School Uniforms: Good Only for the Lower Grades

In 1987, a public school in Baltimore, Maryland became the first to instill a school uniform policy in the United States. This idea of all students dressing alike spread throughout the country, and by 1994 a school district in Long Beach, CA became the first to require a whole school district to wear school uniforms (Background of the Issue - School Uniforms - ProCon.org). Today, an average of 23% of public and private schools enforce a school uniform system (School Uniform Statistics). But this change in dress code policy did not come about without controversy. Although some will argue uniforms promote safety, focus, and an even playing field in schools, school uniform policies oppress student’s freedom of expression, advocate for conformity, and cause more problems than they fix.

Local school districts, the state, individual schools, and the state have mutual interest embedded into the decision of adopting a uniform policy. As a result, school uniforms can be mandatory in some schools while in others remain voluntary. The wearing of a school uniform implies that all students in the school are required to wear clothing that matches in color, length, and design. There have been arguments put across against the wearing of uniforms in schools. The primary argument against implementation of school uniforms policy is that it is an infringement of the first amendment Rights of the USA constitution (DeMitchell & Fossey, 2015).

Chittom, Lynn-nore and Jill Ginsburg. "School Uniforms: An Overview." Points of View: School Uniforms, Jan. 2015, p. 1. EBSCOhost,

The debate about public school uniforms in America is an issue that has been around for a very long time. This issue was even mentioned by President Bill Clinton in a previous State of the Union address in 1996. In his 1996 State of the Union Address, President Clinton decreed,” I challenge all of our schools to teach character education, to teach good values and good citizenship 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” (Clinton 1996). Public schools requiring mandatory uniforms for their students are a major topic as it deals with moral and economic concerns about how America’s public schools are operated.

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

The idea of uniforms being required for public school students has been a widely controversial topic in the recent past. In the 2003-2004 school year, only one in eight public schools required students to wear uniforms (ProConorg Headlines). In the 2013-2014 school year, one in five public schools required students to wear uniforms (ProConorg Headlines). This essay will discuss the reasons that uniforms restrict the individuality of students, burdens families that cannot afford two sets of clothes for each of their children (Farrell), and serve little to none purpose in benefitting the education of students. Uniforms are meant for the workforce, not school children.

School uniforms and dress codes are becoming a popular trend among schools. Most Students and some parents don’t agree with the enforcement with school uniforms, saying that uniforms are taking away self-expression in schools. But, school uniforms are not a negative thing to have. Yes, uniforms and some very strict dress codes limit what the students have to choose to wear to school every day, but it doesn’t limit them from learning which is the main reason they are in school. Some students treat school as a fashion show, so eliminating the size of wardrobe shifts the attention toward their school work. Although requiring students to wear school uniforms may violate their self-expression in some ways, a uniform is supposed to be looked

“Opponents say school uniforms infringe upon students’ right to express their individuality, have no positive effect on behavior and academic achievement, and emphasize the socio economic disparities they are intended to disguise.” (Procon.org 1). I think that Crestwood High School should not require school uniforms because parents spend about one billion dollars per year on school uniforms. While some believe that Crestwood High School should require uniforms because they may deter crime and increase students safety.(Procon.org 1). I strongly maintain that we should not require uniforms, so students could have a right to express their thoughts. School uniforms would not be good for Crestwood because it restricts students’ freedom of expression

School uniforms are taking away students freedom of speech. First of all, school uniforms are restricting students right to express themselves. Experts believe, “American civil liberties union (ACLU), have argued that mandatory uniform policies violate student's right to free speech, which is protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution” Students should have the right to free speech. According to the author, Tamar Lewin, he conveys that ”The Supreme Court's Tinker decision firmly established that students have a constitutional right to express when they are at school so long as the speech is not disruptive and does not interfere with the rights

First, school uniforms take away the students freedom of expression. The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees that all individuals have the right to express themselves freely. This points out, that by making everyone wear the same clothes, it takes away expressing who they are. Your clothes say a lot about who you are as a person and what personality you have and when you take that away, you take away the chance to express yourself.

Would you want to be forced to wear the same clothing every day and not able to express yourself? Uniforms don’t seem such a big deal to the society but to the kids who have to wear them it is a big deal to them. Most schools don’t have uniforms because of the first amendment for freedom of expression. School districts should think about what the kids think about the uniforms instead of forcing them to wear them.

Despite of many people think mandatory uniforms will infringe upon students’ rights to express individuality. Students can accessorize their uniforms

In this essay, you will see how they stifle creativity, promote conformity over individuality, and how they do not make any actual improvements to test scores and attendance. To begin, school uniforms have been shown to restrict freedom in the way students express themselves. This is especially bad in the case of younger students. Children from ages 4 to even 18 should be able to freely express themselves

Do school uniforms really improve school systems or are they a way to control student’s individuality? School uniforms are becoming common in many school systems around the nation. There are many different feelings about uniforms from parents, students, and faculty. The debate about whether uniforms should or should not be worn in schools has been going on for years. The arguments for uniforms vary in different ways like that uniforms help students focus, help saves time, stops bullying, helps with trespassers, and overall at the end of the year can cost less. Just like the arguments for uniforms, there are many against them. One main argument against uniforms would be that it causes students to lose their individuality or it can cause segregation between boys and girls. This paper will argue against all the opposing views of uniforms, and explain why they are important and necessary to have in schools. That to improve our school systems we need uniforms to help prevent distractions. Uniforms have been apart of many cultures for years and it has shown to help students.

School Uniforms are being pushed more and more in schools, but what is commonly thought of when the words “school uniform” is said? For most people the picture of children in the same colored uniforms gathered in front of a Catholic Church or a private school is displayed in their mind. This picture is one of the many problems with school uniforms. Instead of being seen as an individual, students are seen as just another kid in a uniform attending a fancy private school. The students cannot develop the self-expression that is crucial to their development at this age. Uniforms are thought to create a more protected campus and learning environment, however, if someone wants to bully someone else, clothes are not going to stop them. The cost, which is usually seen as a pro, can actually be more than people anticipate. As one can see, in the best interest of any student, school uniforms should not be made part of the dress code.