Persuasive Essay On School Uniform

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

The students are the ones who are required to follow the policy, so why are the students not approached and asked or surveyed on how they feel about having to wear the uniforms day in and day out? With that in mind, I conducted a survey at Zapata High School to find out exactly how students felt about having to wear a uniform, and the bulk of those students surveyed do not like wearing the uniform. The number one reason they disliked the policy was because they felt that the dress code was too strict. When teachers were asked if they were to be required to wear a district uniform designed for educators, they unanimously opposed with having a uniform policy in place. So, why are we surprised that students do not agree with uniform policies? There are respectable professions (i.e. doctors, policemen, nurses, etc.) that require a uniform, so what makes teachers so special that they do not have to wear uniforms? If the school board is requiring for the students to wear uniforms, then teachers should also be required to wear one as well. In order for the teachers to maintain their authoritative role, their uniforms will differ slightly from the students’ uniforms. A newspaper article printed in Brooksville, Florida, parents argued that “teachers should lead by example” (Mascarenas 1). Students ask “If teachers are not pushed to wear a uniform, then why do they force us

“The Manual on School Uniforms”, printed and issued by the United States Department of Education, noted that Long Beach, California, reported a decrease in crime, fights, sex offenses, weapons offenses, and vandalism after they adopted their uniform policy (4). Contrary to government findings, The National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 discovered that school uniforms have had no real effects on behavior, drug abuse or attendance; furthermore they also came to find that uniforms actually have negative effects on the academic achievement of the students (Brunsma and Rockquemore 54). If school A is emphasizing that school uniforms are conducive to the learning environment, yet school B down the road has higher testing scores but no uniform policy, then their stand is no longer valid. This proves that uniforms have no effect on the learning process. This would more than likely infuriate those students and their parents who are under the assumption that the uniforms are for the betterment of their learning and yet they are still not getting ahead. This would only bring opposition and uprising from the students. The reason most schools fail to mention these tidbits of information about surrounding schools is merely to make anyone who opposes mandated school uniform policies doubt their stand on the