German girls choose to wear the trousers | Letters

School uniforms are redundant, says Martin Bland, while Fiona Schenk has been rethinking the issue in the light of her children’s experience in the German education system

Having attended a very traditional Catholic girls’ grammar school which prided itself on strict adherence to its uniform regulations, I was always a believer in uniform as a great leveller – we all had to wear the stupid A-line skirts. My children attend co-educational secondary-level school in Germany, where there are no school uniforms. The only recommendation regarding what is acceptable or not in terms of clothing, is that schoolchildren should not wear tops that show their midriffs in the summer, or any displays of racist/Nazi symbolism.

This results in a colourful mix of individual styles, creativity and a relaxed atmosphere within the school. The teachers do not have to spend valuable time ensuring that children adhere to strict uniform rules, and the children are not being judged on their choices of clothing. This is a relief when a 15-year-old decides to have pink hair, or wants to wear flip-flops on a hot day. Instead the schools judge academic achievement, engagement in various clubs and societies, and contribution to the school life and the wider community.  

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from Children | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2N1nQbD