Why School Uniforms Should Be Banned

It has often been debated if middle schoolers should or should not have school uniforms. There are a lot of pros and cons of having school uniforms. One pro is students would not have to fight over name brand clothing (which would cost the parents less for clothes). One counter-argument talks about how dated the system is, it also talks about how it discourages free-thinking and self-expression. The cons of having school uniforms outweigh the pros of having school uniforms.

School uniforms do nothing to prevent bullying. Linne Hoofnagle’s article goes on to say that, “If we convince ourselves that placing limits on clothing choices will eliminate school bullying, we are kidding ourselves” (Hoofnagle). The idea that all the harassment that takes place in school is centered around student’s wardrobes is preposterous. If you make students all dress alike the center of the bullying may move to if they have money, the presence or absence of glasses, condition of their skin, height, and weight. School faculty and administration are just looking at the superficial causes of bullying and not looking at the root of the problem. As a result, they are not only punishing the bully by

Will Galloway, a Chairman of South Carolina Teenage Republicans stated that,” Rather than promote an orderly and disciplined student environment, mandatory uniforms would cause massive student disobedience and take away valuable instruction time.” Modern school uniforms are traced all the way back to the 16th Century England. The first US schools to have school uniforms was in Maryland and Washington, Dc in 1987. Schools should not have school uniforms because of cost and risk of bullying

Students from schools with a uniform policy say that uniforms have affected the way they feel about themselves in an unsatisfactory way. Uniforms are proven to slow down the transition into becoming an adult because students aren’t used to choosing their own clothing. Wearing a uniform opens an opportunity for students to judge each other’s bodies based on how they look and it creates room for drama and bullying. The uniforms can also obstruct a student from expressing themselves. Schools should not require a school uniform policy because they delay the transition into adulthood, they cause students to compare their bodies and bullying each other, and uniforms restrict a student’s self-expression and personality.

For instance, according to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Office of Education Evaluation and Management, fights in middle schools nearly doubled within one year of introducing mandatory uniforms. This entails that bullies will try to find any possible reason to show status. If bullies want to pick on children about being rich or poor, uniforms are a direct target. Studies also showed that uniforms were equally ineffective for elementary students as to eighth graders. In addition, the regression results from the National Education Longitudinal Survey study found that uniformed public school students, on every other examination other than reading, scored worse than their uniform-free counterparts. This proves that uniforms do not advance academic achievements. Even if teachers think that students may look smarter with uniforms, they don’t academically perform better. Moreover, uniforms are the cause of violent attacks, while there is very little evidence that uniforms provide any benefits at

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:

The argument between to have or not have school uniforms has been an ongoing dispute ever since the use of them. I have first-hand experience of having school uniforms and having no school uniforms. I strongly believe that school uniforms are beneficial to an individual’s school success/experience.

At school should students have to have school uniforms? If you asked me then I would say no way to School uniforms, The uniforms look like crap or the uniforms don’t feel very good and everybody would make fun of you and think less of your school.

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

School uniforms are a very diverse topic today. Many people people believe that they are very beneficial, but others may argue that they are irrelevant. Schools implementing strict dress codes, or uniforms, is a good decision because it prevents students from bullying each other based on appearance, and it may help some families financial situations.

oppose school uniforms. One of my reasons is that School uniforms restricted students freedom of

Opponents think that when children select their own clothing, they can develop confidence and independence, vital characteristics through the personality development and adult success. Controlling extremely the socialization process of students will harm them as an adult, because they will not be prepared for the real world, indeed by their appearances. In addition, opponents argue that when students are limited about what they are going to wear, they will find other ways to offend the authority. Without a way out of expression in their clothes, they will turn out to other inappropriate alternatives of self-expression, such as nontraditional hair styles or make-up, or the worst revolting against school authorities and parents by the way they behave and act. It is obvious that children, especially those in middle and high school, are constantly concerned about their appearance that way, wearing a school uniform will minimize this concern. They also believe schools can help students avoid clothing that contains slogans, short or tight clothing; while giving them

While wearing uniforms, students have to obey and follow the rules, so they will learn how to respect others. An article reports “Teachers and principals often report that discipline problems are reduces in schools that implements a standardized dress program.” (School Uniforms). In addition, wearing school uniforms is a step of preparation for professional life. When you have a job, you will have to wear uniforms. Whether you are a doctor or a nurse, you are in the same position. School uniforms also help students to realize that they are a part of a group, so they feel liked they belong and learn to take responsibility for whatever they do.

School uniforms should definitely be used in school systems. Uniforms are both good for schools as well as for the students. Wearing uniforms will help build a sense of unity within the school. Instead of everyone as a separate team, everyone will be in the same team. Wearing uniforms will help free students of the stress of what to wear in the morning. Wearing school uniforms will help improve student individuality and improve their self-esteem.

School systems have debated for years if they should make school uniforms mandatory for all students. Some parents do not want school systems to mandate uniforms due to pressure from their children to be able to maintain their individuality through clothing, while other parents prefer uniforms to reduce spending money on name brand school clothes and to minimize associations with gangs. More school systems across the United States of America are going to uniforms from grades one through twelve where students are still impressionable by their peers. I believe public schools should require students to wear school uniforms to help parents save money in these hard economic times, to limit the number of incidents of violence in the school systems due to gangs and gang associates such as colors, and to prepare students for the job force after school where some places make it mandatory to wear uniforms to work every day.