Should School Uniforms Be Paid?

Opponents of uniforms claim that uniforms can be expensive for parents, especially if their children want to wear expensive clothing outside of school anyways. This all depends on how much uniforms cost. Many schools require khakis and a solid-colored polo shirt, which can be purchased at Walmart for a low price. Female students that are required to wear skirts can wear one for years by letting out the hem and adjusting the buttons at the waist. In addition, many schools have a uniform resale, where used uniforms can be purchased for a fraction of the price. As long as schools do not require uniforms that are too expensive, parents can actually save money, due to the number of days in a week that students spend at school. In reality, uni-forms can be purchased for lower costs than trendy clothing, and since students are wearing uni-forms five days a week, they only need a few trendy outfits for the time spent outside of school (Walmsley 64-65). Wilfred Laboy, the superintendent of Lawrence Massachusetts public schools, offered some good

The contrary is actually the case. Uniforms create a professional culture and are consistent with what many adults are required to wear. Countless jobs require uniforms: nurses, policeman, pilots, and more. Even the jobs that do not have official uniforms still require business casual or an unspoken uni-form. Schools are for education, and uniforms set the tone for the culture of learning (Schachter 48). For example, uniforms in the United Kingdom are widespread. Many adults wear uniforms each day to work, and they pass that same culture on to their kids, making it easier to implement uniforms. Uniforms remind students it is their "job" to be a student. This does not mean they must be in class or study all the time, but it can help them focus (Walmsley 64). Teaching stu-dents to learn how to function in a uniform makes the transition to adulthood