The Issue 

Many students at Westminster have voiced complaints about our restrictive dress code. Other private schools in Atlanta, such as Lovett, tend to have uniforms instead of a dress code. Do you think having a uniform like Lovett would be better? The answer within the Westminster community might surprise you, for student opinions vary widely. Is the dress code doing more harm than good? Would a uniform solve the problem? After interviewing teachers and students, I recognize the answer is neither black nor white, with both sides having valid points.

Pros

When interviewing the students of the Westminster community, I found that many people had positive thoughts toward a uniform.

The first, most popular pro to a uniform would be easier mornings because you wouldn’t have to worry about what you will wear. You can choose your uniform from your closet and throw it on.

Additionally, having a dress code will boost people’s confidence. Students wouldn’t have to worry about what people would think about their outfits because everybody will be wearing the same thing.

Furthermore, students already have an unspoken uniform that everybody abides by, such as boys wearing khakis and striped polos and girls wearing leggings and t-shirts. A uniform ultimately wouldn’t change much because we all already conform to these guidelines.

Finally, getting a uniform would erase the clothing status symbol, making people feel less self-conscious if they aren’t wearing clothes or shoes from expensive brands such as Golden Goose and Aviator Nation. Teachers are also concerned; 8th-grade girls’ Grade Chair Catherine Zidow states, “I didn’t know [Aviator] was even a brand until I was like wow, this is really popular and catching fire,” says Zidow. “I googled it, and I was like, oh my god, that sweater is so many hundred dollars, and then I just start to wonder, should children be wearing that.”

Cons

While many students named pros to uniforms and the majority agrees to have them, some students also voiced cons.

Uniforms lack individuality, which sparks a problem within our student body. When wearing uniforms, people wouldn’t be able to express themselves and show their personalities. This limitation includes students’ inability to show their feelings on any given day. Zidow agrees: “A uniform doesn’t allow you to have that sense of control over how you present yourself to the world, and I like that you can read my outfit and kind of be like ‘Mrs. Z is having a day.’”

Moreover, with a uniform, students wouldn’t be able to choose flattering outfits for their body types. They would compare themselves, thinking, “Does that skirt look the same on her as it does me” or “That shirt looks better on him than it does me, as this color just doesn’t flatter my coloring.”

In addition, some people I interviewed claimed that uniforms would restrict movement during lunch recess and regular recess. The lack of mobility would be a problem during the many games of four square, moss, and football, played regularly by both genders.

Lastly, in the world outside the Middle School, there will always be people who dress nicer and have coolor clothes, so having a uniform at school will only delay students from this realization of someone always being richer. Uniforms might make Westminster more of a bubble than it already is.

My View

My opinion is that we as a school should get a uniform. Firstly, I agree that having a uniform is easier in the morning. I personally really struggle with getting up in the morning. And I, personally, have had the stressful experience of sleeping through my alarm multiple times. Having to worry about what you will wear that day and what people will think about it adds to the unending amount of stress, which I would personally love to avoid. Also, I disagree entirely about uniforms being more restrictive than our regular clothes. I don’t see why a uniform skirt would be any more restricting than a nice dress skirt like the ones middle schoolers already wear. As for the boys, the uniform outfit would be pretty similar to what they all wear, anyway. Finally, regarding the fear of being unable to express yourself, I believe that while uniforms take away some of the individuality, you can still showcase some of your personality through accessories. You also have the whole weekend to dress how you want. Overall, a uniform would be easier than a strict dress code and would solve many problems within our community by erasing the status symbol, boosting confidence, and making mornings easier.