“More than 60% of schools in America have uniforms” (Dr. Laura Faulk). Although this statement is not true, more and more public schools in America are enforcing the use uniforms. Consequently, schools started requiring uniforms after former President Bill Clinton mentioned the topic in his 1996 State of the Union Speech (Wilde). This action caused an array of emotions because people do not want required clothes in their public schools. Some parents were for the push, however, other parents refused to send their child in uniform to school, backfiring on the school because the school had the majority of students wearing uniforms, yet the hand full of kids who showed up to school without appropriate clothing. The push for uniforms in public …show more content…
Making sure a school is secure for its students is the school’s top priority, and with uniforms this can be possible. More schools are proud to have uniforms if it, “make[s] intruders on campus more visible” (“Should Students Have to Wear School Uniforms?”). Uniforms help keep students safe from harm when every student has to dress alike. Any potential threat is easily observed and helps the school remain safe. Requiring students to wear uniforms keeps them safe and out of harm's way from intruders. Another reason why uniforms are beneficial for students, schools, and communities, is uniforms help keep gang involvement in schools low. No one wants gangs in their local public school, and a small sacrifice is to start wearing uniforms. This small change can have big rewards with stopping gang related issues. According to the author of “Should Students Have to Wear School Uniforms?”, they state, “almost 50% of high school students say there are gang members at their schools.” With such a high percentage of schools with gangs, uniforms can help to subside the gang issues. A school without gangs is a safer school overall, plus the addition of uniforms have many more benefits than stopping gang problems. Calling for uniforms can stop gang promotion with their clothing: “prevent gang members from wearing gang colors and insignia at schools” (“Should Students Have to Wear
First, uniforms help improve students focus on their education. It disciplines students to take their attention away from outward appearance such as clothing and places it on actual school work. Uniforms create guidelines for the student to follow which is an aspect of life that a student needs to learn. A study of a Long Beach school found that their was a 28% drop in suspensions, 51% drop in school fights, and a 34% drop in assaults after the
Firstly, school uniforms restrict students from their freedom of self-expression and as we all know individuals should have the right to deliberately express themselves openly. Modern youth express themselves through music, emotions, writing, accessories, the way they style their hair and the clothes they wear. Having to take those rights from someone is like taking away a part of them, in view of the fact that self-expression is a major part of a child’s development. Some kids want to show they're different as well as unique, and uniforms forbid them from showing off their distinction. Apparel choices are an essential form of self-expression, allowing undergraduates to choose their clothing is an empowering component in the school because it proves that a student is a maturing person who is entitled to the most basic self-assertion. Also clothing is a common means of expressing encouragement for various social causes such as; breast cancer, anti-bullying, etc. On top
Furthermore, school uniforms have the potential to make schools a whole lot safer. Think of it like this – if you were to see a student walk in wearing an ugly polo shirt and sweat pants, (s)he would probably be picked on just because of what (s)he is wearing. We as humans naturally judge on what we see first, and it’s usually their face / clothing. If school uniforms were implemented in many places, then it would eradicate school violence and students wouldn’t be indignant with each other based on what they wear. Also, since everyone on school grounds is wearing their uniform, it would be easy to pinpoint unwanted visitors and be one step ahead. Not to mention it would help kids with less money evade the bullying and teasing that they would usually receive, which brings me to my next point.
However, this statistic varies from district to district and largely depends on what type of area this occurs in (Draa 159). Uniform policies are most common in urban areas where kids are likely to drop out or skip due to their affiliation with gangs. The type of clothing you where is integral to gang culture so it’s harder to recruit new members if you can’t even wear your colors. Additionally, students are able to better focus on their school work instead of being preoccupied with what they’re wearing that day for school. Uniforms also make it a lot easier for the student to get dressed for school since they’re not worried about what outfit they need to put together.
A survey conducted by Statistics Canada between 1992 and 1995 in Ontario high schools shows that 91 percent of incidents involving crime and police interventions in schools took place where uniforms were not mandatory. Furthermore, uniforms help school officials in detecting intruders like drug dealers who come unwelcome into the school. Thus, uniforms reduce violence at high schools by discouraging gang fights and making it easier to recognize intruders.
This is also a reason a majority of school districts in the United States have adopted school uniform policies. Another reason they have adopted the policies is because the school boards believe the uniforms will reduce the crime rate, improve student behavior, and increase student achievement in
Along with easy purchase, uniforms also help cut down bullying. Implementing uniforms gives kids a better sense of school pride, in which they care more about the school and each other. For example when Long Beach introduced uniforms in 1995 they received data that showed the in school fights decreased by 38%, suspension rates dropped by 90% and furthermore the overall crime rates dropped by 91%. School uniforms would work in the same way an athletic team uniform would; it would give them a sense of pride and belonging. Like athletic teams, when a team member or student would wear their jersey, or in this case uniform, they would cloak themselves in their school color they would feel obligated to make sure they represent the best for their school to show that they care and they are going to prove how exceptional their school is. A uniform can improve the overall school and also move beyond the school halls and out to the community. Most bullies make fun of a kid by how he or she looks, so by schools implementing uniforms they “level the playing fields”
School uniforms also serve little to no purpose in benefiting the education of children around America. A uniform does not help a student learn things that they need to know. A uniform does not help a student study, take notes, or make flash cards. They bring no educational value to the table of learning. According to many educators and experts, “Uniforms do not improve academics, behavioral and social outcomes, or reduce discrimination or crime” (Farrell). So if a uniform cannot help a student increase their knowledge or grow as a person, why make students wear them?
The main reason for implanting a school uniform policy would be that it increases the safety for the children at school. Gang violence in schools is at an all time high. In 1989, a high school student from Baltimore was shot and wounded in a fight over a pair of sunglasses that cost $95.00. Since this incident educators started restricting what students could wear. (Brunsma, 2006) By doing this, the violence in the school has decreased. According to Holly Charlonne with Life Script, she states that gangs have a need to wear a certain color to distinguish them from other neighborhood gangs. If our children are required to wear a uniform, this will lessen the chance of any possibility of violence out break at school associated with gangs. (Charlonne, 2007) Since everyone will have on the same colors, the uniforms may be viewed as a way to bring the children closer together by having the same effect as would sport uniforms. The decrease
Another benefit of uniforms is that they make the school is safer. In recent events there has been school shootings. Keeping weapons out of school is a huge safety concern. One positive effect of school uniforms is that it can prevent school shootings. To increase school safety, school uniforms identify who belongs on campus and who doesn’t as well as preventing gang “colors” from corrupting schools. Some people might think it focuses on the idea that requiring a uniform violates children's individual rights. Groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union have voiced concerns about the cost of uniforms, specifically that some disadvantaged parents are unable to afford them. It’s better to have an enhanced learning environment, without bullying and
School uniforms is the key to a bigger, better future. The basic clothing procedure phases out many types of harassment and creates a safe learning environment. Uniforms take away harsh borders that separate classmates and create school spirit. The positive impact school uniform have on students is an overlooked opportunity we must be informed about to create the next successful generation.
First of the primary benefits of school uniforms is that they would help students have easier lives. In today's society, students forget about the main reason for going to school which is to learn, and instead, they find themselves concentrating on their outward appearance and reputation. Students that wear uniforms do not have
Though the simplicity of school uniforms limit self-expression, they increase the overall quality of a student’s education. More schools, both public and private, are adopting uniforms in order to reduce crime and decrease the amount of distractions in the learning environment. Uniforms can oftentimes be costly and eliminate the amount of leeway students have when it comes to personalizing their appearance. However, uniforms better the school experience for a majority of students who wear them.
Another big benefit to having a school uniform is the increase of student safety in multiple things. The first, is the reduction of bullying. This happens at schools with mandatory uniforms because it gives bullies less ammunition. Bullies have less ammunition because social status and wealth are not visible to other students because everyone is wearing the same thing. Another thing more broad than bullying is physical student safety. For example, at a K-8 school system in Long Beach,CA enforced a two year mandatory uniform policy and the results were staggering. Assault reports dropped by 34%. Sex offences got cut by a whopping 74%! Fighting incidents decreased by 51%, and vandalism dropped by 18%. It is crazy to me how much things can improve in just two short years by having kids wear uniforms. One more thing, is that it makes it a lot easier to identify trespassers. I mean think of all the school shootings that have
Why do we need uniforms? Most student have their own style, but a common argument against school uniforms is that they take away the students right to show their sense of style, creativity and culture. Yes, school uniforms may limit what the students have to wear, but he/she can still have their own ways of self-expression in many forms. Students can still express their style of choice by what shoes they pick, color of the shoe laces, how he or she styles their hair, what accessories they add, jacket they wear or socks; there are many ways. Uniforms are still versatile where they will not be breaking the dress code policy the school has set. Just because a student can’t wear the most latest Polo ,Lacrosse , or Hollister shirt or jeans to school doesn’t mean that his/her rights are taken away. School should be a place where Children come to learn, not to scope out the latest fashion trend. Outside of school, kids can wear and show off their unique sense of style.