Many public school systems across the country are instituting school uniforms in an effort to improve overall school performance and to reduce negative behavior. The use of school uniforms is a topic of hot debate among parents and school administrators. Some argue the benefits of school uniforms, while others believe that the downsides are far more numerous. While you probably cannot influence what your school has already decided, you may have a voice on the issue of school uniforms in PTA meetings. School uniforms are a great way to maintain the level of social equality amongst the students of public schools.
Kent J. Fetzer expressed, “Our biggest problem with a school uniform policy is the anti-individuality message it sends.” He feels students lose their freedom when forced to conform to only certain apparels. He believes in letting students experience freedom in order to learn how to act responsibly. I strongly believe teens need to learn how to act responsibly at a young age to develop skills for the future, but I refuse to believe that uniforms take away individuality. In contrast to Fetzer’s beliefs, Mike Kelly proclaimed, "Uniforms instill discipline, help students focus on their studies and eliminate pressure on parents to outfit their kids." He believes uniforms help parents as well as the students.
Students should always feel that they belong to the school for the right reason: getting an education in a safe and friendly environment. A survey carried out by the Department for Education & Skills revealed that 83% of parents are in favor of school uniforms, claiming that they contribute to better school standards and good behavior(Shaw, Michael). The use of school uniforms would tremendously cut down on bullying, lost class time, and intruders. Hundreds of kids come home from school each day with hurt feelings. Their feelings being hurt by fellow students, also know as bullies.
I have actually seen students being neglected by their own classmates because of this particular reason. The students’ main attention should always point towards education and not towards fashion. They have plenty of time to do fashion outside of the school. Even though students' individuality is important to express one's self, uniforms should be adopted in the school, because it lowers disciplinary referrals and helps students focus on learning. Schools requiring uniforms will experience reduction in violence.
They can’t figure out what to wear, wasting their time standing in front of a mirror, and may even be late for class. These are the realities for many students across the board. But what side of the fence would you rather experience; a morning full of stress, and confusion, or a morning full of ease with one less thing for you to worry about? If your answer was the second option, then you should continue reading about why school uniforms should be instilled into schools, and the great benefits they bring to the learning environment. To get things started, when the topic of uniforms in schools arise, you hear the typical, "uniforms are boring!
Others believe it stifles individuality. However, in most cases it seems the pros outweigh the cons. School uniforms need to be implemented in public schools because they eliminate pressure to be trendy or fashionable, help school officials to keep campuses safe and allow students to focus more closely on academics. School age children are very impressionable and will often do whatever is necessary to be liked by their peers. Many times they will wear clothes that are inappropriate or pressure parents to spend extra money on designer labels.
It may have been only in 1987 that the first public school to introduce school uniforms was Cherry Hill Elementary School in Baltimore, Maryland. Educators have been disputing whether uniforms can be a useful tool in improving children’s learning skills or if they stifle students’ freedom of expression. Uniforms are good for a learning environment. According to an article in a San Francisco newspaper, “Public schools don’t violate students’ freedom of expression by requiring them to wear uniforms. The Clark County School districts policies were not intending to squelch free speech but instead were aimed at ‘creating an educational environment free from the distractions, dangers, and disagreements that result when student clothing choices are left unrestricted,’ said Judge Michael Hawkins.” (Egelko) If there is not a distraction of what people are wearing, there is more of a chance that students would focus more on learning.
“Uniforms Rule” by Pat Wingert talks about some advantages and disadvantages of uniform and how that affects school safety and student’s behavior. As in article, uniforms affect students in so many good and bad ways. As educators, researchers, and experts think of dress code and uniform as very useful school system which can solve so many problems that school is facing today, students tend to respond as their freedom and rights are violated. I agree with them because for the students to accept uniforms it may take some time. I think if all school has uniforms system than students will more focus on study not on fashion.
Some schools, like the grammar schools, require a good result on the 11+. This leads to cream skimming, but also off-loading of ‘bad’ students, that for example will refuse children with learning difficulties good education, because they are “those students who won’t do well anyways”. The top students often seem to be from the middle class. They don’t suffer from material or cultural deprivation and often use the elaborated code, which makes education easier for them. This makes the schools trying to appeal to the middle class parents, to make the middle class parents choose their school and help them get their own results better.
School Uniforms I. Introduction a. I’m sure some of us in this classroom have been to a school where a uniform was mandatory, am I right? b. I never have had to, but I used to want to wear them. I loved the idea of not having to deal with having to choose out an outfit everyday. c. Though I have heard good and bad things about uniforms, I find that they are beneficial to students because they are reasonably priced, generate fewer distractions, and create a safer educational environment.