There are many benefits to uniforms and dress codes, but they also have downsides. The subject has been debated many times but it is still a good question to think about. While some schools have uniforms and others have dress codes, both are limiting.

When a school has a uniform, it can make it easier to keep track of who is a student while also representing the school, and can also make it easier to pick out an outfit in the morning, but it can make it more difficult at the same time. If a school has a more relaxed dress code, like at McAuliffe, where you need a designated color of pants and a McAuliffe shirt, if the student doesn’t have those, they can have to buy them.  Some families might not have the money to buy a uniform, but there are donations they can get.

There is also weather, and it isn’t like most uniforms are the warmest clothes. In winter, when kids come to school, it is cold (especially in classrooms with broken heating), and their uniforms might not keep them warm, which can lead to a cold learning environment. A cold learning environment could easily distract a student from the lesson while also making working harder. If it is more difficult for them to learn, and they can’t bring their clothes from home to stay warm in winter, then this will ruin the student’s learning. Since school is all about learning, having people disengaged makes this process much more complex and boring. Kids may not even want to go to school in the first place because they have a restricting uniform that’s uncomfortable.

The thing about uniforms is that they are a lot more restricted compared to a dress code. Dress codes and uniforms are very different. A uniform has requirements on what you have to wear, and a dress code only has certain restrictions on what you can’t. The strictness varies in the school; this can influence a student’s choice of where to go.

While some people may prefer having a uniform, others may want the ability to wear anything they choose. It would be understandable that schools don’t want children coming to school with shirts that have profanities, but that is an unlikely situation and no reason to restrict what the kids wear. Some parents may not let their child choose that, and prefer having strict clothing rules, so it may not always be up to the child.

Does it prevent someone from learning because they aren’t comfortable, or does it let them have the freedom in clothing choices most kids so desire? The truth is it all depends on the person’s opinion.