School Uniforms
Why School Uniforms? School uniforms are widely used in public schools. Despite disagreements among parents, students, and the school districts, school officials cite many reasons for students to wear school uniforms.
Those reasons usually include the following: the uniforms are cheaper for parents, students wearing the same clothes decreases school fights, and students can receive a better education in the secure environment uniforms creates. Some students and parents disagree because wearing uniforms is not pleasing to them and does not alleviate traditional school problems.It makes students depressed because they cannot express themselves, they are forced to look like others, and it takes the fun out of school. What really happens when students are all dressed the same? Students’ creativity is hindered, and they are unable to show their individuality. Students should be able to express themselves through their clothes and not be forced to wear uniforms. Clothes are an expression of a student’s personality. By suppressing their opportunity to show their unique personalities, schools are teaching that uniformity is more valuable than individuality.
School uniforms send a clear early-life message to students that conformity is important and creativity is not” (youdebate. com). Geeks, for example, might express themselves by wearing thick glasses, suspenders and long socks. On the other hand, outgoing students might wear vibrant colors and outlandish fashion. Then, there are shy children, who might choose to wear long clothing and mostly black. These are just a few examples of students dressing according to certain categories with which they might identify themselves.The possibilities of individually expressing oneself through clothes are infinite.
However, uniforms stifle these possibilities; they keep students from expressing their personality. Uniforms also can cause an undo financial burden. Parents have to buy uniforms for when students are in school and street clothes for when they are not. Angelfire. com says uniforms ultimately cost more. Students change into street clothes after school, and they wear them on weekends. During summer months, students will revert to traditional street clothes.
Additionally, students will prefer designer street clothes when not in school. Therefore, parents purchase two sets of clothing, and many families cannot afford this. It is cheaper for the parents to buy only regular street clothes. Despite claims uniforms are worth a little extra money to eliminate issues such as bullying and social cliques, putting children in uniforms does not resolve social issues in school. It only treats the symptoms. “Cliques will still form,” and students will still make judgments on each other based on hair styles, height, weight, and odor (www. angelfire.
com).The only true way to resolve such problems is to teach tolerance and appreciation of diversity. Instead of forcing students to wear uniforms, educators should teach students how to respect and accept each other, despite their differences in body type, fashion, hair style, color, or any other thing that might otherwise divide the student body. This would bring an end to many social problems that develop in schools and also make students more productive members of society when they finish school. While schools hail uniforms as making school safer, it could cause a safety problem in the event of a security breech.In an event of an emergency, it will be hard to identify a certain student because they will all be dressed the same. Randy from youdebate.
com states the following: “I am totally against school uniforms! One reason, of many, is safety of the students. For example: During a natural disaster (God Forbid) Earthquake, Tornado, etc,… How would a parent i. d. their child? By the clothes that they are wearing, when they left home. What if a senior decided to attack a 9th or 10th grade student. How would the victim describe the attacker? Let’s see, Khaki Pants- Navy Blue Shirt- Brown Shoes. You get the picture.
This was, is and will ALWAYS BE A VERY BAD idea. ” No school can prevent 100 percent of security breeches. “It is impossible to prevent all outside intrusion” (angelfire. com). However, uniforms can make it easier for outsiders to enter a school campus. If an outsider is dressed in the traditional school uniform, teachers and administrators might overlook them as a member of the student body. Uniforms are touted as a solution to security problems when they actually can add to the problem.
Schools have no valid reasons to put students in uniforms, and commonly cited reasons for uniforms are invalid.While proponents of uniforms argue they resolve social problems, they can contribute to social problems in that they take away students’ ability to express their individuality through clothing. Encouraging such conformity over individuality during school years is a mistake. Also, parents have to shoulder the financial burden of buying uniforms in addition to street clothes, which they will also have to purchase. School districts may tout uniforms as a safer alternative to students wearing street clothes, but the uniformity can make it easier for outsiders to infiltrate the school and also can cause confusion in the event of an emergency.School districts present an impressive argument for school uniforms, saying they can decrease bullying, save parents money and heighten security. However, when the facts are considered, these arguments do not hold true.
Preserving parents’ pocket books and students’ right to self expression by allowing them to wear street clothes to school and teaching tolerance are a much better alternative to the conformity and expense of school uniforms.Works Cited “School Uniform Debate and Poll. ” 7 Sept 2010. www. youdebate. com. WEB.
“Arguments about Uniforms. ” 7 Sept 2010. www. angelfire. com . WEB.
