What Are Some Negatives of Uniforms?
Do school uniforms really create higher-achieving, happier and well-behaved students? Many advocates of school uniforms focus on the positive effects that they have on schools and their students. After Long Beach, Calif., adopted a city-wide school uniform policy in 1994, many cities in the United States followed suit. It is important to acknowledge, however, that school uniforms can have negative effects on the school environment and student morale.
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Freedom of Expression
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Teacher Alastair Endersby believes that uniforms were more appropriate when teaching was of a more rigid and militaristic style, and discipline was more strict. They restrict individuality, which is now more commonly encouraged. Since many children express themselves through their style, requiring students to dress in the same clothing can restrict their freedom to express this individuality. For this reason, some school districts, such as those in Austin and Galveston, Texas, have adopted "dress codes" which provide guidelines on what students should wear to school, rather than rigid school uniforms. These dress codes allow students to choose their own school clothes and style, while helping maintain a sense of order and decorum within the school.
Cost
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Having school uniforms requires a student to have two wardrobes: the school uniforms and their regular street clothes. This can cause undue hardship for some families in terms of budget. As such, the Education Resource Information Center reports that uniforms can also be seen as infringing on a student's right to a free public school education.
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Comfort
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Uniforms requiring dress pants, skirts, ties and pressed button-up shirts can be uncomfortable for students. If students are focusing on adjusting their clothing and on their discomfort, their learning can be affected. Students who are not comfortable in their uniforms are also more likely to rebel against them. Many uniforms may also not be appropriate for all seasons, such as skirts in cold winter months, reports Alastair Endersby.
Superficial Solution
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Although uniforms are said to create order within schools, prevent competition over clothing brands and labels, increase student attentiveness and help curb school violence, the Education Resource Information Center reports that there are no conclusive studies to support these assertions. In many cases, as in Long Beach, Calif., additional safety measures, such as increased hallway monitoring, were implemented at the same time as uniforms. This makes it difficult to definitively conclude which factors were the primary reasons for positive change within schools with uniforms. Competition between children over brand names will still likely occur since children will have different backpacks, jewelry and other accessories at school. Uniforms also make it easy to identify which students belong to which schools and can actually enable violence between schools. For these reasons, school uniforms are often seen as a superficial solution to larger societal problems.
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References
- Education Commission of the States: Uniform/Dress Codes; 2011
- education.com: Uniforms and Dress Codes Policies; Linda Lumsden; Education Resource Information Center (U.S. Deparment of Education)
- education.com: Student Dress Policies; Lynne Isaacson; Education Resource Information Center (U.S. Deparment of Education)
- Teachers Count: School Uniforms
- International Debate Education Association: School Uniform; Alastair Endersby; May 2009
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