The Supreme Court's Tinker Language Analysis

School uniforms are something that is very popular in other countries, but, when it comes to America, it just isn’t that simple. School uniforms have been a very controversial topic in public schools, many schools fight against them but some also are accepting them. A common argument against school uniforms is that it takes away the student's ability to express themselves and that it would be hard to enforce and cost a lot of money. While there are some potential problems with school uniforms they are still surprisingly beneficial. Public schools should require students to wear school uniforms to increase safety and decrease violence.

Today, many schools around the world require students to wear uniforms. Many people feel that uniforms reduce competition among students and bring a sense of unity within the school. People who are against school uniforms think that they prevent students from expressing themselves by obstructing individuality. Many students dislike school uniforms because uniforms can be seen as a reversal of their rights, while others agree with uniforms because it relieves the stress of choosing what to wear to school. As a consequence of the limitations to self-expression, school uniforms create a sense of equality among students. I believe that students should wear uniforms because school uniforms can reduce bullying in schools. Should students of public schools be allowed to weigh in on decisions regarding clothing or should all students be required to wear a uniform? School uniforms are the better option for many reasons. School uniform makes students and parents happier because it can make students’ lives simpler, they make them feel equal and can also help distinguish students from other people and Finally, it can reduce bullying in schools.

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

Ever since,Tinker vs. Des Moines in 1969 there has been a debate about students can and cannot wear to school. This Tinker vs. Des Moines Supreme Court Case also along the way within the debate brought in the school uniforms. Three young students wore black armbands to school to protest the fighting in Vietnam. Teachers told the students to take the armbands off the students refused to take off the armbands. As a result, the students were suspended. The parents held a meeting at one of the student’s who were suspended. The parents decided to take this case to the District Court. However, the District Court dismissed the complaint that it was constitutionally wrong ,but the Supreme Court disagreed with a ruling of Seven to two. From then on

District 230 should not mandate a school uniform policy because of the following: school uniforms go against our rights, raise questions of equality, and they rely on anti-democratic principles. (MP1)To start, school uniforms go against rights in the first amendment like: freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. (EV)Robson states in his Viewpoint, ¨Symbols or words on clothes are most likely to clear the speech hurdle; they will then be evaluated against the “disruption” standard articulated by the Supreme Court in the watershed case Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District. Tinker involved students wearing black armbands to protest the war in Vietnam. Borrowing from civil rights cases, the court decided for the protesters:

It may be surprising to hear that school uniforms break the first amendment of the constitution but it is very true. The first amendment guarantees freedom on many things, one of them is Freedom of Expression. Freedom of Expression is about more than just saying what you want to say, it’s also about being able to express your ideologies and beliefs which are, unfortunately, hindered by school uniforms. Uniforms weren’t a common thing of the past because they were only enforced in private schools. That is, until 1987, when Maryland and Washington D.C implemented school uniforms in public schools. School uniforms should be banned because they promote conforming over individuality, they increase the amount of bullying, and they can affect a student’s self-image.

In the article “Do uniforms make schools better”, Marian Wilde states that in the past decade, school, parents and students had clashed over the issue of regulating student attire. In the 1980s, public schools were often compared to Catholic schools for no reason. So some of the public school decided to adopt the school uniform policy. In 1996, President Clinton provided momentum to the school uniform movement in his 1996 State of the Union Speech. President Clinton said “ If it means teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms.” There is some pros and cons for having school uniforms. Some pros for school uniforms would be to help identify intruders easily, prevent gangs from forming on campus, and increase a sense of belonging and school pride. Some cons for school uniforms would be violating a student’s right to freedom of expression, making a student a target for bullies from other school, and it’s an unfair additional expense for parents. School uniforms shouldn’t be required at schools, especially at Kailua High School.

Traditionally favored by charter and private schools, and institutions of the like, school uniforms are being introduced to public schools at an increasing rate. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees all citizens the right to express oneself; The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada states that having a choice in clothing is “…Crucial form of self-expression.” The ACLU also argues that “allowing students to choose their clothing is an empowering message from the schools that a student is a maturing person who is entitled to the most basic self-determination,” (Four Reasons). Self-expression of style aside, choices in clothing are also a popular method of expressing support for any variety of social causes, ideologies, and affiliations, and school uniforms strip students of this option completely.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also argues that "mandatory uniforms violate students free expression right" (King, screen 3). When wearing uniforms children feel like they have limits on their personal expression. To illustrate, Students perceive their clothing as a way to explicit their emotions, show their creative abilities, express their opinions, and display individualism; if they have to wear uniforms to school the students opportunity to reveal their personality is eliminated. Newsweek reports that some teachers and principals sympathize with the students. A principal at a middle school in Sherman Oaks, California, Norman Isaacs believes that with a students clothing a teacher can get insights on what is going on in the students personal life. He states, "our counselors and teachers monitor the way kids are dressed if we see a big change in the way a student dresses, that sends a signal and tells us we need to address that person" (qtd in "Uniforms Rule", screen 2). Students feel that uniforms at school create a military environment. An environment where everyone is dressed the same and in that same manner must act alike, exhibit the same personalities, and have the same opinions.

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.

The placement of uniforms in schools can discriminate against gender equality, as well as one’s sexual orientation, political views, and religion. The First Amendment was put in place to grant these individual freedoms, yet students are expected to conform to school policies regardless of their own beliefs. An example of this violation would be Tinker v. Des Moines. In this court case students from a school in Des Moines, Iowa were threatened with suspension if they went through with a plan to silently protest the war in Vietnam. The students involved were denied their right to peacefully assemble.

Is it true that school uniforms improve behavior, grades, and help keep students safe? In 1969 U.S. Supreme Court case Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District, the Court stated that the First Amendment applies to students, but school staff has the ability to stop students from disrupting children’s education or going against the dress code. They are an appropriate way to control unacceptable behavior. Uniforms in schools enhance student’s school

to have. Yes, uniforms limit what the students have to choose to wear to school

Students can not express themselves if they are wearing a uniform. “The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees that all individuals have the right to express themselves freely.” (Should Students Have to Wear School Uniforms?). For example, students could support events like Breast Cancer Awareness Month if they were not enforced to wear a uniform (Should Students Have to Wear School Uniforms?). On the other hand, Freedom of Rights do not relate to the type of clothing students decide to wear (Should Students Have to Wear School Uniforms).

Jahn’s best source comes in the form of legal support of freedom of speech in past cases. However, the Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue of school uniforms. Instead, it lets the states decide if there is a need for uniforms or not. Jahn points