Essay on The Benefits of Uniform Adoption in Public Schools

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.

Take a moment to put yourself in the position of an adolescent who has felt like an outsider from their own school. Weather it be because they don't have name brand clothes or don't have the latest on trend shoes. In a school where everyone wears the same thing will be a much safer and easier place for everyone in general. This is where school uniforms come in and give multiple solutions to both teens and their parents.

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.

For quite some time now there has been an ongoing discussion about students wearing school uniforms in public schools. Is students in the public-school system play a major role on them academically? Is making the students wear uniforms unfair or does it show equality? What image does it set for the schools that do have a uniform policy? Over the last few decades, the schools, parents, and students have had a debatable issue over the uniform matter.

“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 uniforms” This statement from Bill Clinton was what started a movement toward using uniforms in-state school in the United States in 1996. Since then school uniforms have become a common thing in the school system in the United States. There is no doubt that school uniforms can lead to loss of students’ rights to express themselves and that school uniforms will not generally stop bullying even though they might increase student’s safety.

In addition to the apparent bullying over style trends and choices, another issue that could be eliminated through the incorporation of uniforms is the lessening of disciplinary action directed towards students for dress code violations. Almost daily, students are sent to the office for dress code checks which are most often handled by the Vice Principal. Students are commonly sent for checks based on the following items that are considered questionable: midriff revealing tops, ripped and low-rise jeans, short skirts and shorts, exposed shoulders and necklines and spandex for the girls. Then there are ill-fitting jeans and inappropriate slogans on t-shirts and sweatshirts for the boys. A uniform policy would eliminate the need for dress code checks, which would enable the vice principal to concentrate on more important issues within the high school. Not only would uniforms eliminate this disciplinary issue of student dress, but the incorporation of a uniform policy would better prepare students

Uniforms are traditionally favored in private schools, but they are being introduced into more and more United States public schools everyday. During the 2013-2014 school year, one in five public schools in the United States required students to wear uniforms to school everyday. This went up from one in eight schools requiring them in the 2003-2004 school year. ("Background of the Issue," n.d., para. 1). The percentage of schools that require them has increased from thirteen percent during the 2003-2004 school year, to nineteen percent in the 2011-2012 school year ("Background of the Issue," n.d., para. 18). The process of having to discipline a student because they violated the dress code is a process that nobody, student, teacher, or parent, likes to go through. Multiple students cannot drive; so when they disregard the school 's dress code, their parents have to pause whatever

Instead of continuously having to keep up with clothe trends and by new clothes you only are going to have to buy on or two clothes and then you are set for school wear. It makes the students not feel left out and it doesn’t give them that urge to try and fit in by changing the way the dress. So instead of changing the way that they dress to match the look of others they can express themselves through communication. “According to a national 2013 survey, over 90% of US school leaders believe school uniform or formal dress code policies ‘eliminate wardrobe battles with kids,’ make it ‘easier to get kids ready in the morning,’ and create a 'time saving in the morning.’ Tracey Marinelli, Superintendent of the Lyndhurst School District in New Jersey, credited the district's uniform policy for reducing the number of students running late. (“Should Students Have to Wear School

According to Boutelle (2007) suggested staff in combination with students wearing uniforms provides an example of participating in the same uniform standards. The author suggested wearing uniforms promotes good job skills at a young age for students later in life (Boutelle, 2007).

The adoption of this district uniform could help them to prepare the way professionals dressed.

School uniform policy has become an evolving issue that most schools have in today’s world. In the article “School Uniform Policies in Public Schools,” written by David L. Brunsma, he expresses his opinion on the school uniform policy. He also talks about the data and research he has gathered over the past eight years from different sources and the “distribution” of uniform policies across the population, region, and time (Brunsma 50). Another thing he talks about is the impact uniforms have had not only on students but parents as well. In this essay I will be analyzing, providing background and telling you the authors opinions on this particular subject that he talks about in his article I also my opinion about if I disagree with the article or not.

Students believe that the way they are dressed is more important than the grades they make. The students with less money, that can’t buy all the newest clothes, tend to not go to school as much, because they won’t fit in. There for students in schools with uniform will have more time to focus on more important things, like school work. With uniforms students don’t have to go to the mall every week looking for new clothes to wear. Also if a school has no uniforms students will feel that they need to have a certain look to fit in, and many will be ridiculed if they don’t achieve this “look.”

The first major reason for not wearing school uniforms is, it forces a student to conceal his or her individuality. To many people, it appears that the school system is trying to strip away this individuality on purpose, but now is the time that the school should be embracing it and helping the student become the person they are meant to become. “According to opponents of uniforms, even preschoolers should have input into their wardrobe, and the need to encourage personality, confidence, and independence grows more important as the student becomes older” (Chen). Because of this lack of self-expression, students feel their first amendment is being violated and most people would agree, which causes the school to look bad. Another way of looking at it is they are forcing students to become on mold, or one certain way of being. However, the problem with making them one is, no matter how they look they will still have their own individual personality traits that will come out in the end. If forced to wear the uniforms, many students would express these traits by adding things to their uniform such as brightly colored gems for girls and different

Wearing uniform to school have increased of the years, although some schools have not adopted the school uniform policy. Administrators and staff believe that wearing uniform have made schools safer for students, have improved school attendance and increased student achievement, and have reduced the changes of students being bullied. However, others have argued that wearing uniforms have not improve student behavior and wearing the uniform have infringed on student’s freedom of individuality. This essay will explain the importance of adopting a school uniform policy, why all public schools should have a uniform dress code, and how wearing uniform will provide a unified school environment. Therefore, all public schools should adopt a school uniform policy because, it uses will help to reduce bullying, provide a safer learning environment, and help to recognize gang affiliated members.

In a democratic society, people are free to choose what sort of dress they want, but the way we dress ourselves greatly depends on what the situation we are in. For instance, we put on evening suits when we present ourselves at a party of celebrities; on the field, we put on sports wear. Therefore, in elementary and secondary school, I suggest students should put on school uniform to give a consciousness to students that people should wear proper clothes in certain place in order to respect others. As Gilchrish said, "clothing is a way to show others that you have respect and consideration for the situation" (20).