Right: A crowded schoolground; some educationists have pointed out that problems in recognising intruders in a crowded schoolyard are exacerbated if the students are not wearing uniforms.
.Arguments against the government offering tax concessions to help parents purchase school uniforms
1. Schools are not able to enforce the wearing of uniforms
Although most Australian state education departments have regulations recommending students wear school uniforms, they do not generally give schools the power to require students to comply with these regulations.
The policy of the Queensland education department is typical of that applying in other states and territories. It states that although students should wear a school uniform, they cannot be prevented from accessing any formal educational opportunity because they are not wearing a uniform.
The Queensland regulations state, 'Schools should develop sanctions for non-complying students ensuring that students are not:
Excluded, suspended, or at risk of having their enrolment cancelled for not complying with student dress codes;
Given any sanction that damages their academic or external career prospects such as negative mentions in references or school reports;
Prevented from continued participation in essential curriculum activities, except where necessary for reasons of safety (in which case, alternative educational activities are provided); and
Disadvantaged where required dress code items are not available because of circumstances beyond their control.'
It has been claimed that it is futile to assist families to purchase school uniforms when the purchase of such uniforms is not effectively compulsory as it is unable to be enforced.
2. The tax concession is limited
It has been claimed that limiting the rebate to families that are receiving the will mean that it is not available to middle class families whose incomes are over the limit. It has been claimed that this is unjust for the parents that will miss out, especially as many of these send their children to private schools where the uniforms are generally more expensive than those worn in state schools.
In an article published in The Sydney Morning Herald on July 14, 2010, it was stated, 'Sue Pilgrim thinks Julia Gillard's plan to make the cost of school uniforms a tax deduction is a "fabulous idea".
The only problem is the North Parramatta mother of two, who has spent about $2000 on private school uniforms over the past three years, would not receive a cent.
Ms Pilgrim, whose two daughters, aged 13 and 16, attend Our Lady of Mercy College in Parramatta, will not qualify for the tax break because she and her husband earn a combined income of more than $100,000.
"It cheeses me off a bit," she said. "It's a great help for families on Family Tax Benefit A, but for middle-income earners like me, we miss out."'
3. The tax concession is not adequate for parents with reduced means
It has been claimed that the refund is not being delivered in a way that offers useful assistance to parents on low incomes. It is noted that parents first need to pay for uniforms at the start of the school year and will only receive their partial rebate half way through the year when they receive their tax return.
The refund, worth up to $390 for a primary school child and $779 for a secondary student, will not be available until families lodge their tax returns in 2012-13.
The policy has been criticised because it means that parents in difficult financial circumstances will have to try to find the initial money before they are eligible to apply to have part of it restored to them. It has been suggested that the assistance would be far more useful if it were made available to parents at the start of the year before they had to buy the uniforms.
It has also been claimed that the amount being offered is insufficient. The maximum amount of rebate that is offered is 50 percent. Matt Pickering has two children who attend Calare Public School and a third child who will begin school next year, has stated, 'Things are getting tough and any help is appreciated ... but if they're serious, lower income earners would be offered a 100 per cent rebate and middle income earners 50 per cent.'
The leader of the Opposition, Mr Tony Abbott, has similarly remarked, 'It's all well and good to try to offer more help to parents but if she had been fair dinkum about giving more help to parents why didn't she as the Education Minister do this at the start of the year?'
4. School uniforms limit children's individuality
It has been claimed that school uniforms foster conformity and discourage individuality. On July 16, 2010, a letter was published in The Sydney Morning Herald from Annabella Zanetti. Ms Zanetti stated, 'Julia Gillard's statements about supporting mandatory school uniforms are misguided. While I understand many parents' and community members' arguments for school uniforms, they do not necessarily help to foster a ''sense of self''.
At Mosman High School, which has no uniform, I never experienced the pressure to have the ''latest, most fashionable gear''. Much of my clothing was second-hand and inexpensive.'
The same letter writer went on to claim, 'Relationships between students and teachers, particularly in the senior years, were often based on mutual respect, which is much more effective for good pedagogy than authoritative discipline, which is what school uniforms aid.
I feel I was better prepared for the real world, I was more self-reliant and I had more self-confidence as a result of being able to express myself through my clothing and hairstyles. I learnt how to ''present myself to the world''. Many students there left the school with a very well established sense of self.'
5. The tax rebate is a populist attempt to win votes
It has been claimed that the tax rebate is a simplistic attempt to win votes by appearing to do something about education rather than addressing real educational issues like class sizes and the quality of teachers.
Annette Kent, in a letter published in The Sydney Morning Herald, has written, 'Is there anyone else out there who would rather see the education revolution involve smaller classes, more highly qualified teachers and state-of-the-art technology being made available in our schools?...
Please get a grip, Julia, and realise education in Australia will improve only when the quality of the teaching improves. This will require a leader who values teaching as a profession and holds as paramount the individual needs and abilities of the students, regardless of whether they are wearing a blazer or T-shirt.'
Brenton White in another letter published in The Sydney Morning Herald, wrote, 'Money for uniforms? Oh, please. Just finance public schools properly.'
It has further been suggested that the uniform rebate is an attempt to purchase votes. On July 13, 2010, Crikey published an opinion piece from Bernard Keane, which stated, 'The government is ... keenly aware of cost-of-living issues for low and middle-income earners. Like "mortgage stress", so-called "cost of living" pressures are mainly self-inflicted and reflect household consumption and lifestyle choices. But voters don't want to be told that. They want to be told governments will subsidise their high-consumption lifestyles and efforts to keep up with their neighbours.'
6. School uniform manufacturers are likely to increase their prices
Concern has been expressed that the uniform rebate will have little real effect because uniform manufacturers are likely simply to increase the cost of school uniforms.
Mr Nicholas Abbey, the president of the Victorian Council of School Organisations president has stated that the federal government would have to ensure no uniform manufacturer would took advantage of the rebate and increased prices, otherwise the rebate scheme would have no impact on families' ability to meet the cost of school uniforms.
Mr Abbey further stated, 'One would hope there would be sufficient resources put aside for oversight from the federal government.'
Without such oversight there is concern that the rebate scheme could actually make the situation of parents worse. This would be particularly the case for those families that did not qualify for the rebate scheme.