A growing issue for modern schools that is almost impossible to avoid nowadays is the question of students’ appearance. Whereas children and teens would most likely enjoy dressing the way they want, teachers and education authorities lean toward students wearing standardized uniforms over free dress. As with any argument, there are many opponents and proponents of a mandatory enabling of school uniforms, both with reasonable arguments in favor of their claims. However, it is in my opinion that students should not be forced to wear uniforms, as it can negatively affect their personalities.
To begin, a commonly used argument against the implementation of public school uniforms is that they restrict students’ freedom of expression. Although
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many wish to say otherwise, a person’s outward appearance is the first others notice about him or her. Through freedom of dress, students can outwardly portray their individual personalities; clothing is a major element of a student's personal style and a format for creative expression. (Kokemuller 1) A majority of students are also in opposition of a required school uniform. In fact, according to a 2007 survey done in Harford County, MD, 87.9% of students disapproved of mandatory school dress, stating that clothing choices are a crucial form of self-expression. (Park 1) In addition, uniforms seem to promote conformity over individuality, which is contradictory given that several schools encourage appreciation of diversity. To quote Chicago junior high school student Kyler Sumter’s article in the Huffington Post: "They decide to teach us about people like Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony and Booker T. Washington. . . We learn about how these people expressed themselves and conquered and we can't even express ourselves in the hallways." (1) This criticism is particularly valid if a school wants a creative, expressive environment where students are free to think critically, in which case uniforms encourage and reflect sameness. (Kokemuller 1) Wearing school uniforms is a significant obstacle for a child’s self-expression. In high school especially, teenagers often experience an increased need to be unique and special. The clothes one wears is one of the most available means of self-expression, and school uniforms do not allow students to demonstrate their individuality. Another con to the school uniform is that there is no positive correlation between standard school dress and overall student safety, performance, or discipline, as proponents claim there are.
In his book regarding school uniforms in America, David Brunsma,PhD and Professor of Sociology, reviewed past studies on the effect of uniforms on academic performance. In his study, he came to the conclusion that there is no connection between a mandatory school uniform and academic achievement. (Wilde 4) (Brunsma) Brunsma also co-authored a study with a Kerry Rockquemore that analyzed a national sample of 10th graders and found “no effects of uniforms on absenteeism, behavioral problems, or substance use on campus” and “no effects” on “pro-school attitudes, academic preparedness, and peer attitudes toward school.” Similarly, it is often brought to attention by supporters that improvements in school safety and student behavior in the Long Beach Unified School District from 1993-95 resulted solely from the introduction of school uniforms; however it is unlikely that that was that case for other reform policies, such as a $1 million project to develop alternative teaching strategies, were implemented around the same time. (Brunsma and
Rockquemore) Fourth, school uniforms in public schools undermine the promise of a free education by imposing an extra expense on families. Lower-to-middle-class income earners often argue against the costs of uniforms if families are responsible for covering them. If schools share in or take on the costs, taxpayer dollars typically support uniforms. The argument about costs to families is somewhat mitigated in that families would typically have to buy or obtain other clothes for a student. Another cost factor, though, is the increased burden on administrators, staff and faculty to enforce policies. (Kokemuller 1) Furthermore, the push for school uniforms is, at its core, driven by commercial interests rather than educational ones. Approximately $1 billion is spent on school uniforms yearly in America, a surprising amount given that only 19 percent of public schools in the US require them. (Flam 1) Well known retailers such as J.C. Penney and Walmart have begun to market and cater directly to uniform abiding students, and have much to gain from the implementation of school uniforms. Lastly, the focus of schools and other involved parties on uniforms takes attention away from finding genuine solutions to problems in education. Spending time and effort enforcing uniform policies may distract from more effective efforts to reduce crime in schools and boost student performance, the very issues uniforms are meant to and fail to address. These improvements in public education can be achieved with changes such as smaller class sizes, tightened security, increased parental involvement, improved facilities, and the like. (Brunsma) Tom Houlihan, a former superintendent in North Carolina stated that school uniforms “are a distraction from focusing on systematic and fundamental transformation to improve our schools.” (1)
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.
Did you know that Americans spend around one billion dollars per year on school uniforms? At the beginning of every school year, families shop for weeks and weeks to find specific clothes that fit into a school’s strict uniform dress code. School uniforms should not be required in schools because they take away from the student’s freedom of expression, do not lower disciplinary problems, and do not prevent bullying based on economic status. Dress codes often have more of a negative impact than a positive impact when it comes to students being able to learn. Many people say that being in free dress is a distraction, when in reality, uniforms are more of a distraction.
One of the most controversial topics revolving around schooling is the weather students should or should not wear uniforms to improve academic and social behavior. Many sources say that school uniforms improve discipline, attendance, lower criminal activity, and increase academic achievement in students; Furthermore, this is due to less distraction and conforming to the idea that uniforms makes you smarter. This false ideology that is expected from school uniforms has not been proven in any way to work and is more of a waste of the tax-payers money than an improvement. There are more outlying factors that contribute to success or failure than just uniforms and pro-advocates do not get this big picture. The most outspoken reasons why to use
Many educators and even former President Bill Clinton, in his 1996 State of the Union address, have publicly supported the use of uniforms in schools. Larry Wilder Ed. D at Fresno Pacific University School of Education is one of those supporters.The reason he agrees with uniforms is because “They lead to a safer educational environment that increases Student's ability to learn, increases equality between the sexes and tolerance among ethnic and social groups.” There is much debate by educators on whether or not students in public schools should wear uniforms or have a dress code. There are many positive aspects and several negative aspects of uniforms in school. No matter what side you are on, there is a mixed bag of data when it comes to the ...
"’School uniforms are one step that may help break the cycle of violence, truancy and disorder by helping young students understand what really counts is what kind of people they are,’ President Clinton said. It didn 't take much more than this presidential nod of approval to get the uniform ball rolling in many school districts across the country” (Bowen). Are school uniforms really the answer to the public schools’ problems? Although having a school uniform policy is mostly beneficial to schools, there are some drawbacks to having one. While uniforms provide less cost to the parent and less chance of bullying in schools, they also limit a student’s freedom of expression and can decrease the student’s comfort level.
“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.
A huge negative effect of school uniforms is that they infringe ones’ individuality. High school is a time when students begin to develop their own sense of personal style, desperately trying to both stand out and fit in simultaneously. By being self-conscious and often lacking the confidence needed to assert themselves, teens are forced to use clothing and their outward appearance to manifest their individuality. By not being able to express teenagers act out in other ways. School uniforms also reduce ones ability to choose clothing that fits individual comfort needs. Above all, school uniforms even go against the 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, which is about establishment of religion and free speech.
Uniforms in our Public Schools. School Uniforms are a logical choice for the public school venue. Uniforms prevent students from a lower income background from being singled out for poorly made or cheap clothing, prevents use of gang colors, allows for certain safety measures, and allows teachers to form impressions of students based on actions and work rather than dress code choices. Since the 1990s schools have reported amazing results by mandating a school uniform policy. Konheim-Kalkstein, Y. L (2006): “School uniforms, proponents have said, can lead to improved discipline and classroom behavior, increased school attendance, respect for teachers, better school performance, higher student self-esteem and confidence, lower clothing costs, promotion of group spirit, reduction in social stratification, and lower rates of violence and crime.
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.
School Uniforms eliminate freedom of expression among children and teens in school whilst also supporting conformity over individuality. The First
School uniforms lack effectiveness. They don’t help fix any problems. Many believe that school uniforms take away the students distraction towards clothes and appearance and enhance academic performance. However, it does not take a genius to realize that wearing a uniform does not automatically make a student more attentive or hard-working. There may be several other reasons as to why a student lacks focus or is distracted. Those reasons may include problems at home, with other students or even with teachers. Schools should do everything they can to help students with those proble...
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.
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.
Introduction: The motion brought before the house today is “All schools should enforce the wearing of school uniforms from primary 1 to secondary 4.” This is a topic that is hot on the lips of educators, students and parents. School uniforms are a specific set or group of school-standardised clothing. If we look at America, only private and non-government run schools that institute the wearing of school uniforms. In Hong Kong, most schools require their students to wear school uniforms. My team is definitely in favour of schools having their students wear school uniforms. My teammates and I will demonstrate to you that the benefits brought by the wearing of school uniforms far outweigh any perceived disadvantages. Our first main argument, which will be explained by Brian, is that enforcing school uniforms in all schools will lift school spirit greatly. Justine will discuss our second argument, being that school uniforms reduce the amount of bullying. The fourth speaker, Ray, will debate about casual clothing distracting students. Finally, Joyce will summarise our arguments, convincing you,without a doubt, that school uniforms MUST be enforced in all schools.