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What effect do uniforms have on students
Uniforms and education
Introduction on students wearing school uniforms
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Students Wearing Uniforms in Public Schools Where did you get that outfit? You look so fine! Why does she always where that outfit? Doesn’t she have anything else? These are the inquires that hops on to the train of thought in students mind when they go to school. The main effort is not laid on education, and if it is somewhat an idea, it’s about getting high grades through extra credit and not so much learning the material. Public school students are rapidly redefining the meaning of education. Education has been drawn into a world of fashion, because students are redirecting their focus on how they dress instead of concentrating on their academics. Due to the lack of attention on education, the use of uniforms ought to be an investment …show more content…
There should never be a time when a student should come to school, feeling as though they don’t belong here because of the clothing that they might have or not have. This causes bullying rates to rise and creates more people with low self-esteem. “Competition over appearance can result in verbal taunts, fights, and thefts. Such behavior occurs not only among enrolled students but also among non-enrolled peers, who can instigate problems relating to appearance. Certain types of clothing and accessories have come to symbolize lifestyles relating to drugs, violence, and disrespect for authority. (LaPoint)” Uniforms serves as an identification for a group of people. It’s just like different countries around the world having their own flag to represent them. Therefore whenever you see them they stand out and you can identify. If uniforms were to become a school lifestyle students could stand out from other schools. It helps to severe student body from other public schools and schools in general. The colors may be similar in some cases but the logos will distinguish the school. It will also encourage students to act responsibly; they will want to try to represent the school in a good way, at events for the school, in school and when they are in uniforms outside of school. Schools have place rules in their laws, telling students what to wear and what not to, many focused on modesty, improper pictures, and …show more content…
It is a like a body guard for the students. Whenever parents send their kids to school, they expect their child to be protected. This safety can be taken to the next level if public schools consider investing in uniforms. “Above all benefits of school uniforms, the benefit of school safety and the reduction of discipline problems is by far the greatest. According to Isaacson “One of the chief benefits of school uniforms, say proponents, is that they make schools safer. Uniforms are said to reduce gang influence, minimize violence by reducing some sources of conflict, and help to identify trespassers” (lyne) (Isaacson, 2004, para. 4). Long Beach, California served as one area of study linking uniforms and the decrease in school violence, crime, and disciplinary issues. “In 1994, the Long Beach, California, school system began requiring that students wear uniforms. The system recorded a drop in suspensions, assaults, thefts, vandalism, and weapon and drug violations and an increase in attendance” (Chaika). As evidenced in many other studies concerning this same school system, there was a dramatic drop of thirty-six percent in all violent related crimes at school (Mancini). The Superintendent of the Long Beach school system, Carl A. Cohn, went on record stating, “that during the first year [of uniform implementation] suspensions decreased by 32%, school crime by 36%, fighting by 51%, and vandalism by
“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.
There is something comforting about school children and teenagers dressed in pleats and plaid. Maybe it is a reminder of past times, or conjures up thoughts of order and safety. Whatever the reason, school uniforms are getting a lot of ?wear? these days, yet remain an unproven deterrent to school violence. No long-term, formal studies have been done with regards to the effectiveness of school uniforms, but many schools have kept their own informal statistics, such as the Long Beach School District. These statistics offered by Long Beach are often most cited as a proven deterrent to school violence, after adopting a mandatory uniform policy in 1994. According to Richard Van Der Laan, school crime has dropped over seventy-five percent, while attendance has reached an all-time high. One question we must ask ourselves is this, ?Is it the uniforms, or the induction of them that is solving the problem?? Maybe it is the school and parents showing some ?back-bone? which is affecting the students, not the clothing.
The use of school uniform is focus on the private school in the United States. Uniforms were made mandatory for “all students in the belief that they would create an environment conducive to learning and produce an atmosphere of pride, academic achievement, loyalty, unity, and equality among the student population” (Chittom, Ginsburg). In contrast, public school did not require to wear uniforms and open to all students. Parents think it did not have their child’s individual’s right and support the uniforms policy. Although it did not have their child’s individual right, there are many things that have advantages to wear uniforms. One of the well-known examples of the start using uniforms in public schools is the case of California’s Long Beach Unified School District in 1994. The LBUSD became first school that required school uniforms. Since that time, other public school district such as in Florida, Maryland, California, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina start develop uniforms policies (Chittom, Ginsburg). After President Bill Clinton made a speech about school uniforms in 1996, school uniforms policies started use more even in the public school. The school uniforms start to produce a positive learning environment. However, researchers and parents are start questioning whether the school uniforms really improve students’ academic achievement. The uniforms policies were debating since then.
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 in pre-K through high school levels is 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.
At the beginning of the 20th century almost no parent or faculty had any concerns with how students dressed to attend school. Nowadays, though, this is a giant concern among students, parents, and school board officials. Many arguments have been made over the matter saying uniforms should be required and enforced in schools. But, uniforms should not be required as they ultimately eliminate freedom of expression, promote conformity over individuality, may have a detrimental effect on students self image, emphasize the socioeconomic divisions they are supposed to eliminate, and lastly, school uniforms in public schools undermine the promise of a free education by adding an extra expense for families.
(“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.
In the past school uniforms have been a requirement for private schools only, however; the number of public schools requiring uniforms is growing rapidly (Brunsma). Every parent wants their child to feel safe while they are at school. This is just one of the many things that implementing school uniforms into public schools will do for students (Maxwell). School uniforms have also been proven to be a key asset in keeping gang colors and symbols out of schools (Maxwell). The requirement of uniforms has also led to a decrease in violence and theft due to expensive clothing and shoes, helped to instill a sense of discipline in students, a reduction in the number of distractions for students, and helped give the students a sense of community (Maxwell). Uniforms have also helped to blur the lines between rich and poor students, and helped to make it easier for school officials to identify individuals on campus that do not belong (Maxwell). Implementing school uniforms into today’s public schools will help to reduce all of these problematic situations, and help the students to feel safe.
The most common argument against school uniforms is that they take away the students right to self-expression. Yes, school uniforms limit what the students have to wear, but students can still have their own ways of self-expression. Students can still express their style of choice with their hair and what accessories they wear. Their shoe choice is also a form of self-expression. Students can make the uniforms their own style without breaking the dress code. School is a place to learn. Outside of school, self- expression is limitless. Some parents also believe that it could interfere with students' natural behavior to experiment with different identities. Having uniforms in schools helps erase the defined line of the social classes. Typically, popular kids in the higher social classes wear the trendiest clothing...
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.
When my friend was in eighth grade, her school decided to enforce a uniform. She remembers most of her friends would do everything possible to show who they were: scarves, colored undershirts, crazy headbands, and colorful jewelry because they wanted to express themselves. They refused to give into the uniform. Schools should not enforce a uniform for many reasons. Uniforms are not going to help improve the schools because clothes do not affect the way a student thinks nor do they stop the judgment of other students, and some parents can’t afford it.
There is an unending discussion in schools across the country about school uniforms and whether or not they make for a better experience in school for the students or just the teachers. Those who are pro-uniforms insist that uniforms will allow families to save money and time on clothing. This is so because these days children often get ready by themselves, because their parents are usually off to work before they wake up for school (Linder-Altman). Uniforms give the parents of these children confidence that their child is going to school looking halfway decent. There are also claims that uniforms will decrease the amount of bullying in school because all of the students will look alike. On the other hand, those protesting uniforms believe although everyone is pretty much dressed the same, cliques will still form and bullying will still exist (Dress code and Uniforms). I wore uniforms throughout primary school and I didn’t like them because I always felt uncomfortable in them. In hindsight, it could have been because I felt my personality was bottled up every time I put on my school uniform. There are claims that uniforms are not inclusive and won’t allow children to accept each other because of their differences (Linder-Altman). When everyone in the school is dressed alike, students may feel as if they aren’t able to express his/herself. Those unfamiliar with this topic may be interested to know the
Should school uniforms be required? Some say that uniforms help students focus on academics instead of fashion. Others believe that students should have the freedom to choose what they wear to school in order to express their differences and their uniqueness. After considering both sides of the issue, I strongly believe that uniforms should be introduced in primary public and private schools. Wearing school uniforms does not promote unfair comparisons between student’s incomes in terms of clothing; they aid students in developing their inner qualities instead of focusing on the outer aspects of themselves in the crucial earlier years of their lives, and provides a platform for practicing discipline.
According to the National center for Education statistics (NCES), “about 20 percent of public schools in the United States required uniforms in 2013-2014-up from almost twelve percent in 1999-2000”.As Ordway talks about how uniforms all started she talks about how the main focus of uniforms is not only to deter violence on school grounds but to help build up students confidence and academics.”However, the NCES website also claims that decades ago,uniforms were mostly worn by students who went to private school or parochial schools.But as public schools nationwide have focused more on improving standardized test scores and campus safety, a growing
School Uniforms As the years go by numerous public schools are starting to drift into more of a private school concept. From the way that they run programs at public schools, to the way that have their students wear school uniforms. Many will argue that having students wear uniforms take away some of their rights and restrict students from freedom of expression; But when it comes down to it, is their freedom of expression really being taken away? Or are parents and students just over reacting because they aren’t getting what they want?
Have you ever considered why students should wear a school uniform? For a long time, scholars have debated worldwide, whether students should wear a school uniform or not. After a lot of research, I can evidently see that people still have diverse opinions about this subject as some people think school uniform is essential, some are just fine with its existence, and some think it is useless.