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School uniform debate introduction
How have uniforms affected students academically
School uniform debate introduction
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School uniforms have been associated with just the Catholic school but are now showing up in public schools across the country. According to the National Center for Education Statistics: Indicators of School Crime and Safety 2011, twenty-one states require students to wear uniforms in the public school system. The reason behind this is that the schools think that the uniforms improves students’ attitude towards school and others. In education, school uniforms help support student success, academically, socially, and personally. Many people believe uniforms increase learning and achievement in schools. (Bensma) This is why so many school are now having their students wear uniforms, in 1996 only 3% of public schools in the country wore them, Uniforms also lowers victimization, decreasing gang activity and fights, and it also helps with differentiating strangers in the school from the students in the school building. Uniforms lower suspension rates and they also decreases substance abuse among the schools. (Brunsma) Beth Asaff found the U.S Department of Education says that the mandatory use of uniforms or dress codes reduces violence in school. This is a major point because violence in schools have gone up tremendously and President Clinton saw that when he took office. He stated that uniforms would, “make public schools more orderly centers of learning and safer sanctuaries for children.” Many of school followed his advice and formed a dress codes to lower gang and criminal activities. Some schools banned certain colors or even styles that they believed to be gang related, they thought that banning these clothing types it would resolve the gang activity that occurs at the school. These codes have shown incredible results. Administrators in Long Beach, California say that crime in the school has been reduced by 76% since the uniforms enforced. (Kizis) When President Clinton pointed to Long Beach, California where the uniforms were already in place the school said that their fights, weapons offences were reduced by half and sexual offences went down by three fourths. Since his speech in 1995, uniform use in the school district showed amazing results, like the crime in the district decreased by 91%. Suspensions dropped by 90%, sexual offences were down by a staggering 96%, and Vandalism waned by 69% after the uniforms were in place. (Chatterjee) With these amazing results it is no wonder many other schools in the country followed their footsteps. A study done in 2010, based on the School Survey on Crime and Safety, found that schools with a mandatory uniform had fewer instances of drug and
... students in various ways, such as to learn how to ‘cooperate’ with their friends and work out the problem.” (Mr. Knight). Uniforms are not just for schools it's also for jobs or teams you play on, so you just have to sit down and think about how school uniforms can change and the rest of your priors for the good or better, uniforms can make your school a safe place, bully and gang violence free zone. Even the statistics show schools that have uniforms have a decrease bullying, gang violence and other crimes. Putnam City Schools should adopt school uniforms next year.
With many of the schools that do not use school uniforms, they are having trouble with their students, and the school environment is collapsing. Two very educated people that work on keeping schools safe; Linda Lumsden and Gabriel Miller’s, in their article “School Uniforms and Dress Codes”, they have informed people the biggest reasons school crime exists. Some kids come in dressed promoting drugs and alcohol, others come in dressed in “swag in gang related clothes”, and other students come to school with sexually provocative clothing (Lumsden, Miller). This is getting out of hand because so many students are wearing cloths, which is provocative, and no one is taking serious control to stop them from being a distraction to other students. Also one of the biggest issues with schools these days, are the school shootings. Sherry Bowen, a professional in the education system has informed people about how easy it is to sneak in weapons to school. By using schools uniforms it will be hard to sneak in a gun, or other harmful weapon (Bowen). With schoo...
“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.
It has been observed that the adoption of school uniform policies can promote school safety, improve discipline, and enhance the learning environment. The potential benefits of school uniforms include decreasing violence and theft. Some instances involving designer clothing and expensive sneakers have even led to life-threatening situations among students. Uniforms would also prevent gang members from wearing gang colors and insignia at school. Uniforms would also teach students discipline and help them resist peer pressure. Uniforms would also help students concentrate on their schoolwork and would help school officials detect intruders who come unwelcome into the school.
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.
School uniforms have positive effects like rising attendance records, improved grades, and decreased behavioral problems. Since 1994, school systems in Long Beach, California have required school uniforms. Attendance rates have been rising and fighting has dropped by more than half. Crime and suspensions declined by approximately one third. School uniforms reduce the wearing of gang-related clothes and helps some students concentrate more on academics instead of on clothes, which in turn, increases grades.
Mentioned in Pros and Cons of School Uniforms, “When children wear their own clothes into school, this then becomes a time for them to judge each other, so it prevents competition and teasing” (Pros and Cons of School Uniforms). When you have school uniforms you won’t be wearing different things so you will become more equal. If the students are equal, it then reduces judgement and bullying between the students and makes the school a better place. Another positive statement on how school uniforms are beneficial comes from, Pros and Cons of School Uniforms, “Many educators believe that students who wear school uniforms perform better academically in school, and a study done in 1988 by Notre Dame shows a slight statistical evaluation in student performances among students who wear uniforms” (LoveToKnow). School uniforms will remove the clothing distraction and increase the amount of time given to the academics. Some students take time in the morning to get ready for school, uniforms will allow that time for sleep and studies. According to Procon.org, “Parents can reduce their financial burden when their children are limited to wearing one outfit everyday” (ProConorg Headlines). You won’t feel the pressure to buy clothes that are in style, or expensive and trendy. Uniforms are easier to maintain. They tend to last longer and can be washed easier than other clothes. Wearing school uniforms create a community of higher educated students and equality to
School Uniforms are a logical choice for the public school venue. Uniforms prevent students from a lower income background to be 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.
Uniforms encourage modesty and also reduces the need for discipline from teachers because a student is not following dress code. When uniforms are in place, children come to class looking professional, which can promote a better learning environment. The last, and possibly the most important reason why I believe school uniforms are necessary is for social equality. School uniforms reduce the stress children feel when trying to fit in with their peers. Without them, some children may be alienated because their economic background reflects the clothes they wear.
(“Quotes about Uniform Policy” 1). Theodore R. Mitchell, UCLA School of Education says, "I think its great news for all of us who have advocated school uniforms as a way of building community.” A pressing issue, bullying has become a big problem in many school, and to eliminate this problem, school policies should require students to wear uniforms. Many people believe that school uniforms build the community into a safer, more positive environment. School uniforms improve school academics, prevent gang violence, and assist families, who can not afford expensive clothing.
School uniforms in public schools are becoming increasingly popular across the nation. The public school system would benefit greatly if this policy were to be adopted. Opposition is always a factor when trying to make changes. Taking all things into consideration, the positive effects would be far greater than the negative effects. School uniforms should be required in public schools because their use would lead to higher education, less violence, and lower cost to parents.
Many gang members wear particular types of colors and clothes to signify their membership to a certain gang. With every student wearing the same articles of clothing, gang members will not be able to establish a rivalry within the school. Uniforms also minimize violence by reducing some sources of conflict. A Long Beach Superintendent stated the first year that the uniforms had been implemented into his school, crimes decreased by thirty-six percent, school violence by fifty-one percent, and vandalism to the school dropped eighteen percent. (US Dept. of Ed., 1996) Uniforms will also make it easier for trespassers to be identified. (Ryan & Cooper, 2000) These trespassers will stick out like a soar thumb because they will not have on a uniform like everyone else.
In fact, one in five public schools throughout the US are required to wear them. It has been said that on average, high-poverty areas with public schools are more common to have school uniforms mandatory. The first school district in the US to acquire the school uniforms was in Long Beach, California roughly a decade and a half ago. As of 2008, 22 states have enforced the utilization of school uniforms. Studies show that US schools with a minority student population of 50% are four times as likely to require uniforms than schools with a minority population of 20-49%, and 24 times more likely than schools with minority populations of 5%-19%. 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. That is one less item that parents have to worry about. Just having to buy school uniforms instead of a whole new wardrobe after every new yea could help several families save money. It is said that having uniforms could potentially help families concentrate on where it matters most, which is the quality of the education that their child
Uniforms in public schools are becoming accepted throughout the world. The public school systems would benefit significantly if this policy were to be accepted. Wearing uniforms in public schools result in positive effects.
Finally, Joyce will summarise our arguments, convincing you, without a doubt, that school uniforms MUST be enforced in all schools. Point 1 (Brian): Having school uniforms will greatly lift the feeling of teamwork and sense of school spirit and belonging, and is a benefit for students. According to SafeSchools.edublogs.org, school uniform programs make it easier for students to develop a sense of belonging at school because greater attention is given to who they are instead of what they wear. School uniforms will make students feel that they are part of school and not whatever new trend they are wearing, which is beneficial to them. Another example is from an article on www.rjmccarthy.com, which tells us that logos on school uniforms enhance spirit and pride, and creates a more “community” feel among students.