Should Students Wear Uniforms in School?

School uniforms are said to contribute to school safety.

The debate over school uniforms is heard in public school districts around the nation. Proponents of uniforms emphasize the utility of dress codes for discipline and safety in the classroom and on the playground. Opponents often point out that uniforms restrict individualism and personal choice. Despite arguments on both sides, the use of uniforms is not widely mandated nor is it widely prohibited in public schools.

School safety

Proponents of uniforms argue that uniforms are useful for ensuring that gang colors and symbols do not enter the school environment. The absence of gang colors and symbols reduces gang influence among school-age children.

Reduction in Social Pressure

Proponents of uniforms maintain that in schools where uniforms are required, there is less pressure to dress in expensive, trendy clothes. This saves parents and guardians money. It also helps students focus on learning rather than keeping up with fashion trends to gain entry into certain social groups.

Uniforms Eliminate Individuality

Opponents to school uniforms note that uniforms prevent students from expressing their own creative and personal fashion choices. Uniforms make schools appear to be robot factories rather than institutions of learning. The lack of free personal choice in clothing and fashion runs counter to American values of freedom and liberty.

Affordability

Although uniforms eliminate the need to buy trendy clothing, opponents to school uniforms indicate that the uniforms do not necessarily represent a less expensive alternative. Opponents also note that requiring a uniform opens the door to improper alliances between uniform manufacturers and schools, leading to lead to higher prices for uniforms.

Conclusion

The debate over school uniforms has arguments for and against the use of uniforms. The answer to whether uniforms should be required depends on whether the use of the uniform enhances the learning environment. Some conclude yes, because students are focused on learning rather than what their fellow students are wearing. Others conclude no, because the use of a uniform can impede liberty and choice in an educational environment where these values should be encouraged.

References

• K-12 Directory of Schools;The Variable Dresscode -- Pros and Cons of School Uniforms; Jan. 2010
• Online Learning Havens: Advantages of School Uniforms
• Education New Archaeology: Facts Against School Uniforms