Unicorn headbands and soccer team jerseys: Is anything goes at school?

BarcelonaIt's unusual for boys and girls to be together in class dressed in their Sunday best, but it's not unusual either. Nor is it unusual to find them wearing football shirts, short skirts and tops, flip-flops—when the weather is nice—or tight pants full of dirt. shine-shine. It's possible that before arriving at the school gates in this outfit, there may have been a family discussion about whether some clothes should stay in the closet or not. Whether you just throw in the towel and let the child do what they want or you prioritize their freedom and expression, the fact is that in the classroom, diversity is also reflected in the way they dress.

In schools, there are generally no rules or dress codes, and therefore, everyone can dress however they want. However, the premise they never tire of preaching from the schools is the same: comfort. Physical education class is the paradigmatic example of the need for this comfort, and, in fact, many schools have their own tracksuits for this purpose. This is the case at the Escola Dolors Monserdà in Barcelona. Years ago, perhaps the objective was also standardizeBut now they are simply invited to wear navy blue trousers and a white T-shirt, which, if they wish, can be the school's own with its logo.

"We do it to save the shine-shine and other inappropriate clothing," explains Elisenda Nicolau, a teacher at the school. "Families often don't know how to discern or manage the eternal struggle over clothing, and with this suggestion we manage to control it," says the teacher, who reminds us that there are garments that are not sportswear and that we must always prioritize the best clothing for a specific activity. "Is it true that I don't wear a swimsuit to the theater? Or to the beach with boots and a scarf?" She sees that, in this way, children are more aware of what is asked of them, and believes that they must understand that school is not a space for "modeling" and that they must wear "battle" clothes. A respectful message, always

In everyday life at an elementary school, it's also possible to encounter unicorn headbands or Superman capes far removed from Carnival week, as well as sexualized clothing. It's not widespread, but it does occur, and so if the school wants to prevent it, it should respond forcefully, but always with respect. "Don't you mean you're going to catch a cold?" or "Today isn't Carnival, what do you think about keeping this item in your backpack?" are some of the ways Elisenda uses to ensure the children in her classes understand that there are some items that are better left unused. But families aren't told anything unless it has caused a major conflict. "It's often much more effective to talk about it with the child than with the parents," says Elisenda, who is familiar with the situation not only from her teaching experience but also from her family experience as a mother of three children, each of whom has had a different relationship with clothing and fashion.

Comfort and autonomy in childhood

But the relationship between clothing, fashion, and families has always been there. In early childhood education, no school forgets to emphasize the importance of loose clothing that allows children to move freely, that can get dirty, and that is easy to take off and put on in an emergency. However, thick socks, Sunday clothes, and tight jeans are still common. Mar Hurtado, president of the Rosa Sensat Teachers Association and a preschool and elementary school teacher, believes the slogan is becoming more widely understood, but acknowledges that, on the other hand, they encounter "many surprises." "There's still the idea of wanting your child to wear clothes to school so they can be looked after properly," says Hurtado. "And what's needed is for them to be comfortable." There are still many "pretty clothes" in classrooms, and we must make people understand that comfort is autonomy that benefits "children's maturation."

Furthermore, she points out that it's obvious that if you're going to be working in a classroom with 25 children, the autonomy of each child is essential. "Going in a tracksuit with holes shouldn't be a problem," says Hurtado. "At school, people come to enjoy the activities, not to suffer through them in case their parents get angry about a hole or a stain." For Hurtado, it's still hard to understand why aesthetics continue to be associated with well-being, and she points out that, on the other hand, it's detrimental when a child has difficulty removing an item of clothing.

Personality or uniform

Hurtado is clear that comfort and practicality are the only conditions schools should set when it comes to clothing. She doesn't advocate either the smock or the uniform, precisely because of their ability to uniformize all children. That's why she advocates letting children dress "minimally as they want" from a young age. For Hurtado, the smock should be reserved for very specific occasions, activities that can really get messy, and she sees it as an "old-fashioned" item in schools. According to the president of Rosa Sensat, clothing needs to be seen as an element that builds personality. Preventing a girl from wearing a top in elementary school, for example, using the smock only "hides the situation or the identity." "Perhaps later on, it will get out of hand," Hurtado warns. Children, Hurtado insists, need to "make themselves." "If we don't give them this opportunity at school, when and how will they do it?" she wonders. For this reason, she places social life in school on the same level as learning, and advocates for discussing it in the classroom if situations arise that need addressing. "We let it happen and allow it to serve as a process of thought and reflection," she concludes.

It is precisely this capacity to equalize that Joan Gamero, pedagogue and coordinator of the Mediation Research Group of the Official College of Pedagogy of Catalonia, emphasizes in his defense of the uniform in the classroom. He therefore has a very different view from Hurtado. He believes that the uniform—beyond the traditional—and the smock as an intermediate term, avoid the diversity of clothing styles found in a classroom and, in his opinion, can generate conflict and promote comparison, in addition to probably not fulfilling the premise of comfort.

Gamero understands that the uniform has "bad press," but sees many more virtues: he believes it unifies and, therefore, generates equality, especially in the use of clothing brands that not all families can afford. Furthermore, it is generally cheaper and not uncomfortable, because uniforms can be designed that prioritize comfort and, at the same time, do not foster gender inequalities. For Gamero, if the school doesn't opt for a uniform or gown, it is necessary to draft rules that limit, precisely, the elements that disrupt daily life in the classroom, such as flip-flops in the summer, sports equipment when there is no physical education, or shorts in the summer. "It would avoid a lot of arguments for families, who have already thrown in the towel," warns Gamero, who also believes that letting children choose what they wear each morning is a "lack of boundaries" and is in favor of some "basic rules" that must be followed.