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uniform in schools debate
the negative effects of school uniforms
the negative effects of school uniforms
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Imagine that you pick your seven-year-old child up from school. He is crying and wearing a different outfit than the one he wore to school. This is naturally upsetting but not as upsetting as your next discovery. His shirt, one you have never seen before, has a large "L" written on the sleeve in permanent marker; his shorts, also not his, are too large, stained and faded. Upon questioning your child, you discover that, despite your best efforts at compliance, your child’s clothing has violated the school’s uniform policy. Neither you nor your husband was called to bring your child a "compliant" change of clothing; rather a loaner uniform was forced upon your child. He was made to change into these alien clothes (McBride "Student" 1-2). The debate over mandatory uniforms in the public school system is raging across the country and in our own backyards. Proponents claim uniforms improve many areas in the educational arena while opponents vigorously challenge these claims. Opponents also cite potential civil rights violations while uniform supporters counter that the potential benefits greatly outweigh any loss of freedoms. The issue of mandatory uniforms in the public schools gained the spotlight of national attention following President Clinton’s 1996 State of the Union address. During that speech the President stated, "If it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear uniforms" (Clinton 4). The President later visited Long Beach, California, where the first, district wide, mandatory school uniform policy in the country was enjoying seemingly remarkable success. He told those attending his speech that he had signed an order instructing the Secretary of Education to send to all school districts across the nation the newly generated Manual on School Uniforms ("Clinton" 1). The manual outlines specific steps for school districts wishing to implement uniform policies. It also gives examples of a few model policies from across the nation (United 1-7). The President went on to thank and praise Long Beach for their glowingly successful uniform policy ("Clinton" 3). Thus, the Long Beach Unified School District’s uniform policy became the national standard for school districts across the country. Despite the apparent success of some uniform policies, these ... ... middle of paper ... ...il Liberties Union Freedom Network. 1 Mar. 1996. American Civil Liberties Union. 5 Apr. 2000 . "STAR 1998-1999 Score Level Comparisons of Total Scores for All Students: California Stanford Nine Scores." 30 Sept. 1999. California Dept. Of Edu. 15 Apr. 2000 . "STAR 1998-1999 Score Level Comparisons for All Students: Long Beach, California Stanford Nine Scores." 30 Sept. 1999. California Dept. Of Edu.Apr.2000 . "Student Prevails in North Carolina School Uniform Dispute." American Civil Liberties Union Freedom Network. 11 Jan. 2000. American Civil Liberties Union. 15 Apr. 2000 . Tillman, Tim. “Polk County School Uniform Compliance Data March 1999.” Polk County School Uniform Page. The Parental Action Committee of Polk County, FL. 19 Apr. 2000 . "Uniform Incidents." Polk County School Uniform Page. Aug. 1999. The Parental Action Committee of Polk County, Florida. 5 Apr. 2000 . United States. Department of Education. Manual on School Uniforms. 29 Feb. 1996. 6 Apr. 2000 . Van Der Laan, Dick. Telephone interview. Apr. 1996. Walters, Sabrina. "Dade Study: School Uniforms Haven’t Led to Better Conduct." Miami Herald 17 Sept. 1998: 1A. News Library. 8 Mar. 2000 .
Simpson, Susan. "School Policy Offers Uniform Clothing Choices." Daily Oklahoman, The (OK) 31 July 2008:Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 13 Jan. 2014
"School Uniforms: The Good, the Bad and the Plaid." NOLA.com. Web. 21 May 2014. .
During the early 1990’s, American political and educational leaders saw that the US education system was experiencing low academic standards, rising violence, and disenchanted teachers. In 1996, President Bill Clinton discussed the increase in school uniform requirements during his State of the Union Address. Clinton called upon school leaders to make uniforms an important part of their efforts to improve school safety and discipline. In late February of the same year, he issued a memorandum to the U.S. Secretary of Education, directing that the government 's Manual on School Uniforms be distributed to each of the country 's 16,000 school districts. And in his 1997 State of
Ever wonder what it would look like to have all students wearing the same white polo shirt, black pants, and a district sweater walking in the hallway? Nowadays, public school and many districts are discussing the possibilities of enforcing the uniform policy. In most places, many private schools already require students to have their mandatory uniforms; however, there are only a few public schools adopting this mandatory school-uniform polices as one of their enrollment requirements. The reason why not all public schools participated was because people believe that they are violating the freedom of choice when enforcing this mandatory uniform policy; yet problems such as bullying and segregation, emerged in these schools. Some people still think uniforms have no benefits at all. However, all public school students should be required to wear uniforms because it would improve the academic performance, reduce the violent behaviors based on appearance judgment, and provide less stress for both parents and students.
One of the greatest controversies that is spreading throughout high schools in the United States is parents and their children against the enforcement of their school’s uniform policy. More schools have been adopting uniform policies within the past decade. Rules contained in the policy that are implemented range from wearing certain types of tops (shirts) in specified colors to students being required to tuck in their shirts. In the past, uniforms were exclusively for students who attended private schools because they were “well-off”, but now uniforms are being seen more frequently in public schools on students of all economic levels. Having gone through a school system that considered adopting a uniform policy, I would have to press against the issue of mandated uniforms, because it is simply un-American and unjust.
middle of paper ... ... Retrieved 11 20, 2010, from First Amendment Center: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=pledge. Jr., D. L. (2010, 11 19). Student Expression. Retrieved 11 23, 2010, from First Amendment Center: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=clothing_dress_codes_uniforms.
The issue of whether or not school uniforms are a necessity in today’s society has been a long standing debate. However, it did not come onto the national scene until 1996 when then President Bill Clinton spoke of the matter in his annual State of the Union Address. Citing the Long Beach city school district in California, Clinton spoke of the positive effects of uniform implementation, including: decreased drug cases, sex offenses, violent crimes and fights.
"Will School Uniforms Crube Student Violence." Inspire. Johnson Publishing, 1 Apr. 1996. Web. 11 Jan. 2014. (Will school)
In society today, school-age children are under tremendous pressure to fit in with their peers and still perform well academically. I believe that school uniforms at pre-K through high school levels are an excellent way to help children succeed not only in school, but to prepare them for college and the “real world.” Three reasons why I believe school uniforms should be used in all schools is first, they are economic, next, they reduce distractions and finally, they help with social equality. To begin, school uniforms are economic. When schools have a uniform policy, it makes it easier on the children and parents.
Bill Clinton once said, “People will learn to evaluate themselves by what they are on the inside to evaluate themselves by what they are on the inside, instead of what they’re wearing on the outside, then our public schools should be able to require students to wear school uniforms.” Public schools across America are searching to improve safety, school belonging and also help parents save money & students save time getting ready. One way to improve these issues would be to implement a uniform policy. The adoption of school uniforms policies will reach what public schools across America are searching for.
The first argument of the critics against school uniforms is that they believe these infringe on the liberties guaranteed by the First Amendment. An editorial in the Northwest Florida Daily News argues how school uniforms can’t ensure better behavior as well as how anti-individualistic they can be. If uniforms can guarantee better behaviors, how can there still be soldiers who go AWOL and prisoners getting into fights? The anonymous editor speculates that uniforms take away students’ identities which only the “a...
School Uniforms School uniforms are increasingly popular across the nation. In fact, it is a huge controversial argument of communities rejecting these mandated school uniforms in their schools. However, school uniforms are not meant to be a negative thing; in fact, they can be positive in many ways by: eliminating cliques, saving money for parents, and taking away the bullying from students less fortunate. Meanwhile, on the other side of the argument, people believe that school uniforms will violate students’ freedom of expression, create a financial burden on families, and uniforms will not alleviate problems. However, with a solution that would benefit both parties, the public school systems in Oklahoma City district would benefit greatly if this policy were adopted in all the schools; since, the district only has 74 public schools in uniforms, while 17 schools are not.
School uniforms are a boiling conversation point these days. There are so many well-built points of view about what route parents, students, and superintendents wish to go in. It has been disputed that school uniforms have the potential to make a school safer, that uniforms reduce harassment or self-esteem issues, and that uniforms return the focus to the students' learning. I disagree. I, in fact think that school uniforms do not help make our schools a more secure place, I think that they do not revisit the center of attention to student's education - they just shifted where the attention was previous, and that they won’t help cut down on harassment or self- esteem issues in school.
Wharton, Claudene. “School Uniform Study.” UNR.edu. University of Nevada, 23 Apr. 2013. Web. 21 Feb. 2014.
as determined by the board of trustees, states a bona fide religious or philosophical objection to the requirement. This law is what many parents in Texas who oppose the school uniform requirement use to fight against the decision of the schools to impose uniforms.