White socks or black or skin-coloured tights or hold-up stockings (girls)
• Plain black shoes (trainers may be allowed in the summer).
• Black or navy or grey or school color v-neck pullover, or black pullover with the school crest or logo
• Outer clothing of a sober design

The PE kit often consists of:

• School polo shirt with school crest or school logo - tucked into tracksuit or shorts or dress
• Blue, black, red, green or white shorts depending on school uniform colour, sometimes with school logo or crest
• Trainers (for children of any age)
• Pumps (sometimes for younger children)
• Gym skirt (girls)
• Athletic briefs (girls)
• Leotard (girls)
• White or black socks
• Swimwear - one-piece swimsuit (girls); swimming briefs (boys); sometimes with school logo

Many girls schools now wear tartan skirts. This is especially common in Grammar schools and Independent Schools In addition to this, many schools (both private- and state-funded) have moderately strict rules on the wearing of make up, jewellery or 'trendy' clothing. It should be noted that most schools in the United Kingdom do not suffer the fairly common 'clothing cliques' found in countries where uniforms are not so prevalent. However children with cheap or poorly kept school uniform often become socially excluded.

More recently, however, a trend toward wearing school sweatshirts and polo shirts or t-shirts, (as well as more casual styles of trousers, such as plain, dark-coloured jeans, cargo pants or tracksuit bottoms), has spread throughout schools in the UK. This was seen as a way to modernise the uniform as well as make it more affordable to lower income families who couldn't afford blazers, etc. Equally temperatures in classrooms have changed over the last 50 years in the United Kingdom due to both environmental reasons and also the introduction of central heating systems. This has in most schools made older uniforms such as thick jumpers, blazers and shirts highly impractical, especially in the summer months, prompting many schools to adopt more casual temperate uniforms. Still, in some cases, schools are re-introducing the blazer and tie in a bid to 'smarten up' their pupils and combat bullying.

In many secondary schools, girls have started to wear trousers instead of skirts as part of their uniform, but this depends on the school and the area. Particularly in sixth forms, the tailored shorts that are now in fashion in the UK are being permitted during the summer months. Unlike in the United States there is no law forcing gender-impartial uniforms. As a result, especially in privately funded schools, the girls' uniform often differs significantly from the boys' uniform.

Although never an official part of the uniform, the Snorkel Parka became extremely popular as a school winter jacket in the 1970s and 1980s. It was a relatively cheap jacket, affordable by most families and therefore in many schools at the time almost every boy would have one though they were less popular with girls. Although unpopular during the 1990s the Snorkel Parka is now becoming popular again, though nowhere near the popularity it gained in the early 1980s.

In areas with large numbers of people who are not tradtionally from the UK, some schools allow female pupils to wear religiously-appropriate clothing, often in the school's typical uniform colours. Depending on the level of religious observance of the pupil, and the school's willingness to permit non-regulation clothing, this can sometimes cause difficulties.

British night clubs often organise uniform theme parties where patrons are asked to wear adult versions of the uniform. Angus Young from the Australian musical act AC/DC often wears his school uniform on stage.

United States

Students in this Houston, Texas public high school are wearing school uniforms

Most public schools in the United States do not have school uniforms, though many have dress codes regulating student attire. Dress codes usually include limits on skirt length and skin exposure. They generally include prohibitions on clothing with tears or holes, exposure of undergarments, and anything that is obscene, gang-related, or unsafe. Some school dress codes specify the types of tops (e.g. collared) and bottoms (e.g. khaki) that are allowed, as well as specific colors (often the school colors). In recent years there has been a significant increase in school uniforms (see below) for all levels of schooling. In most cases, while school uniforms vary greatly, a general idea of what is typically permitted includes

• Trousers
• Collared shirts (types vary significantly)
• Shorts
• Skirts
• Skorts
• Jumper dresses
• Culottes

According to the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the fraction of American public schools requiring school uniforms rose from three percent in 1997 to one in five (21%) in 2000. School uniforms are fairly common for private schools in the United States, especially for Catholic schools. Although many private school uniforms are similar to the ones described below for public schools, a few still require more formal British-style school uniforms, such as blazers and ties. Culottes are also sometimes substituted for a skirt, especially at Episcopalian or non-parochial private schools. In 1994, the Long Beach Unified School District, in Southern California, required school uniforms in all elementary and middle schools. This began a trend for uniforms in American elementary public schools, especially in urban school districts. President Clinton mentioned LBUSD's efforts in his 1996 State of the Union Address. The adoption of school or district-wide uniform policies (or, alternatively, "standardized dress codes" – which are not as rigid as school uniform requirements, but allow some leeway within set parameters) has been motivated by a need to counter "gang clothing" (or, in the alternative, the pressure for families to purchase upscale-label clothing to avoid their children being ignored by "fashion cliques"), as well as to improve morale and school discipline.

Adolfo Santos, a political science professor at the University of Houston–Downtown, stated that many Hispanic communities in the United States choose uniforms because many immigrants originate from countries with schools requiring uniforms .

In Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Department of Education requires all students to wear school uniforms, and only allows for medical exemptions. Also, almost all private schools also require their students to wear school uniforms.

Efficiency

The efficiency of uniforms, in improving academic performance and student attitudes, is often debated.

A study published in The Journal of Education Research by David L. Brunsma, of the University of Missouri, and Kerry A. Rockquemore, of the University of Notre Dame, states:

"The findings indicate that student uniforms have no direct effect on substance use, behavioral problems, or attendance."

Laws and rulings against school uniforms

In the Australian state of Queensland, Ombudsman Fred Albietz ruled in 1998 that public schools may not require uniforms.

Even in the United Kingdom, a country generally known for its school uniforms, a state school may not exclude students for "breaching school uniform policy", under a policy promulgated by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

In the United States, a few states have regulations declaring that public schools must allow students to opt out of uniform policies. The state of Massachusetts prohibits dress codes in public schools by declaring that schools may not "abridge the rights of students as to personal dress and appearance."

In 1969, the United States Supreme Court ruling in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District affirmed students' rights to free expression in public schools.

External links

• Should school uniforms be mandated in elementary schools?
• Long Beach Unified School District Uniform Initiative: A Prevention-Intervention Strategy for Urban Schools, The
• NAESP : >>Information and Resources: Public School Uniforms