The Debate Between School Dress Codes and Uniforms
The debate over school uniforms and dress codes has been going on for years and is still widely debated and talked about in the education system. Each side of the argument has many supporters. There are many pros and cons to each side so it is hard to really know what the right choice is. In Three Cups of Tea written by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin education is the main focus of the book. Although most of the book takes place half way across the world many topics are relevant to the school systems today in America. In the book the girls received, “crisp new school uniforms neatly folded inside its cellophane wrapper” and they are completely overjoyed to hold their first set of new clothes ever (194). The history of the topic helps bring light to the decisions that are being made in schools, as well as discussing pros and cons associated with the implementing uniforms or not. Both sides to the argument bring valid points to the table and must be heard by educators, parents, students and government officials in order to come to the correct decision on whether school uniforms and dress codes should be implemented in Americas school systems. School uniforms and dress codes should not be placed the school system because it violates the first amendment and uses funding that the school systems do not have available to them.
Many people think that school uniforms are a thing of the past, however this is only partially true. According to Wendell Anderson research analyst and writer for the ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management, says that in the 1950s and 60s “dress codes prohibited girls from wearing slacks [and] stipulated the length of girls’ skirts. Blu...
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Dress codes have become a typical affair for public schools. The weight of this matter only gets heavier with time, as fashion trends evolve with haste. Accordingly, the debate for and against dress codes still stands. This essay will summarize, make an argument, and analyze Krystal Miller 's article "School Dress Codes."
According to greatschools.org, “Enforcing a strict dress code can place the focus of school on clothing and rules, rather than on education.” Most schools have specific uniforms that a child must wear in order to attend. Many children that go to school, have single parents and / or more than one ...
The belief that public schools should enforce strict dress codes has been the topic of many controversial and heated debates throughout history. Although it is uncommon for public schools to require uniforms, every school has some type of dress code. Elizabeth Forward High School in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, is no different than the rest of the nation. When caught violating the dress code, some teachers will choose to ignore it, whereas others will send the student to the high school office. If sent to the office, students are penalized with a day of in-school suspension instead of being allowed to call for a change of clothes. At first glance, the prohibition of tank tops, jeans with holes above the knee, and shorts and skirts shorter than fingertip length, among many other guidelines, seems reasonable, but after further reconsideration, it is clear that the dress code at Elizabeth Forward High School is ridiculous and hypocritical. I think that Elizabeth Forward High School should lift the harsh policies because of the temperature fluctuation in the building throughout the school year, recent trends among teens, and the hypocrisy associated with the dress code.
Jahn, Karon L. “School Dress Codes v. The First Amendment: Ganging up on Student Attire.”
The argument whether uniforms should be implemented in school has been debated over the last few decades. By implementing a uniform policy within schools would help reduce the rise of violent crimes. In today’s high schools, too many innocent youths become fatalities due to gang warfare that has spread into the school system. Many parents feel that if a uniform policy was implemented , the spread of gang warfare and the idea that children have to have name brand clothing would decrease drastically. However others are worried that this policy would infringe on students First Amendment Rights with expressing themselves. Many parents are worried that the uniforms will cost too much and they will only burden their economic status. Uniforms will either give the school strength or separate the students and parents from the administration.
According to “School Uniform Statistics,” about 66% of parents believe the school uniform policies hinder self expression and creativity. Based off of TIME Media Kit, Belinda Luscombe is a very successful journalist and editor for TIME Magazine with a Bachelor of the Arts in English Literature and a Diploma of Education from the University of Sydney, Australia. Luscombe has written and published a multitude of articles ranging in topics and style. “How Ugly School Uniforms Will Save Education” was an article written by her in 2014. This article discusses the pros of implementing a school uniform, for all grades, across the nation. Even though Luscombe provides fascinating points supporting school uniforms, she yielded no real statistics or
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America’s school systems seem to have many issues concerning students receiving a quality education without distraction. A current debate argues weather a dress code policy is efficient or takes away from student’s expression. Administrators at schools should regulate a dress code policy because the system improves discipline and student’s attention, reduces social conflict and peer pressure related to appearance, and dress code provides a more serious learning environment.
Restrictions on student’s clothing is a popular topic of controversy. Some believe authoritative figures involved in children’s lives, such as parents and school administrators, should have the ability and the right to limit student’s clothing choices. Others believe students should be allowed to make their own clothing decisions without the influence or direction of authority.
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 are increasingly popular across the nation. In fact, it becomes 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, it could 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
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.
Conformity: The Issue behind School Uniforms,” Peter Caruso suggest clothing can provide clues to the status of a person which could also be connected to a person’s values. If all students were to dress the same, Caruso claims, ideas such as these would no longer be an issue (85). Caruso’s idea that once schools implement a uniformed dress code we would no longer have to worry about our students being judged because of their perceived status is unfair. Why is conformity the only answer to putting an end to
"School Dress Codes Reflect Lack Of Gender Equality". Playwickian. N. p., 2014. Web. 1 May 2016.