We are not uniform individuals

Teen Times: Come with my imagination into this iron house that some would call a school and picture with me this scene.

A girl, no more than 15, is backed against a wall, on the verge of tears as a teacher bellows at her, spittle flying in all directions, her face going a shade of red that would shame a traffic light, as she rants and raves with no sign of stopping.

Now what was this girl's crime, you ask? Surely she must have done something truly heinous to deserve this vicious assault? Perhaps she has been caught smoking in the toilets or using her mobile? Did she "forget" her homework for the umpteenth time?

No, I am sorry to tell you that her crime was far more dreadful than this, she was caught . . . wearing make-up! Oh yes, this little second or third year is having her face bitten off because she was wearing make-up. And her skirt was the wrong length, her shoes were too high, she was wearing far too much jewellery . . . the list goes on. The endless rules that schools give their pupils for appearance are totally ridiculous and uncalled for. Why must everyone look the same? What business is it of theirs whether people wear make-up or not? Or, in the case of boys' schools, what length they wear their hair? How does what the pupils look like affect how much they learn? Answer me that and I will happily bow to all of your petty rules. Until then, I have a few things to get off my chest.

First things first, let's start with the biggest issue - make-up. Schools don't like us to wear make-up because it is considered by them to be "distracting". Distracting to whom? In case you hadn't noticed we're an all-girls' school. There are many arguments for and against make-up in general, but I believe it should be up to the individual to make up, if you'll excuse the atrocious pun, their own mind. Many girls feel extremely self-conscious about the way they look and need to wear make-up to feel good about themselves, and who are the schools to take that away? What right have they to make someone feel ugly?

Some girls wear it to cover up acne or scars, others still wear it purely for the fun of experimenting with colour. Make-up makes all these girls happy in one way or another, but still, schools try to stamp it out - even though it has no impact whatsoever on what we learn. In fact, I would nearly go so far as to say that it has a detrimental effect, as it makes the pupils unhappy.

Secondly, the skirt. Who honestly cares what length people's skirts are? It's their own decision, surely. But oh no, schools have to try to control that too. Well let me say this, if you don't like the way we wear our skirts, give us the option of trousers. Do they have any idea how uncomfortable and inconvenient skirts are? Too hot in summer, too cold in winter and no protection whatsoever from the rain. And tights. They are the biggest nuisance you will ever come across. When you need a pair every one you find will have ladders in it.

All of this hassle could be avoided if we were allowed to wear trousers. From a practical point of view, just imagine how warm they would be in winter. I'm not even against school uniforms, I think they have their purpose, just like any other piece of clothing, I'm merely against the unenlightened idea that girls must wear skirts, and boys wear trousers.

Next, the jewellery issue. Jewellery is also considered "distracting". Unless you have a human magpie in class I will go ahead and call this a load of nonsense, too. Do you really think us students are so idiotic as to go "Ooh, shiny!" when we see a piece of "distracting" jewellery? And as for heels, well, we all know the reason for that one is insurance.

However, what really bothers me about this scenario is not the rules themselves so much as the fact that a human being should have the power to stifle the personality and individuality of others. I opened this piece with a slightly altered quote from Patrick Kavanagh as he was a man who knew all about individuality. He was a lone voice in his time, and that is why I wrote this piece, because I feel the pupils of Ireland should be given a voice.

Students should be allowed to look whatever way they want to look and no one should be able to change that. Have you ever noticed how teachers can wear enough make-up to bury the city and earrings that could take someone's eye out and yet nobody berates them to the point of tears?

I say individuality before conformity. If they want an army of clones sitting before them then they can go and join the Dolly the sheep research project.

• Elaine Lynch (17) is a pupil at Mount Mercy College, Cork

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