At the start of every school year there’s a heated discussion about the existence of school uniforms in Britain. This school year was no different. The BBC approached me to comment on school uniforms in the Netherlands for a regional news program. The premise being, there are actually countries without school uniforms. In my time in the Netherlands I have only ever seen a school uniform once – at the British school in Voorschoten.
School Uniforms in Britain
The debate around school uniforms centre around costs and bullying, in broad terms.
Cost of School Uniforms
School uniforms are not cheap, particularly when you consider all of the items you need to get your hands on.
It was bad enough when I was in school – white shirt, maroon A-line skirt, maroon and white striped tie, maroon blazer with school badge adorned on it, maroon jumper, white summer shirt, gym skirt, gym knickers and socks and a gym shirt. And I hope my mind is playing tricks on me, but I suspect not, I think there may have been a maroon leotard too. God forbid.
Seems like things haven’t changed all that much. One mother told me she paid £300 for the school uniform for one child. However, it was also pointed out that you can get school uniform items in large supermarket chains these days. Which reduces the cost.
Cost however, remains an issue when it comes to the school uniform debate. And it is also something the British government claims to be looking into. Local community initiatives (such as the YMCA scheme in Halifax) are sprouting up to combat this issue.
Bullying
The other central argument, this time in favour of school uniforms, is that they discourage bullying amongst children. Children (from poorer backgrounds) face bullying in school because they are not wearing the right brand of clothes, or they are not fashionable enough. Uniforms put everyone in the same boat and everybody looks the same.
It’s definitely a valid argument. It takes pressure off children to live up to peer standards.
But school uniforms by no means eliminates bullying outright. Does a brand new uniform have the same vibe as one that has been passed down from an older sibling? What about shoes? School bag? Let’s face it, children will find something to tease or bully others about. And that’s an issue that every school must deal with. (Tip: if you ask a school what they do about bullying and they say there is no bullying here, move along quickly).
Other Advantages of School Uniforms
Time. Hassle. School uniforms reduce both. No messing about in the mornings in front of the mirror.
So What About School Uniforms in Dutch Schools?
So prompted by the BBC request, I threw a question out to my followers on Twitter:
A question for parents of kids in Dutch schools: how would you feel if you were told your child had to start wearing a school uniform?
Twitter @AmandavMulligen
It was a popular tweet (by my usual standards) with 13,843 impressions. In short, it’s a divisive topic. Hence why the BBC Look North program was running an item about school uniforms. It gets people shouting at each other talking.
So let’s get to it. How do parents with kids in Dutch schools feel about introducing a school uniform? Here’s a sample:
So I Talked to My Dutch Kids About School Uniforms…..
I asked my two eldest sons what they thought of the idea of wearing a school uniform and my fourteen year old and I had a thoughtful discussion on the topic. He saw the primary benefit of a school uniform as the feeling of belonging it would bring. However, in his eyes, that in itself isn’t enough to outweigh the issue that a school uniform stifles self-expression. He stated eloquently,
“Some children find it extremely important to express themselves through their clothing. How would they express themselves with a school uniform?”
He said he would not like to be told what clothes he can put on in the morning.
“Sometimes I want to wear my jeans, and sometimes my jogging bottoms. Depends on my mood.”
We also talked about whether children are bullied about their clothing. He hasn’t ever heard anyone making comments about classmates’ clothes. It didn’t seem to be a widespread issue among those commenting on Twitter either, but whether that is representative I don’t know.
Anyone any experience of their children being bullied in a Dutch school about clothes? Share below. It must go on, but how widespread is it?
Mr 11’s answer to my question was simply,
“Kak.”
There was enthusiasm for a uniform in one tiny corner of the Twitterverse, but there are clear conditions attached:
It’s All About Culture
And then there’s this response, which I personally thinks hits the nail on the head. This is why I am convinced school uniforms will never play a role in normal Dutch school life:
It comes down to culture. And that was also my comment for the Look North news program: school uniforms are not a discussion point here. They are just not part of the Dutch culture.
It’s a culture where children in junior schools call their teachers by their first names (with Juffrouw or Meester in front). It’s not a culture that would promote everyone wearing the same thing.
But to leave you with an amusing thought – just imagine the cycle paths in the morning if Dutch children did have to wear a school uniform…..
Finally… the BBC Program
For those of you wondering about the BBC program itself. It couldn’t be seen here in the Netherlands without a VPN thingie or suchlike as the IPlayer is not available outside the UK. I have seen it recorded on a phone, but I am not allowed to share it. Helaas pindakaas.
In any case I would love to hear your views on school uniforms – love them or hate them? Did you used to wear one? Does your child wear one now? Would you like to see them introduced in the Netherlands? Or scrapped in Britain?
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