Uniforms in Public Schools Helps Build Security

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Uniforms in Public Schools

Many students prefer not to wear school uniforms because they believe it takes away from their individuality. Uniforms are thought to lower a students creativity and self-esteem. While these thoughts are in good consideration, if students were to wear uniforms in all public schools it would help significantly in reducing violence in public schools. Uniforms would help by ruling out bullying because of one's clothing style. Most of the violence in schools are due to an angry student who feels out of place because of other students criticism. All students attending public schools should wear uniforms to provide a safe, comfortable environment.

Students wearing school uniforms makes it easier for faculty to recognize the students that belong to their school. If a person, who was armed, entered a public school, who had a no uniform policy, it would make it easier for that person to blend in. Students who wear uniforms think in terms of the school as a unity verses students wearing clothes of their style and thinking in terms of groups. This helps lower the number of gangs in a school. (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/benefits-of-school-uniforms.html) Today, 95 percent of New Orleans', 85 percent of Cleveland's, and 80 percent of Chicago's public schools all require uniforms. (http://school101.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/facts-about-school-uniforms/)

Students are willing to fight against wearing uniforms in public schools because they can't express themselves, however, students wearing uniforms would reduce distractions and add structure to the environment. If students wore uniforms, the public school would no longer have to worry about an appropriate dress code. Students would not be called names because of their fashion sense. Students would feel equality amongst each other. No student would feel secluded because of their clothes. Students could still express their individuality through personality.

Of course, the use of uniforms in public schools will not banish violence and gangs all together, but will significantly reduce the numbers of gangs and amount of violence. Long Beach, California school districts decided to use school uniforms in 1994. In the following year, district officials found that overall school crime decreased 36 percent, fights decreased 51 percent, sex offenses decreased 74 percent, weapons offenses decreased 50 percent, assault and battery offenses decreased 34 percent, and vandalism decreased 18 percent. (http://www2.ed.gov/updates/uniforms.html) These results speak for themselves.

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