In recent years, an increasing number of schools have made it a requirement for students to wear uniforms on campus, which arouses wide public concern and elicits a debate on whether school uniforms should be mandatory. There are quite a few proponents saying that school uniforms make school purer and safer for students. The opposing side, however, claim that such strict dressing code will suppress the free development of personality. From my point of view, schools should require their students to wear school uniforms.

Although school uniforms may be considered conservative and old-fashioned, it cannot be denied that they do help purify school atmosphere as well as maintain campus safety.

For one thing, the unified dressing code makes school a purer place by eradicating socioeconomic disparities among students. Dressed in school uniforms, studentsfrom disadvantaged areas are saved the embarrassment of not being able to afford Nike sneakers, Converse backpacks or whatnot. At the same time, students from rather well-off families are not left any chance to show off their family wealth. Among the whole student group, the comparison in each other’s family status is thus lessened. Students make friends sheerly out of common interest or congenial temperament instead of similar family backgrounds. It is sort of “friendshipfor friendship’s sake” and is relatively pure in nature. Such pure friendship shapes the proper value of students and betters the interpersonal environment of the school.

For another, school uniforms make schools safer for students in that outsiders, not wearing school uniforms, are easily identified and thence turned away. Over the past few years, a large amount of campus crime has happened due to the holes in school uniform policies. Taking advantage of such flaws, a man in Lianyungang, Jiangsu dared to worm his way into a local high school and steal properties totalled 2600 yuan. If the students had been asked to wear school uniforms, there would absolutely be no way that the thief could enter the school, let alone commit pilferage.

Taking the above factors into consideration, we reasonably come to the conclusion that school uniforms should be mandatory. It is high time that schools tighten their regulations, making it a necessity for students to wear uniforms on campus.