Is A Group Of Children Wearing A Uniform And Smart School Shoes Automatically Seen As Trustworthy?

By Juliette VR

The public perception of children in groups is often a negative one, especially teenagers. There is frequently an automatic assumption that a group of youngsters means trouble; people are afraid to pass them, for fear of receiving verbal abuse, and worry that they may be robbed.

The imposition of a uniform code, of course, has many purposes. It is intended to make all pupils appear alike, thus removing the likelihood of students appearing at class in inappropriate clothing, and preventing teasing for those who can´t afford expensive labels. It also identifies them as pupils of that particular school, indeed they may be viewed as its representatives. Yet I doubt anything has changed since I was at school (further back than I care to admit!), when uniform was seen as an ugly nuisance, and had little effect on attitude!

An old saying ´manners maketh the man´ comes to mind. Schoolchildren may be in uniform, but that does not necessarily mean that they are going to behave impeccably. I am sure that we have all suffered the ´3:30 pm bus experience´. Many people dread catching the bus that is invaded by schoolchildren who, free of the classroom, behave raucously and often use language considered unacceptable in public. Most are wearing uniform, sometimes from private schools. To be fair, they have to travel home somehow, but the fact that they are in uniform makes no difference to their behaviour.

In an era when groups of children are viewed by many as a threat (indeed, the Cornish town of Redruth has recently introduced a ´voluntary´ curfew), I consider that it is the mere fact of their youth that makes older people lack trust groups of children. This is fuelled by the frequent media reports of violent incidents involving under-18s, which helps create an atmosphere of mistrust that has very little to do with whether the children are in ´civvies´ or not.

Article Source: http://zonix.co.za

About The Author
Start-rite offer a variety of school shoes that look good and fit properly. Our brand produces school shoes that are designed to meet the footwear needs of young children. These school shoes are available in whole and half sizes, multi-width fittings and all conform to the superior quality for which Start-rite is renowned.