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Answerman - What's With All The School Uniforms In Anime? [2019-04-03]

my secondary school didn't pull students up for taking off their jumper if the weather wasn't quite cold enough to justify it

I'm not sure you understand how the social landscape at schools work, either. No American I've spoken to who's talked about their experiences at school has left me with the impression that everyone's differences are accepted and respected.

Neither has everything I've read in the news about schools in America.

CandisWhite wrote:

Plus, there's plain old logistics: People need to wear what's appropriate for the weather, for their own health.

What makes you think that and uniforms are mutually exclusive? Even my secondary school didn't pull students up for taking off their jumper if the weather wasn't quite cold enough to justify it, or wearing a winter coat over it if it's colder than a mere jumper can cope with, short-sleeved shirts were an option in warmer weather, etc.

I think the absence of school uniforms in the U.S. stems from the fact that universal schooling was started when the country is still very agricultural and many children had very few sets of clothing. Basically you went to school in what your wore everyday.

I'm a bit surprised no one has mentioned Kill la Kill in this context. Screenwriter Nakashima Kazuki clearly sees school uniforms as a form of regimentation with fascistic undertones.

I just assume it's because America has a poor schooling system compared to elsewhere in the world and can't really afford to do uniforms in every public school. That's why you usually only see uniforms at private schools.

As someone who worked in, and attended, the public school system in the US I am actually all-for some sort of uniform policy throughout US school systems up to high school. Any arguments of individuality aside which are a warranted idea, a uniform policy minimizes distractions and possible bullying. Not every parent can afford to buy their middle school student Ralph Lauren everything, and children now more than ever are quite impressionable on fashion and brands. I'm certain many will disagree with me, but as someone who has taught in public school it's how I feel.

Sakagami Tomoyo wrote:

Quote:

my secondary school didn't pull students up for taking off their jumper if the weather wasn't quite cold enough to justify it

I'm going to have to assume that "jumper" doesn't mean the same thing in Australia as it does in the U.S. (at least the part I grew up in). Here a jumper is a form of dress and taking it off would be very inappropriate in school. (google jumper dress)

I'm going to have to assume that "jumper" doesn't mean the same thing in Australia as it does in the U.S. (at least the part I grew up in). Here a jumper is a form of dress and taking it off would be very inappropriate in school. (google jumper dress)

I think you may be drawing the wrong conclusion here. On the one hand, yes: kids will be kids and tend to make fun of nearly everything, and that includes each other. So of course kids will get teased and perhaps even bullied regarding their fashion choices (any whatever else as well). That said, it is generally lighthearted and it doesn't actually hinder most peoples "expression".

And uniforms or not, teasing still happens. My schools did not require uniforms. Many of my friends attended schools that did. It was pretty much the same story in both cases. I suppose that my schools might have included bullying over what students wear and that happened to a lesser degree at a school with uniforms, but that's only one of a million reasons. In the uniform-requiring schools there was still 999,999 other reasons why a student might make fun of another.

One of my good friends taught in the JET program roughly 20 years ago. She was stationed towards the northern part of Japan, and she would frequently complain that the school uniform (which she also was also required to wear) was FAR from adequate for the weather, and many of the students at the school asked her if it was the same thing in the US. That said, I'm sure the problem could have been addressed by changing the uniform, and a single anecdote doesn't mean it is a real widespread problem, but I can certainly see how it could be in some cases.

Alan45 wrote:

I think the absence of school uniforms in the U.S. stems from the fact that universal schooling was started when the country is still very agricultural and many children had very few sets of clothing. Basically you went to school in what your wore everyday.

I just assume it's because America has a poor schooling system compared to elsewhere in the world and can't really afford to do uniforms in every public school. That's why you usually only see uniforms at private schools.