School Uniforms Conformity

937 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Thesis supporting uniforms in public schools

An issue that is hotly debated is the topic of school uniforms. Now, there are two sides of this discussion. The Affirmative and the Negative. I am proud to say that I, Anna Huynh, Student of FMS, will not stand for school uniforms. If one had to choose, then I’d choose against because firstly, school uniforms emphasize conformity, not individuality, and do not let students build their identity. Secondly, Uniforms are much too expensive for those along the line of poverty. Thirdly, They do NOT stop bullying.
One reason that I believe school uniforms should not be used in public schools is that they emphasize conformity and lower a student’s individuality. For example, Seamus, a 16-year-old transgendered boy, stated, "sitting in a blouse and …show more content…

In 2013, while 47% of high-poverty public schools required school uniforms, only 6% of low-poverty public schools required them, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This shows that the uniforms, while they might ‘bring the students within the school together by razing the line for poverty’, It does not do so OUTSIDE of the school. School uniform proponent Angela Walmsley, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research in the College of Education and Public Service at Saint Louis University, concedes that "we’re creating a culture where parents think that a public school where children wear uniforms is an unsafe place to send their child. In other words, school uniforms in public schools are becoming associated with schools facing violence problems." David L. Brunsma, Ph.D., stated that "more affluent families buy more uniforms per child. The less affluent... they have one... It's more likely to be tattered, torn and faded. It only takes two months for socioeconomic differences to show up again." The Poor kids within the school would have their uniform to appear dirtier than the richer kids who's parents buy them more than one. It wouldn’t take long for the division between poverty and non-poverty to appear …show more content…

In fact; they might switch the bullying to something that hurts a lot more than smack talking clothes. 2007 peer-reviewed study found that "school uniforms increased the average number of assaults by about 14 [per year] in the most violent schools." This piece of evidence shows that the school uniforms did not stop the violence, but rather, raised it. Another example is; Nancy E. Bailey, Ph.D., education author, and activist wrote in her 2013 book Misguided Education Reform: Debating the Impact on Students: “Bullying occurs whether students wear uniforms or not. The root cause of bullying should be addressed. Teens should be able to develop self-expression and their personal identity.” What this is saying is that the clothes are not the origin of bullying. Nor is it of violence. It is other problems that we should be addressing and defeating instead of trying to make all of our students wear the same shirts. My last example of this issue is; A 1999 Texas Southern University study found that school discipline incidents rose by about 12% after the introduction of uniforms. According to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Office of Education Evaluation and Management, fights in middle schools nearly doubled within one year of introducing mandatory uniforms. (Charles Badger, "Report of Standard School Attire: A Look at the Issues,"

Show More
Related

  • Uniforms: The Benefits

    1248 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many opposing views feel that uniforms are a “Band-Aid Approach” to more serious problems throughout the school community says Bárbara C. Cruz. (43) These are problems like violence, bullying and poor academic behavior. Said by a high school junior “Uniforms would not transform anyone into a good student, just dress up a bad one”. (Cruz 44) It is true that uniforms are not the solution to all educational problems, but they are a good place to start. Although, when schools begin to enforce a uniform policy it shows that the community is acknowledging there are problems to be solved and working together to try something new. Quoting two school safety experts, “Instituting a dress code alone will not solve the problem of violence in the schoo...

    Read More

  • School Uniforms

    1967 Words  | 4 Pages

    There have been a lot of people in the United States debating on whether or not wearing school uniforms since centuries ago. In the United States, most public schools do not require to wear uniforms. However, students are required to wear uniforms in private schools. While in most of the countries, either in a public or private school, require to wear uniforms. They even have summer and winter uniforms according to the weather. There are some pros and cons of wearing uniforms. Most of the people think that wearing uniforms can help student decrease the rate of gang activity, and behave well in school. However, some of the parents think that wearing the uniform do not have their children’s individual rights. Some of the students think it suffocated to wear the uniforms. The down-sides are the expenses of buying uniforms for poor people, and violating freedom of expression. However, the students should wear school uniform because it helps prevent gangs from forming on campus, encourage discipline, improve the learning skills.

    Read More

  • School Uniforms

    537 Words  | 2 Pages

    Students use the way they dress as a way to express themselves. Many students argue that they lose their identity when they lose their right to express themselves through fashion. 90% of all schools across the U.S that insist school uniforms require a certain colored top and bottom. Students use the way they dress to show what kind of person they are, making them dress all the same won’t show their individuality. Some people also say that having uniforms will reduce the risks o...

    Read More

  • Pros and Cons of School Uniforms

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    The price of uniforms is a financial burden to lower income families, putting a pain in families’ pockets. They’re families that use hand-me-downs and buy used clothing, which doesn’t help out for school. It also has to be reminded that school isn’t all day. After school you’re going to have kids rushing home to put on their other clothes. Kids are stil...

    Read More

  • comms uniform speech

    871 Words  | 2 Pages

    Do you remember what your wardrobe was like during high school? Maybe you wore the latest in brand name clothing, anything that wasn’t associated with gang signs, or whatever hand me downs you could get. The reality is physical violence is common between children because of the name brand on a jacket or a pair of jeans. Children are being ridiculed because their families simply can't afford to provide them with the latest in fashion. In our larger cities where gang involvement is prevalent, children are killed because they choose to wear the wrong color to school. This concern is not about civil liberties or freedom of expression, it's about improving the educational environment within our public school systems nationwide. If this is a possible solution to the issues faced in public schools, is expressing one’s self with brand name clothing not worth giving up? and I went to private school where I was required to wear uniforms. I saw a strong correlation between wearing uniforms and prevention of school violence. I’m here today to talk about why uniforms prevent school violence. I will speak about how it prevents students from ridicule, theft and gang violence.

    Read More

  • The Need for School Uniforms

    444 Words  | 1 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • School Uniforms And Conformity Essay

    891 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Argument Against School Uniforms Essay

    2235 Words  | 5 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Public School Uniforms Analysis

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    It will prevent bullying and teasing, because putting every student in the same outfit will decrease the opportunity for students to get bullied or picked on. Also, reduce violence and dissipated thefts. Furthermore, no student will feel in danger, because no one’s has valuable clothing or the can wrongly wear a color that can represent any gang affiliation. ''Some principals said labels might signify things, and we wanted to avoid any possibility of gang problems, of some group of kids deciding to buy the same brand, and thinking the little thing on their shirt represents something,’’ Add Lewis in his article “Dress For Success: Public Schools Uniforms” Parents and Teacher have to work together in implementing school uniforms, so once again kids feel safe in schools nowadays. Furthermore, Bill Clinton, stated in Feb.24, 1996 a radio addressing the same issue about violence in schools, and he agrees that by implementing this school uniforms is possible to break once in for all this cycle of violence and gangs and return the safety back to the

    Read More

  • School Uniforms Persuasive Essay

    1029 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Negative Effects Of School Uniforms

    1447 Words  | 3 Pages

    Caruso discusses, “There are two main reasons of conflict on school uniforms. The reasons are: a student’s right to their opinion and having a school safe environment for the students” (Caruso 86). Many students feel angry towards schools for perusing school uniforms because many feel they express themselves only through their clothes. Students that feel they cannot express their style through clothes at school may later on rebel against the school and their parents. Uniforms to some may feel uncomfortable and may not be universal to all body styles. If students feel apprehensive about how they are dressed then the learning discontinues in the classrooms. Some parents feel it is cruel to not let their children express themselves the way they want and end up switching schools for a better fit for their child’s needs. In Sarah Kizis’s article she states, “Opponents say they infringe on students’ constitutional right of self-expression and do not address schools’ real problems”

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On School Uniforms

    1554 Words  | 4 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay: Should School Uniforms Be Required?

    840 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay About School Uniforms

    721 Words  | 2 Pages

    All individuals struggle with discovering who they are and who they may want to be in the future. School environment, either negatively or positively, impacts the result of this greatly. Uniforms in the learning environment have become a highly debated subject all across the country. Although some individuals believe school uniforms have a positive affect, those people should understand the negatives because uniforms promote appearance over character, lower student’s self-esteem, and conflict with the right of expression.

    Read More

  • Arguments For School Uniforms Debate

    1958 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about School Uniforms Conformity

Open Document