The amount of schools requiring uniforms has been steadily increasing over the past decade.
And school uniforms are often purported to provide substantial benefits for schools.
However, this is simply not the case.
Those that say the benefits override the costs have been misled.
In schools, kids are taught that everyone is unique, and uniforms certainly do not support this.
The uniforms are boring to look at during school every day.
I, myself, was required to wear school uniforms from Kindergarten through my senior year of high school at the public schools I attended.
The difference I have experienced in college is unparalleled.
During high school, I would put on the same white polo shirt and black shorts or pants every morning. Wearing uniforms was not an enjoyable experience for me or my peers.
In fact, after my class graduated from high school, many of my peers have been determined to never wear the same colors the school uniform had ever again.
Students should be able to demonstrate their unique personalities at school through the clothes that they wear. What people choose to wear definitely makes a statement about them, which is why most people carefully consider what they wear each day.
Instead of checking whether skirts or shorts go past the knee to enforce arbitrary rules, focus should be placed on improving the education of students.
Free dress does not infringe on the rights of anyone else so there is absolutely no reason for this policy to go on.
Free dress is a privilege that is taken away from students, and students deserve to have the freedom to express themselves.
The clothes that children wear to school should not be dictated by the school districts. It is a violation of the first amendment, and is definitely not acceptable under normal circumstances.
Some people say that school uniforms are all about safety. This is not the case. Bullying still occurs in schools regardless of whether students are wearing the same clothing because uniforms turn into a contest of “who wore it better?”
Many supporters of school uniforms may argue that school uniforms protect students from violent crime. False.
Schools in the United States are highly volatile areas whether there are uniforms or not. The next Eric Harris or Dylan Klebold could be waiting right around the corner.
Will wearing a school uniform stop the propensity of violence in schools? No.
My high school had school uniforms and there were frequently fights that broke out between students. In addition, a student was shot and killed after a football game at my high school only a few years ago.
In addition, free dress does not distract from the learning environment. In fact, it does exactly the opposite.
And according to the Supreme Court ruling in the case Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District, as long as the clothing does not cause a significant distraction to the learning environment, students can wear what they please when they attend school.
Constantly checking whether students are following the dress code detracts from the learning environment more than any potential distraction due to free dress.
And besides, wouldn’t you want to put the best version of yourself out there?
Children should be able to dress in whatever they are most comfortable with. No question.
The majority of students are against school uniforms. Why is there any doubt as to whether school uniforms should be implemented or not?
School uniforms transform schools into a regulatory environment. The lack of free dress takes away from the atmosphere of comfort that is present at schools as administrators must be constantly looking out for students who rebel against the dress code to maintain a state of order.
Students should be able to make a statement with what they wear as long as it does not interrupt the learning process, allowing them to be comfortable in their learning environment.
How comfortable the student is will definitely have an impact on academic performance, just as students do not perform to their full ability if they have not gotten enough sleep.
School administrators should definitely give further consideration towards getting rid of school uniform policies because students will ultimately be better off. They will enjoy school more and will be more inclined to perform to the best of their ability.
patdunn 