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Reason argument between freedom of expression and uniforms in schools
The effects of school uniform
Pros and cons for school uniforms
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Are dress codes and uniforms needed or not? Some parents, teachers, and school boards think that by telling kids what to wear will improve behavior, safety, and will make them into better adults ready for the work life. Some even say it makes bullying less of a problem. What makes people think by telling kids what to wear will make any type of improvement? Dress codes and uniforms are not needed in the school systems because it is against the First Amendment, does not stop bullying, and takes away some qualities employers look for in the people they hire. Dress codes and uniforms go against the Frist Amendment and take away students constitutional rights. During the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District case the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that “students do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression at the school house gates.” (Kelly). By the Court saying this means that students do have their constitutional rights at school; dress codes and uniforms take that away for them. The U.S Supreme Court also made it clear that schools cannot just ban a student’s expression because they do not like, or see it as a possible threat. The school must have evidence to support their theories of the students expression would harm others around them or cause conflict among the students (Kelly). Some schools do this all the time, because they do not like what a shirt says; they will say it is against the rules and ban it. This clearly says schools are not allowed to do this. Which is why school districts will lose most of their cases against students about dress codes. Most of the students expressions are political and religious speech, with are protected by the constitution (Kelly). Schools are being uncons... ... middle of paper ... ... a real solution. Schools should be working on getting their students ready for after high school, and build on the qualities to help impress employers. More important schools need to treat students like citizens of the United States and give them their constitutional rights to the First Amendment. Schools should stop and treat students like humans, not human size Barbie dolls. Works Cited Jeffords, Shawn. “Uniforms Won’t Stop School Bullies, Experts Say.” The Standard. 14 March 2012. Viewpoints in Context. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. http://www.stacatharinesstandard.ca Kelly, Mike. “School Dress codes Limit Students’ Freedom of Expression.” School Policies. 2008. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 29. Apr. 2014. http://ic.galegroup.com Key, Scott. “Con of School Dress for Success.” FPU News. Fresn.edu, 11 November 2007. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. https://news.fresno.edu.
America was founded on popular sovereignty and individual freedoms. What do Americans do when the freedoms given to them from birth are restricted or taken away from them? They fight! Throughout time the government has attempted to take away our civil liberties because they viewed them to be for the greater good. One huge government failure was the attempted prohibition of alcohol. It is well known that alcohol can be very dangerous and it should be restricted. However, the government went too far when it tried to take it away completely and just like their rebellious founders the American population just found ways around the law. Similarily, Carroll High School and other schools throughout the nation are severely restricting the students’ rights to express themselves through their visual appearance. The administration, relying on the crutch of limiting distractions and violence, is taking the dress code over the line and is infringing on our right of expression regardless of the lack of results that they are witnessing.
Issues involving the apparel enforcements, including sexism, repressed self- identity, and punishment issues will be discussed within this paper. Literature Review The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the creation of laws offensive to religious groups and ensures their ability to freely practice, grants the freedom of speech, comply the freedom of the press, and allows the right to assemble peacefully. Adopted on December 15, 1791, it has served the United States of America for over one hundred years. Freedom of expression is a controversial topic when applied to the school dress code.
Many people say wearing uniforms will infringe student’s freedoms, or rights. However, wearing uniforms in public school will do none of these.They just try to regulate all students so that they can achieve their goal and live a better life in the future. Besides that, students still have choice to wear whatever they want after class. Because of the advantage, wearing uniforms would offer such as positive environment, improves grades, behavior, and safety.Students enrolled in public schools should be required to wear a school uniform.
Ensuing President Bill Clinton's State of the Union address in January of 1996, more and more public schools are implementing dress codes and uniform policies in their schools. As a result, there has been an increase in legal controversies dealing with the issue. The reason that dress codes are not conclusively enforced is due to the application of the First Amendment to juveniles in the public school setting. The First Amendment states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Should children in public schools be able to wear whatever they want because of the freedoms classified in the First Amendment? I feel that the answer is no. Institutionalizing dress codes in public schools would do a great good for students and the entire academic community. I base my opinion on the fact that the pros of imposing dress codes outweigh the cons of the argument. By imposing dress codes or uniforms for students, it would eliminate opportunities for the ridicule of less popular or less fortunate students based on their attire, help prevent gang violence and gang members from wearing gang colors and insignia in schools, and generate an overall better academic concentration and discipline in the educational community.
Schools all over the United States argue and debate over if school uniforms should be required or not. Most schools that do require these school uniforms don’t have very happy students. Some people say making students wear these uniforms will stop a lot of problems. Kids won’t get bullied as much and won’t be judged on the clothing they like to wear. Other people say this wont change anything. Requiring students to wear uniforms isn’t going to stop bullying. Bullies will be bullies, if they can’t make fun of other childrens clothes anymore, they’ll move onto other things to judge them for.
Would anybody want their freedom taken from them? Nobody would willingly give their freedom up. What’s the next thing thats going to happen, will schools having edible food. Hard to see, right? So are uniforms. Schools should not have uniforms for these three reasons: It takes the students freedom of expression away, it’s a bandaid reason to cover up violence, and some parents might not be able to afford the uniforms.
The most evident debate in the topic of school uniforms is whether or not having uniforms takes away the freedom of expression for children. Most people refer to the First Amendment and claim we have the right to express ourselves in any way we choose, which includes clothes. Other people say that parents have the right to dress their kids in whatever clothes they feel are appropriate and should not
Dress codes and uniforms have been deemed legal by the United States Supreme Court. As long as the dress code or uniform regulations pass a four-pronged test. Opposition for school uniforms holds fast to preserving the sanctity of freedom of speech. The supreme court ultimately has decided that dress codes and uniforms do not violate the freedom of speech. In Harold W. Mitchell and John C. Knechtle’s study of the first amendment rights and dress code, they note that in 1968 in Ginsberg v. New York the supreme court ruled that “[t]he state has power to control the conduct of children that reaches beyond its scope of authority over adults (491).” Mitchell and Knechtle go further into explaining the 4 pronged rule the supreme court uses to judge if a rule is against the freedom of
To begin, a commonly used argument against the implementation of public school uniforms is that they restrict students’ freedom of expression. Although
(“Quotes about Uniform Policy” 1). Theodore R. Mitchell, UCLA School of Education says, "I think its great news for all of us who have advocated school uniforms as a way of building community.” A pressing issue, bullying has become a big problem in many school, and to eliminate this problem, school policies should require students to wear uniforms. Many people believe that school uniforms build the community into a safer, more positive environment. School uniforms improve school academics, prevent gang violence, and assist families, who can not afford expensive clothing.
Students claim that requiring them to wear mandated uniforms deprives them of their ability to freely express themselves through their choice of dress. However, freedom of expression does consist of the rights to freedom of speech, assembly, and to petition the government, but the first amendment does not grant people the right to act any way they want without actions taken. Numerous schools have a straightforward dress code policy enforced. If these policies are violated, then the students could face consequences for their
The debate over whether or not to enforce school uniforms has become a major problem in today’s schools. Schools are full of judgment and bullying between peers, which negatively affect many aspects within the school. Some believe wearing uniforms can have negative effects towards students such as the loss of self-individualism and the encouragement of conformity. School uniforms promote academic achievement and support the fight in eliminating bullying, which outweigh the cons, making school uniforms the best decision for schools.
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
Many schools around the world have used a school uniforms policy. In the same time, Many people wonder whether students should wear school uniforms or not. Opponents of school uniforms believe that public schools prevent students to choose their clothing (Mitchell & Knechtle, 2003). Thus, students do not have a freedom to choose what to wear (Mitchell & Knechtle, 2003). However, proponents of uniforms, who I agree with, believe that school uniforms will decrease gang activity and fighting, and does not contradict with freedom. Moreover, uniforms policy has many effectiveness such as spending less money on school clothing, and improving in focusing on academics.
What if you did not have to worry about what you wear every day? School uniforms have been under discussion and have become an argumentative topic in all schools. Research has shown varied results in the performance of students who wear and do not wear uniforms. School uniforms should be required in all schools because they improve behavior and they save time as well as money.