Mandatory Uniforms In Public Schools

Since the late 1990's many public schools across the nation have opted to implement a stronger dress code policy which have involved the addition to a specific mandated uniform policy. While some critics of mandatory uniform policies believe that there is no justification for change, school uniforms offer educational benefits, improve student behavior, social interaction, and are more cost effective and durable than traditional street clothes.

High school is a vital time in a child’s life to discover who they are as an individual; expressing themselves through clothes is part of this process. If a student is required to wear a uniform everyday, that would create a lack of self expression. The First Amendment states that every human being in the United States is entitled to express themselves (Anderson). When students are forced to wear

School is a place to learn, grow and acquire the necessary fundamentals to become a productive adult in society. I believe school uniformity create an environment where kids can learn and focus on their education. School uniforms should be required in grades pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. I recognize that school uniforms create structure and discipline, equality and a sense of belonging amongst each other, and lastly school uniforms are cost effective. There have been many on-going debates for and against school uniforms for years. In the following paragraphs I will support my claims on why school uniforms should be required. In high school back in 1997 our school did not require for us to wear uniforms. Everyone was free to wear what they wanted and school staff was quite lenient with the dress code. Amongst my peers I noticed a lot of kids seem to have no discipline in their life, school was not a priority for them. Our school had a very high drop-out rate, tardies and absences were also high. I believe that if our school would have required the students to wear uniforms, it could have made some type of difference. According to one surveyed parent pro school uniforms, "School uniforms send a signal that school is something to be serious about. I agree with the parents views, because when children have rules and guidelines that they have to follow, that teaches them structure and discipline. In result, the discipline can help guide

Some people also argue that mandatory uniforms could be considered a violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution, located in the Bill of Rights (Hudson). People argue this because they feel that uniforms limit self expression, which is a coveted right by most people outside of America. “I’ll tell you; we’re proposing that everyone can only get along if everyone conforms to the same standards. It’s not a healthy lesson. The message should be conflict resolution no matter the physical appearance. In the real world, people do not all look the same” (Hoofnagle). Uniforms will not prepare a child for the future. They will make a rougher future for most children because they will not understand that people have the right to be unique, diverse, and to express their individuality.

Educators and parents, alike, want safe, respectful learning-oriented schools for their children. In 1996, President Bill Clinton challenged schools “to teach character education, … And if it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms.” (Boutelle 36). As a result, the "Manual on School Uniforms" was issued by the government to provide guidelines for those considering establishing a school uniform policy. Ever since, proponents and opponents of mandated school uniforms have been at odds with both sides strongly supporting their views. Uniform requirements can differ between schools requiring specific colors, styles, and types of clothing, ranging from white shirts and ties with blazers with school logos to simple pants and shirts in school colors. According to the report, "Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2013." by National Center for Education Statistics, nearly twenty per cent of all public schools have adopted school uniform mandates in the school year 2011-2012. This essay supports the position that mandated school uniforms may resolve several problems facing today’s public schools.

In the United States, the everyday outfitting of public school students has been under debate since the fall of 1987. The first public school to enforce the school uniform policies were in Baltimore, Maryland with Cherry Hill Elementary School. The origin of the policy in Maryland has been linked to a local public school shooting in 1986, which involved a student being wounded during a fight over a pair of $95 sunglasses (ProCon.org). By the fall of the next year, 41 other public schools in Washington, DC had joined the movement with also establishing mandatory school uniforms for the students. Fast forwarding to the year 2014, about 51% of public schools throughout the United States are requiring some kind of dress code for their students,

In 1996, President Bill Clinton stated in his State of the Union Address “If it means that the school rooms will be more orderly and more disciplined and that our young people will learn to evaluate themselves by what they are on the inside, instead of what they’re wearing on the outside, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear uniforms.” School uniform should mandatory or not; this argument is one of the most important debates for the past decades. As stated in the first amendment, all Americans have the right to express their own opinion without any fear of punishment. Nevertheless, this value is not appropriate for schools. School uniforms have several advantages, however, following are the major benefits. These benefits are included; school uniform makes students’ lives simple and stress-free, makes students disciplined and focused on their studies also less peer pressure and bullying also promote school safety, and develop unity as well equality among the students.

Could you imagine going to school and not having to worry about getting made fun of for what brand you wear or what your clothes? Well, maybe we can make this dream a reality and get the wheels rolling and encourage all public schools to consider having uniforms. There are so many reasons why uniforms would benefit not only the students but the parents as well. School uniforms should be required in public schools.

School uniforms allow education to be the top priority and lets the school be a true place for learning. Since they cause less problems in the school, learning becomes the main focus. The whole purpose of school is to give students the opportunity to learn and become prepared for life. If all that they're worried about is what they're wearing, no learning will happen. Mandatory uniforms fabricate students to get the education they need without being concerned about their clothes.

I firmly believe that school uniforms restrict the student's freedom of expression. Using procon.org the source tells us that, “According to American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, “clothing choices are a crucial form of self-expression”. This quote promotes people who want to express who they

The average school uniform cost 250 dollars!!!!!! School uniforms started in 1994 when long beach california adopted the idea. Long Beach was the first school to make school uniforms for elementary and middle school students mandatory. Now 19% of all schools have uniforms and 57% have a strict dress codes. School uniforms should not be required because it takes self expression away from kids, school uniforms are expensive and uniforms undermine the promise of a free education by imposing an extra expense on families.

While some kids and parents believe students should be free to dress the way they want as an expression of free speech, most schools have a say in how students dress. The school might have a dress code that gives guidelines for appropriate clothing, or it might require students to wear uniforms. Schools with a uniform policy usually have good reasons for implementing it, and some cite research to back their

The article states that “ Many students claim that requiring them to wear particular clothing deprives them of the ability to freely express themselves through their choice of dress”. (What are the constitutional objections to mandatory dress codes and uniform policies). This shows how much school uniforms should be exterminated, they harm not help. As shown above the uniform limit’s their individuality and may harm their personality. In the article by Lee Rowland she states that “school setting does not offer many opportunities for self-expression” she also states “that students cannot freely post or distribute literature without school officials’ permission”( Rowley). This proves that all school’s that have uniform’s they take their school freedom. This information is important because this info proves that most school’s that have uniform’s may affect their social and personal lives in the future. All uniform’s do violate their expression and harm them because of the uniform they express

Almost every school in the United States has some form of a dress code, yet it elicits more anger and backlash than any other school policy. There is a fine line between a fair policy meant to maintain order and policy meant to correct those who are different. American liberty being put to the test while attempting to improve schools means that something is wrong in the way the policy is being enforced. No method to improve the learning environment should interfere with the constitutional rights of this country. Implementing a fair dress code is important because it has potential to improve schools and calm local tensions, but it is also essential to not overstep authority to limit expression, or discriminate based on personal attitude. More specifically, there are many examples of policy established by the United States government that supports a fair dress code and limits an unfair one.

The recent data does not support the claims made by uniform proponents. Also, if provision is not made to permit parents to opt out (exempt their children from these policies), the codes are vulnerable to legal challenge (United 3). Sadly, some districts in an attempt to have a successful uniform code are overzealous in their enforcement techniques, causing confusion and stress for school staff and parents and often humiliation for students. While requiring public school students to wear uniforms may sound like an attractive quick fix to some, actual implementation of these highly restrictive policies is often rife with difficulties.