School Uniform: Discussion of Advantages and Disadvantages

Since the dawn of school, educators have been trying to find an efficient way to increase the success in school as well as maintain satisfaction for students. There have been many strategies explored by the education system to increase the overall moral and level of education for students. It wasn’t until about the 16th century that school uniforms began to rise in school. These uniforms have been manifested to guide students to drive for success placing emphasis on a safe and GRIT(Guts,Resilience,Integrity,tenacity) influenced environment even if this does not carry ressemblent emotions on all of the students. There are many cons to school uniform, one including that they violate the first amendment and take away freedom of speech, and the rest reach as far as accessibility for all of society. Despite the opposition from critics, school uniforms are constructive for students by in academic purposes, therefore the government should be permitted to let school districts enforce uniforms among students.

The government should be enabled to hold the power of emphasising school uniforms across all public levels of education all the way up until pass high school. Congress has passed this in favor of the students. The mindset of the congress is in favor of the students safety. Laws and previous court cases against the school uniforms have been in favor of school systems imposing school uniforms. These lawsuits cleary reveal the ambition that the government has for the school system.“For example, in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School (1969), the court said that a student’s freedom of expression in school must be protected unless it would... interfere with disciplinary requirements. In a school setting, this can and should be extended to exhibiting individuality through clothing.” (The Perspective). Laws enacted by the states also have very specific reasons for their actions, “To control the environment in public schools to facilitate and maintain an effective learning environment and to keep the focus of the classroom on learning and not personal safety, schools need the authorization to implement uniform clothing requirements for our public school children.' (TITLE 2. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION [33000 - 64100], Title 2 enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.). They also imply that once you step foot into school, the first amendment does not apply to you due the school wanting to achieve its goal. According to Lyle Denniston a professor, “Supreme Court has said repeatedly that those students do not shed their First Amendment rights when they enter the school, it has said that authorities may sometimes impose some forms of conformity in order to help in achieving the schools’ teaching and civic education missions” (Constitution Check: Do school uniform policies violate the First Amendment?). Supreme court makes decisions that it believes would best benefit the students in school even if it means to refringe them from their 1st Amendment. The Supreme Court wants to act as a regulator, choosing what's best for the public school system.

School uniforms manifest a path that can deviate a child's creativeness from clothing to help them build education by focusing attention on school work. It is an essential way to increase the level of education; by taking this away, you are “limiting distractions.Humans ways to express. Children need ways to elaborate how they show affection and creativeness. It is said that some people have their creativeness locked up due to external issues. According to FrenchToast.com “It is human nature to express our personalities and creative talents. However, many students use their clothing as their sole creative outlet. These children are misguided. Today's youth need to learn that when channeled correctly, their individual flair can bloom within” (FrenchToast.com). Also, uniforms eliminate being unique, and being unique can help a student identify who they truly are. Elise Elliot, a mom who first hand can see the changes in school attire do to being extremely involved in her children's school, “First of all, as the name suggest, they create uniformity. And a sense of equality. No gaping chasms between the “haves” and the “have-nots” here. Compulsory uniforms eradicate peer pressure to wear the latest, expensive gear” (Thank God for School Uniforms).Uniforms place emphasis on certain traits. Builds grit in students which will later lead to long term success.“Schools defend compulsory uniforms on the grounds they improve behaviour, build spirit, develop a student’s sense of belonging and define the school’s identity in the community” (Thank God for School Uniforms). School uniforms may make it complex for students to divert their creativeness through attire, however with these limited distractions made by the school uniforms kids are enabled to focus their minds on bringing out their inner creativeness as well as brain thinking.

Nationwide police department see a dramatic decrease in violence once school uniforms are instilled among students. This change in tide from high violence to low violence are controlled by school districts adapting to school uniforms and keeping them intact and following through the policy. Uniforms have a direct relationship to violence. Police logs provide the data to commensurate these statistics. How this was an instant effect and if uniforms are taken away, the results an instantly be reversed. The Atlantic reporter Nadra Nittle reported that “Time magazine reported in 1995 that the number of crimes in LBUSD related to weapons dropped by 52 percent. Drug use dropped by 69 percent and fighting by 51 percent”(20 years pass since Long Beach Unfied’s historic school uniform policy). Another reporter named Melissa kelly was able to back up this claim with more logos, “Long Beach… officials found that… overall school violence decreased 36%..... A 2012 study found that…'Nevada police data found a 63% decrease in police log reports” ( Pros and Cons of School Uniform). All of these statistical facts do prove a trend of an inverse relationship between uniforms and crime rates.

Achieved through uniforms, uniforms provide a blanket of protection against gang attire or gang affiliations. Areas with surrounding gangs have the ability to decrease gang representations or affiliations this way. Lowers the gang representations, lowering the gang indicted crime rates.“According to the Los Angeles Times, school uniforms reduced gang activity in LA schools because students are not allowed to wear gang colors to school, thereby decreasing the presence of gang affiliations”(Gabrielle AppleburyM.A., Statistics on School Uniforms).“(5) The adoption of a schoolwide uniform policy is a reasonable way to provide some protection for students. A required uniform may protect students from being associated with any particular gang. “( Article 4.7 heading added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 744, Sec. 5. ). Gang apparel can make other students uncomfortable. Can make students feel uneasy about their safety. “Gang-related apparel” is hazardous to the health and safety of the school environment….The adoption of a schoolwide uniform policy is a reasonable way to provide some protection for students”( Title 2 enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010. ). Gang apparel is ultimately eliminated by school uniforms.

Not all students are confident, or are not bully targets, and in the essence of school uniforms, students feel more confident about their physical attire, or worry-free of bullies due to “fitting in.”Physical attire can lead to shame or lack of confidence.“In America, where a majority of schools do not have a uniform, roughly 160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students”(TheGuardian.com). Ethos from a student, bully can also result in depression from bullying based off of judgement of others physical attire. “Amelia says, 'I think uniforms... help prevent bullying. You are less likely to be teased about the cost or style of your clothes' Gabrielle AppleburyM.A., Statistics on School Uniforms). This pie chart by the DEpartment of Education's National Center for Education Statistics shows about a 20% decrease in both student safety and bully when school uniforms are in effect.

By having every student dressed in the same attire, it prevents students from lashing out of anger against other students based on what the wear, and also helps recognize children as students so it spots them out in public. Prevents disasters from occurring. Possible leads from school disasters from occurring over silly things. “After the events at Columbine High School in 1999 where students were singled out partially for what they wore, and after numerous thefts and murders over designer shoes, it is obvious why many school districts want to institute uniforms” (Melissa Kelly, Pros and Cons of School Uniform). Helps keep the school in direct relation with maintaining student safety. Schools can target out threats.“To control the environment in public schools to facilitate and maintain an effective learning environment and to keep the focus of the classroom on learning and not personal safety, schools need the authorization to implement uniform clothing requirements for our public school children'(TITLE 2. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION [33000 - 64100], Title 2 enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.). Also this prevents strangers from intruding into schools “Strangers also know that the uniformed students are minors and should therefore not be flirted with, served alcohol, or engaged in any adult behavior. What’s more, when students are required to wear uniforms, it becomes much easier to identify campus intruders, who stick out like sore thumbs, thereby increasing safety for students as they study” (The Perspective). By making everyone look like minions, intruders are easy to spot.

Although some americans do not need to worry about the fees of a school uniform, that is not the circumstance for all. Many americans such as lower class people and immigrants who are starting new lives in america can not support the cost of a School Uniform. Especially when there are multiple children in a family school uniforms make families dread purchasing them due to not having enough money to comfortably purchase them. Lisa Runge is able to put a precise number on the average cost of school uniforms, “Shirts plus pants plus shoes add up quickly...average cost of school uniforms for parents is $249”(Schools Do not Have to Cost so Much). In addition to a high fee, it is not easy to find the perfect unifor that matches school policy. The Guardian also was able to make “Many schools have a specific supplier, and wearing cheaper alternatives can result in punishment if the black skirt you’re wearing isn’t exactly the right black skirt. Finding uniform that fits you, especially if you’re limited to one shop, can also be a struggle.” ( Guardian). Growing up as a child, my brothers and I attended public schools that enforce school uniforms among all students. We were able to abide by this rule luckily because our parents could afford the cost of a new uniform each year. There were students who were less fortunate and couldn’t afford a new uniform every year because there would be sign ups or a large amounts of kids who were able to go to the schools special room to borrow uniforms from the school. The school had a vast number of uniforms for each student who need a uniform and the spare uniforms looked identical to the uniforms that every other student wore. No one could tell that these student were loaning uniforms so they carried no shame around with them.

School uniforms serve as a vital guide for students to increase their academics and decrease their bad behavior. The superstition that school uniforms are not beneficial for the education is false, where school uniforms help fold a mold for each student to be the best person he or she can be.