Uniforms denote a united purpose
Growing up in private schools, I used to hate having to wear a uniform every day. I never cared much for fashion, and always just wanted to wear something more comfortable. I know many of my peers who did care about their clothes also didn’t care for the dress code, because they felt it hindered their self-expression. But looking back now, I have come to appreciate the merits of uniforms. In fact, I believe they signal an innate understanding that the body matters.
We often use clothing to denote things about ourselves. In medieval times, people would even view clothes as an extension of their bodies. While we make more of a distinction today, we definitely still learn a lot about others by what they wear. This holds especially true in regards to socioeconomic status. But uniforms, especially in a school setting, wipe all that away. They declare everybody equal in the face of their need for education. Knowledge does not discriminate. In a place of learning, uniforms can help keep our attention on our shared educational purpose.
Not only do uniforms minimize our differences, they also emphasize our shared identity. When we all wear the same thing, we all know we belong to the same group. In a society as individualistic as our own, we may not always appreciate the goodness of this gift. But precisely because we live in such an individualistic society, we need to remind ourselves that we belong in community. God made us for relationship, not only with Him, but with each other. Uniforms emphasize our relationship to each other.
Finally, uniforms can help keep us safe. They don’t just give uniforms out on the street. As mentioned before, what we wear sends signals to others. Uniforms can signal that a person has permission to access school grounds. A person out of uniform may tip off a teacher to something amiss. With our ever-increasing appreciation for safe environment, uniforms can act as another safety precaution.
Many of our readers attended or work in Catholic or otherwise private schools, and may enjoy uniforms. Others may have a distaste for uniforms, preferring a more individualistic approach to school clothing. Either way, I hope that knowing the body matters can give us a greater appreciation for them.
Chris Tarantino is the Communications Director for TOBET. He studied History at The University at Texas A&M and has written for the Tennessee Register and Nashville Catholic.
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