Should Schools Have a Uniform Policy?

Aj Romero

Mr.Dewalt

Should school dress codes be enforced in public and private schools? Personally, I believe they shouldn't be allowed. Telling students what and what not to wear takes away our right to self expression, freedom to follow our free will, and our freedom of choices. We all have a right to express individuality and show our true selves. There shouldn't be a rule that takes away personal style. It's the people that decide what to wear as a show of personality and style, not the school. Having a school uniform to reduce problems of violating the school dress code, reduces our individual right to liberty and self expression. If it were up to me, I would stand up in front of the school board or maybe even try to organize a student strike against it.

Liberty, the act of  following ones own free will; freedom of choices, and self determination. The people have the right to choose what we want to wear to school, and we automatically show our personality whether other people like it or not. Also, school uniforms can be very expensive, limit the students choices (procon.org) . A lot of school uniforms are uncomfortable to most students and rather than reducing bullying, they can cause more bullying. In 1999, a study conducted by experts showed an increase in bullying incidents by as much as 12% after the implementation of uniform wearing. (listland.com).

Domestic tranquility; having peace in the U.S., harmony among people and states. There are many people in the world who have a common interest in different styles and brands. When people share common interests, they become closer friends. They stand out together. When school uniforms are enforced, those close relationships fade and the teen community is bland. These uniforms can also affect ones self image. Students who are not required to wear uniforms demonstrated high self-perception scores. That means those students have a better view of self image compared to those who wear a school uniform (listland.com). Many schools use school uniforms as discipline to control behavior and promote conventional gendered dress.

The general welfare, the well being of the people; basic needs met; health and prosperity, security; comfort and happiness. The students of America should at least feel comfortable in what they wear to school, and should be happy to wear what they want. If you were to ask a student who wears a school uniform, they will most likely tell you they are boring not just because of their colors, but also for the patterns, often in plaid or checkered. (listland.com). There is not a single child that actually enjoys wearing the same uniform day after day to school. For one, they are very uncomfortable; two, they are boring, and three; they are just disliked in general.

Although school uniforms are very much disliked, they do show respect, a sense of belonging to a school, and also shows we're all in this together (listland.com). The biggest thing a child, teen, and anybody needs to learn, is the ability to have and show respect to one another. A uniform shows a sense of pride and belonging to a school. When other people see the kids wearing them, they envision unity. If you asked an adult instead of a child, they may tell you they are indeed for school uniforms because they show unity and pride. Another thing about the uniforms, they keep students focused on education rather than clothing (thegaurdian.com)

If it were up to me, I would do anything I could to organize a school strike against the application of school uniforms. I would also stand in front of the school board and state my opinion on why they shouldn't be used. There is only so much a single person can do to stop something but if a group of students did something, the effect would be momentous

School uniforms show conformity rather than individuality. The uniform itself will potentially cost more than your traditional clothing. Even if school uniforms were enforced, the students should have a choice in what the uniform looks like. We as Americans and U.S citizens have a right to expression and that right is taken from us with the use of said uniforms. Forcing students to wear something they don't want to causes discomfort, and can be detrimental to adult development. Growing up is more important than being in discomfort.

Works Cited

1. "Learningin21." Learningin21. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2016.

2. @ListLand. "Top 10 Reasons School Uniforms Should Be Banned." Top 10 Lists ListLandcom. N.p., 2016. Web. 02 Oct. 2016.

3. "Should Students Have to Wear School Uniforms? - School Uniforms - ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2016.

4. "What's the Point of School Uniforms?" The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2016.