KoreaTimes- Students' skirt length a controversial issue

[pk_00]

Well. I have lived in Greece for many years and it's completely natural for men and women to walk around in their bathing gear, or just a little towel thingy (shawl maybe) around their wast. In Canada (where I also lived), it's much less common (combination of colder weather, lack of beaches and history of Catholicism and a slightly more conservative society).

Anyhow, in Greece, people still stare if they want to. The difference is that they don't blame the women for dressing like that, or of being whores. They don't say, well she was asking for it. And groping is not acceptable. On the other hand, in conservative societies it's not the norm that women go out like that, so if they do they are called names and/or get groped. Perhaps they might even defend themselves to the police by saying, well she was dressed like that. That does not prove anything though. I'm sure we can all see how ridiculous that is.

If you go to Greece for even one month (try July if possible) it might occur to you that less clothing is more comfortable, for men as well as women. At first you may be surprised to see the 80 year old grannies walking around in a bikini, or old men walking around with their saggy bellies, moobs, and hairy chests exposed, but eventually you will get used to it. I think, the same might happen in Korea if you stay a while (maybe try to go to a Jinjilbang a few times...)

I highly doubt they dress that way to school.

+1

Uniforms are supposed to be...uniform.

[Taya]

I guess. Maybe I'm just against the idea of uniforms altogether. The students have no way to identify themselves. They can't wear jewelry or let their hair grow long. They can't wear shoes that are not black or white. I realize that's the entire point of uniforms and that they're not in school to look cute, but I feel that school is a place where kids should find themselves.

[confusedsafferinkorea]

I guess. Maybe I'm just against the idea of uniforms altogether. The students have no way to identify themselves. They can't wear jewelry or let their hair grow long. They can't wear shoes that are not black or white. I realize that's the entire point of uniforms and that they're not in school to look cute, but I feel that school is a place where kids should find themselves.

You are missing the point entirely. The debate is not about whether to have uniforms or not. They have uniforms so that argument in not valid. As for finding themselves, how do you justify that at school when that 'finding' themselves means dressing indecently.

Surely you, as an Educator, have a responsibility to educate them into appropriate dress for an occasion. School is not a fashion parade, nor is it a place to find yourself fashion-wise, you can do that after hours and under the eye of your parents.  Plenty of time for that. You come to school to be educated and sure that includes finding yourself, as you like to say, but not in the sense of fashion.

Dress appropriately for the occasion, that is what they should be learning in terms of that.

[ISangHae]

'You're at school to learn, not to be cute.'

Well said, I hope this comment makes its way to the School Board Official who is considering this crazy proposal of putting boards in front of desks at mind-boggling costs.

Let me tell you, the School Board Official probably has a close relative in the lumber business!! 

[Ilikebunny]

I turned this article into a lesson with my middle school speaking class.

I showed a ppt and got them talking about uniforms first. The students really had a lot to say/to complain about with their uniform. But it was really interesting, because when I asked them why schools had uniforms they said "because school is not about beauty, we need to concentrate."

After we read the article and talked more about it and the concept of uniforms.

I've included my ppt, and the article (I just put it into word and included the Korean translation as well, because the language is fairly difficult)