Should school ties be scrapped?
Some people feel that school ties are outdated and unnecessary.
What you need to know
Verulam School, a boys’ school in St Albans, England, has changed its rules and said that some students no longer have to wear a blazer and tie. They are still required to be smartly dressed.
Ties have been part of school uniforms in the UK for more than 100 years.
In recent years, many schools have switched to clip-on ties to reduce the chance of injuries that come with traditional ties.
Many businesses and organisations have moved away from staff having to wear a suit and tie in favour of more relaxed dress codes.
Julie Richardson, the headteacher at Verulam School in St Albans, in Hertfordshire, England, has changed the uniform rules at the all-boys’ school, stating that sixth form students no longer have to wear blazers and ties. Richardson explained the change, saying,
“If businessmen and women in the City are no longer wearing suits and ties, why should teenagers?” Ties have been part of school uniforms for more than
100 years but some people think they are an old-fashioned and not very practical part of a school dress code. Others argue that they look smart, are an affordable way of marking out a school’s identity and students are unlikely to grow out of them. What do you think, should young people be made to wear ties at school or should they be scrapped?
Yes – ties are old-fashioned and dangerous
Children are warned not to put things around their necks for safety reasons. Why then should children be made to do exactly that with an awkward part of their school uniform that has no real purpose? Ties can be pulled tight around children’s necks and could also get in the way of school activities, such as science experiments. Also, ties are mainly a male adult’s item of clothing but many businesses have said that workers no longer need to wear them. So why should children have to? Ties are fiddly and annoying to knot properly. Young people should be comfortable and school uniforms should be practical to help pupils learn. Pupils can still look smart without an awkward piece of material tied around their necks.
No – ties should be part of school uniform
There has been a recent law change making school uniforms in England more affordable. The school tie, however, is probably one of the cheapest items to buy and pupils will never grow out of them. Ties look smart and students of both sexes wear them, giving a feeling of equality and fairness. School ties make it easy to identify which school you attend; many students are proud to be a part of their school and are happy to represent it. Learning to tie a tie is also a great skill that may be useful later in life. For those who find it fiddly, there are clip-on options. Uniforms mean you don’t have to worry about what to wear, and ties are an important part of the outfit that separates school from home.