It is a violation of your First Amendment rights for a school to enforce a dress code. Not only does a school dress code restrict creativity, most of the time, a dress code is aimed towards girls instead of boys. A dress code can be expensive and cost money parents do not have, and many students feel discriminated against or sexualized when forced to follow a dress code. These are only some of the many reasons why school dress codes violate students' first amendment rights. However, those who agree with school dress codes might argue that they conduct with a sense of professional ability and increased focus. Eesha Pendharkar, the author of the article, “School dress code debates, explained” states, “The vast majority of dress codes—90 percent—ban clothing associated with girls.” People will claim dress codes are aimed more towards girls because it is a distraction to boys. The Supreme Court believed that certain clothes girls wear could “materially …show more content…
Some schools might prohibit you from wearing clothes that are unprofessional or are damaged. Some might even include higher prices for clothing such as blazers and dress shoes. While parents might be able to afford both the school and clothes, there are those that struggle to meet both needs. According to Amelia Josephson, the author of, “Pros and Cons of School Uniforms” she acknowledges that, “Keeping a child in school uniforms may be more expensive for parents and guardians than buying regular clothes would be. Often, uniforms are only available from a limited number of suppliers and the lack of competition (and captive market) keeps prices high.” The average amount of money spent on uniforms can range anywhere from $100 to $500 per child. This would be a problem for those who have multiple children attending that school as well. Schools should consider the dilemmas parents might have when buying uniforms. There should be more affordable prices or a less strict dress
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.
First of all, if students want to attend class in the clothes that make them feel comfortable, then they should be able to do so. In the 2015 article on The Atlantic on The Sexism of School Dress Codes, stating that "Many of these protests have criticized the dress codes as sexist in that they unfairly target girls by body-shaming and blaming them for promoting sexual harassment. Documented cases show female students being chastised by school officials, sent home, or barred from attending events like prom. "
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.
School uniforms cost parents, or guardians lots of money. Kids who parents sent their them in old hand me down and knitted clothes wouldn’t be near as happy for a school uniform as you would think, as this will mean that they will have dig deep into their bank accounts to have to buy expensive uniforms every year for their children’s education (Lamouse, Mack).
In America, you have the right to free expression which is why it's known as the home of the free. But how far does that freedom go? Many students get in lots of trouble because they are freely expressing themselves through their clothes. Someone should not be censored because of their beliefs. The first step in human equality is people not being frowned upon in an oppressive way because of their beliefs. Students should be able to wear controversial clothing to school because they have the right to free expression, the school can’t stop you from wearing something just because they disapprove of the message, and that the schools cannot ban you from wearing something unless it causes a substantial disruption.
We as students have many rights at school, a lot of these rights protect us from school rules and punishments. One of these rights is the first amendment right, which is freedom of speech. Freedom of speech includes the right not to speak or respond, maybe to a teacher or administrator, it also gives you the right to use offensive words and phrases if conveying a political message. This amendment also overlaps into dress code giving us the right to express ourselves, especially about a political opinion.
School uniforms are affecting the amount of money spent on clothing in a negative way. Many people think parents/guardians are saving money, but really, they are just spending more money. If one were to think about it, school uniforms can’t be worn outside of school. Why would someone want to spend $300 on school uniforms, and then have to spend $200 on clothes worn outside of school?
...h the cost of a year's worth of school uniforms. The cost of a year's worth (Five tops and five bottoms) of school uniforms or standardized dress code clothing is $150. The savings add up plus students who don’t have to focus on what to wear to school are going to focus more on academics, which leads to improved grades.
School uniforms average to about 300 dollars a year per child. Imagine how much it would cost to buy designer clothes for children throughout the school year. (Debate.org) Peter Houghton on anglefire.com had said his mom bought his brother two shirts, two pairs of pants, a sweatshirt, and a vest for his school uniform and it cost around two-hundred-fifty dollars. He also made the comment that parents have to buy regular clothes for their children to wear on the weekends and during summer vacation. Educationbug.com, Youdebate.org, and anglefire.com all agree that uniforms would decrease the pressure on the parents to buy brand name clothing, therefore parents would not have to feel bad if their children don’t have the newest fashion.
I believe all people have the right to express themselves. However, with rights come responsibility, a concept most people ignore. Having a "right" is to be free to express one's self. Consequentially, having a "responsibility" is doing it constructively, in such a way as to not violate policies, laws, and others' rights. There is a definite difference between a dress code and a school uniform. I support enforcing a school dress code, but is implementing a school uniform necessary? No matter how students dress, they will still pass judgments on their peers, uniforms do not necessarily save money, and children are forced to conform to the same standards. While in school, teachers have a responsibility to teach and students have the responsibility to learn. Both have the right to exist in their environment without harassment and the right to express their individuality. Some people have found some expressions crude, obnoxious, and distracting. To combat the problem, the idea of mandating school uniforms was introduced. This notion of making everyone appear "uniformed" in order to cut down on violence and negativity in school, is absolutely mislaid.
When students are forced to wear a school uniform, they won’t be able to express their feelings through their clothes. Yeah, some students might wear inappropriate clothes, but schools can still have dress codes. Dress codes don’t entirely take away a student’s freedom of expression. It’ll still allow students to express themselves while wearing appropriate clothes. With school uniforms, it just takes away a student’s freedom of expression straight away.
Statisticbrain.com says twenty-three percent of U.S schools wear uniforms. Student uniforms are very expensive. Most people cannot afford uniforms because they run at $249.00. Kids can still get bullied. A typical school uniform contains khakis, a white polo shirt, and dress shoes.
The costs for uniforms are over-expensive and one of the reasons why they should not be mandatory. The average cost of a uniform costs $250 dollars, which includes 2 pairs of shirts, 2 pairs of pants and 1 sweat shirt and one vest. If parents avoid brand named clothes, you can purchase more items at this price. The $250 stated above doesn’t include shoes, which some schools require. For example, in public schools where education is supposed to be free, uniforms add extra charges to the low-income families. Uniforms can't be worn anywhere else other than school. This means parents
Studies also show that the cities with the highest use of uniforms in public schools are New Orleans with 95%, Cleveland with 85%, Chicago with 80%, and Boston with 65%. Those studies were based off teachers and parents. 23% of all public and private schools are required to wear school uniforms and have a dress code. The annual cost of school uniforms sales runs about 1.3 billion around the world, and roughly 249 dollars per parent. With that being said, school uniforms could reduce the stress that comes along with school shopping.
Parents are also impacted when schools require uniforms. Some argue that this policy is too expensive; uniforms are actually more affordable. For example, an average parent of a teen that attends a public school spends over $500.00 a year on clothes alone, while a parent of a teen with a uniform policy spends less then $200.00 a year. There are fewer clothes to purchase, therefore less money to spend.