Possible arguments by the Negative side

- Uniforms deter crime/ increase safety

o Question: Is the evidence you provided applicable to the Philippines? (if foreign source)
- Prevent bullying
o Question: What is the legal definition of bullying?
 Answer: Under Section 2 of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, “bullying" shall refer to any
severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic
expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another
student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of
physical or emotional harm or damage to his property; creating a hostile environment at
school for the other student; infringing on the rights of the other student at school; or
materially and substantially disrupting the education process or the orderly operation of
a school; such as, but not limited to, the following:
 a. Any unwanted physical contact between the bully and the victim like
punching, pushing, shoving, kicking, slapping, tickling, headlocks, inflicting
school pranks, teasing, fighting and the use of available objects as weapons;
 b. Any act that causes damage to a victim’s psyche and/or emotional well-
being;
 c. Any slanderous statement or accusation that causes the victim undue
emotional distress like directing foul language or profanity at the target, name-
calling, tormenting and commenting negatively on victim’s looks, clothes and
body; and
 d. Cyber-bullying or any bullying done through the use of technology or any
electronic means.
o Question: Under the Anti-Bullying Act of 2023, is requiring the wearing of school uniforms
included as a policy or mechanism to stop bullying?
 Answer: no, it is not (see Sections 3 and 4 of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013)
o Question: Would you agree that, in order to stop bullying, instead of limiting students’ self-
expression, a better approach would be to teach parents and students to not discriminate people
based on what they wear?
- Instill sense of school identity
o Question: Does this fall under one of the instances according to the Supreme Court when a
school may restrict a student’s right to freedom of expression?
 Answer: no, it is not
- Helps academic performance
o Question: Is there a possibility that students who wear uniforms tend to do better than those
who don’t because they are from financially more well-off families, and as such can afford
uniforms and also access to better educational tools?
- Requiring school uniforms does not violate their freedom of expression
o Question: When are the only instances according to the Supreme Court when a school may
restrict a student’s right to freedom of expression?
 Answer: as provided in the case of Miriam College vs. CA, freedom of expression may
only be restricted by the school when it materially disrupts classwork or involves
substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others