Rémi is for…
As you know, in the UK the wearing of a school
uniform is obligatory. For boys, it is usually grey or black trousers, a white
shirt, a jacket, and black shoes. For girls, it’s the same except they have to
wear skirts. Does that sound horrible? No, of course not, that’s how many
people dress anyway! Let me say to you that I’m 100% in favor of wearing a
uniform at school, and my opinion is shared by the majority of the pupils in
this school! What a shame the wearing of a smart school uniform is not
obligatory in France…
A school uniform is a great leveler;
what I mean is that it puts everyone on the same level. It wipes out social
differences, and differences in wealth between people. Some kids wear Levis,
even Armani, to show off how wealthy their families are. Other kids can't
afford to dress like that. How rich or poor you are should not be important in
a school, a place of learning. A uniform would be the answer to discrimination,
mockery and bullying. A uniform shows that everyone in a school, whatever their
parents’ situation, is part of the same group: the school. If we had a school
uniform here, distinctions of wealth between pupils would no longer be made,
which would be a great step forward for the better integration of everyone…
A uniform shows adults that you are
a pupil, and it shows them, and the pupils from other schools, that you belong
to a particular school. This is how it should be! You are what you are, and you
should be proud of the fact. And what you are - a pupil - is who you
are. You will be an adult soon enough and you can then wear all the fancy
clothes you want to show what a great individual you are…
From a practical point of view, the
uniform is great too. Spare a thought for our parents! One uniform is cheaper
than having to buy us clothes for every day of the week. The US Department of
Education makes sure that the average cost of uniforms for one whole year is no
more than about $250 (€190). What is your yearly clothes allowance?!
Plus, think about it, if you wore a uniform, your parents would no longer have
to moan at you every morning: “you’re not going to school dressed like THAT I
hope?!”
The US Department of Education
carried out a survey on what introducing a uniform might bring to a school. To
the question “from your point of view, would a uniform increase school pride
and sense of community?” 80% of the teachers said “yes” and 40% of the parents
too! I feel that teachers, parents, but also pupils of schools in France would
also answer “yes” to the same question. A school uniform shows pupils they
belong. Isn’t it important for you to feel that you belong? How many hours of
your life do you spend here, at school? Isn’t it important to know that your
presence is valued? If it is, then you would wear a uniform with pride because
it represents the school which you are proud to belong to. And a uniform would
represent the school which is proud to have you…
The same survey also shows that parents
and teachers strongly agree on the fact that the uniform eliminates competition
between pupils, and improves the learning environment. Great news for our
teachers in Massillon, surely?! It would be great news for us too.
So, what are we waiting for?! With all these arguments in favor, I don't see what
you can say against having a school uniform in Massillon; it’s a really
positive initiative, it makes obvious sense… I would say it’s meaningful, even
urgent. Vote in favor of having a school uniform at Massillon!
Jules is against…
OK, thanks Remy! You make
introducing a school uniform at Massillon sound really positive. Unfortunately,
you are being way too idealistic, and much too naïve. We are not in the UK, not
in the US of A. This is Clermont, France. Today…
Can you imagine us walking around
town in a silly-colored jacket and tie?! We would be laughed at! You talk about
getting rid of inequalities and discrimination, but in this town we would be
discriminated against because of our uniform! As a uniform shows what
school you belong to, it also shows if you come from a privileged background or
not. It would just make the rivalry between schools worse. And, unfortunately,
a uniform simply doesn’t wipe out prejudice even within a school… Kids will simply
find other means of denigrating each other!
You said having to wear a uniform
would reduce the cost of one’s wardrobe. But a uniform is very expensive! Not
everyone can afford to buy a new uniform or a good quality one. Some will have
silk neckties whereas others will have cheap nylon ones. Also, people will show
their individual personalities and even their wealth through things like
jewelry or a fancy cell phone. So the uniform would just be a token gesture to
us all being equal at school, it will not really hide the social differences.
Jealousy is not a cause of bullying.
Kids are sometimes a bit jealous of those who wear fancy shoes or trendy
clothes, but more often those who dare to have “style” are admired! It is not a
way of showing how rich you are, it’s more a way of showing your personality,
of showing that you are not like others. And it’s not just rich kids that wear
nice clothes. In the UK, bullying happens if you dare to be different, to wear
something that looks different, in other words if you go against the mentality
that the wearing of a uniform imposes! The uniform is the cause of
bullying!
The uniform is totally accepted in
the United States and the UK; it is part of their way of life and of their
teaching methods. In France, I don’t think that pupils would like these
methods. They would go against our mentality. I have asked my classmates, and
most of them feel it would be ridiculous to have a uniform. The uniform is
a means to suppress an individual’s character. And that is anti-French! I
couldn’t imagine having to be like everybody else, could you?
A school
uniform goes against your freedom of expression because it is imposed; it does
not allow you to show your personality to the world. Isn’t being a teenager all
about finding out who you are and being able to assert your character through
interaction with those around you? A uniform, in a way, stops you from growing
up. Being lost in the anonymous crowd, you become passive, obedient, and
conformist. You become obedient, you do not have to take responsibility for
yourself or for others, and you do not have to get involved in what is
happening around you. Do we want to instill a fascist mentality in this
Nation’s youth?!
Why is a uniform imposed on
prisoners? Having to wear a uniform is part of their punishment, a reminder
that they have lost their right to freedom, a reminder of their status as
prisoners under the authority of the prison guards. What sins have we, the
pupils in Massillon, committed that we have to be punished by wearing a
uniform!? Is our school a prison? Are our teachers prison guards? At least
prisoners know why they are in prison. At least the rules of the prison are not
arbitrary; prisoners understand why the rules exist. At least the prisoners
know they might get out early for good behavior! We do not have a choice about
being in school; let us not make it into a place of punishment, with rules we
do not understand, sadistic teachers, or ugly, ridiculous, dehumanizing
uniforms! (show extract of Pink Floyd’s The
Wall).
A uniform that
is imposed doesn’t make you the same as everyone else… it makes you into no
one!
Marianne is for…
You
seem to be saying that the wearing of a uniform is humiliating, that it is
dehumanizing? I think you’re totally wrong, it’s the complete opposite!
The
uniform is practical, essential indeed for some jobs. Also, it allows everybody
to recognize someone’s function, what his rank is.
For
the person wearing the uniform, it shows him he belongs, what he is and who he
is. A person can be truly himself - feel valued - when he knows his place in
society, don’t you think? A uniform is not about losing your personal identity,
it is more about esprit de corps, being accepted as part of a group, and it
signifies one’s hierarchical position in that group, one’s merits. Surely, that
is particularly important in a school context, where young people need to feel
they belong?
I
like the uniform of Scout troops particularly; I think it is well adapted to
the life style of children. It’s not ridiculous like a “Hogwarts” uniform! The
fact that Scouts have badges on their uniforms is a good way of showing
personal merits, what “good deeds” the Scout has carried out for others. It
shows a uniform does not hinder individualism, on the contrary: it shows how
valued an individual is by others. And, thanks to the uniform, the hierarchy
within a group is clearly visible, which avoids the confusion of an “invisible”
hierarchy, of not knowing who is who…
The
soldiers who are fighting terrorists in Mali are proud to wear their uniforms,
the doctors and nurses who take care of us are proud to wear their uniforms,
all the courageous firefighters are proud to wear their uniforms… Why would the
pupils studying in Massillon not be proud to wear a uniform!?
Guillaume is against…
Uniforms are only necessary in certain jobs. We can’t
imagine a doctor, a policeman, a bank accountant, a coal miner, a priest, or a
judge going to work without the appropriate clothes. It is fair to say that
these clothes, uniforms if you like, are needed by those people to do their
job. It is not unreasonable for companies to ask their employees to be well-dressed
or to dress in the appropriate clothes needed to execute certain tasks, but I
can’t agree with you when you say uniforms reinforce the feeling of belonging
to a group. This feeling of belonging is only created when you are accepted in
a group, and having to wear a uniform has little to do with that.
According to your logic, uniforms
will resolve social problems. So more uniforms, fewer problems, right? OK,
then, how about the Government imposing a uniform on the whole population
because of all the erstwhile advantages you’ve listed? Uniforms are going to
reinforce the feeling of belonging to the nation, right? But, would you really
be happy living in a society in which everyone looks, acts, thinks the same?
Think of Orwell’s 1984, think of North Korea. Do you honestly think a uniform
will help people live together better? A uniform imposed by an all-controlling
State would in fact create more problems than it would resolve. It would be the
mark of a society based on suspicion, hate, and conformity. A totalitarian
nightmare…
Nobody should be forced to wear
something. As long as my clothes do not offend anyone, I should be able to wear
anything I choose. That’s what is terrible about women having to wear the
burka; it is, I believe, imposed on them and is part of a sectarian system that
denies them their freedom of thought or movement.
Some people think a school uniform
hides social disparities. They are right, it does try to hide them, but it
cannot get rid of them! Hiding injustice does not resolve it. We need real
change in society, not a society lying to itself by pretending we are all equal
because we are all dressed the same!
Many people are afraid of the
violence in our society. Some call for more authority, better discipline in
schools, etc. Imposing uniforms on school children is part of their reactionary
mind-set. But more violence does not solve violence. Wearing the same thing as
other people cannot make one feel safer, it’s a ridiculous idea.
Some people’s obsession with
uniforms only reflects their own insecurity. For them, uniforms symbolize
respect for authority and discipline. But, a sense of security comes from
people feeling good about themselves as individuals, because they have a good
job, a happy family, and many friends…
Transition comment by Lola, the Chair:
The issue of school uniforms brings up the following
important question: should people be dictated to? Doesn’t imposing a uniform
amount to dictating to people their physical appearance and, in the end, their
behavior? The real debate in fact is about the nature of authority in our
society…
Nicolas is for…
We, as individuals, need to be controlled by a
superior force and I'm going to tell you why. There are 66 million people in
this country; how are we supposed to respect each other’s liberties without
some kind of real authority? We need authority, a power that punishes those who
do not respect the law... As the philosopher Spinoza said: “The State exists in order that people can live
together without hostility.” And that's why we need authority; we can't live
without it!
Chloé is against…
There
is often abuse of authority. Sometimes, the State exercises authority not in
the interest of all; it imprisons us in the kind of ideology that it wants us
to follow. It prevents us from being free and making our own choices. It says
it is a guide, but it is often like a dictator. We can't be free if all we do
is follow the orders given from above. How can we be certain that these orders
are fair or even good for us? Moreover, how can this authority be sure that its
orders aren't harmful to us? We need to be able to make our own decisions
because they concern us first and foremost.
Nicolas
Sure,
we need to have a degree of freedom; let's take the example of everyone in this
room: I'm sure that without the authority of our teachers and parents, we
wouldn't have reached our level of knowledge and to be able to make an informed
choice concerning our future. We can choose what higher education studies we
would like to do, but only because of the wise council of our teachers and the
benign authority of our parents…
Chloé
Maybe
you're right, but don't forget that parents, teachers, and others aren't always
without prejudice or even fair. We are afraid of making choices alone and
that's why we are easily influenced. Nevertheless, letting an authority dictate
our actions is a kind of cowardice; we need to accept the consequences of our
own acts. We are lucky to have liberty, and as human beings we must be proud of
that and be responsible because we are able to judge if one thing is good or
not by ourselves.
Nicolas
It is
in our nature to want someone lead us. People hate the unknown, they fear it.
That's why Dostoyevsky, the Russian philosopher, said that there's one thing
human beings prefer to liberty, and that’s slavery. Let's take an example: a
couple of weeks ago, one of my teachers told me about a survey he had done in
his class. He asked them: “What kind of jobs do you want to have when you grow
up?” And do you know what they answered? Half of them said that they wanted to be civil servants and to work not far from
their parents’ home! These people are obviously afraid of the unknown; being
told what to do helps them feel safe…
Chloé
How pathetic: young people, thinking like retired people!
Where’s their sense of adventure?!
Nicolas
But, Chloé, most people seek comfort, not adventure!
Letting an authority figure decide what is in our
best interests is not that bad if you think about it. Let's take China as an
example: the Communist Party there has done wonders with the economy, making
people wealthier and happier. Sure, the Chinese are not that free, but at least
they are no longer starving.
Chloé
“If we are not free, life is hateful and death is
salutary” said Etienne de la Boétie. The Chinese are living in a system based on fear, and who lives in fear does not know freedom. For
Spinoza, the purpose of the State is not to alienate people, but to lead them
to reason and freedom. Who holds authority should be
determined by the citizens.
I
think that wearing a uniform in Massillon should be the choice of the people
concerned, that’s us, the pupils. We should be allowed to vote on the issue so
that a uniform is not imposed on us but chosen by us, for the reasons we feel
are good. I’m not against a uniform per se; I’m for being allowed to choose to
wear one or not.
