Schools are learning environments and anything that hinders that learning is just not acceptable. Considering all the other problems that schools have such as student safety, fears of school violence and you begin to understand why many school boards are calling for school uniforms.
School Uniforms
These school uniforms can range from the formal to the informal. Some of the schools that have gone to school uniforms have chosen what many people usually connect with Catholic schools; nice pants and white shirt for boys and jumpers and white shirts for girls.
More Casual
But most public schools are using for uniforms more casual and that seems more acceptable to students and parents: jeans or khakis and knit shirts of variable colors. The latter seems to be more inexpensive since they can be used both in school and outside of school. Also many school districts that dictate uniforms have some sort of financial assistance that goes to families that cannot afford the added expense.
Reasons for School Uniforms
Some of the reasons that school uniforms have been mandated include:
- Prevents gang color in schools
- Instills discipline among students
- Decreases violence and theft of clothing and shoes
- Less time for administrators and teachers being “clothing police”
- Helps in recognizing who do not belong on campus
- Reduces distractions for students
- Instills a sense of community
Studies have shown that wearing uniforms increases student good behavior both outside and inside school. Uniforms have shown to lessen bullying in school and actually increase attentiveness in class.
Results of Studies
Teenagers who took part in the Oxford Brooks University study said that dress codes acted as a leveler in social standing and reduced the risk of children being picked on for wearing “weird” clothes. Kids also admitted that they were less likely to misbehavior outside of school since their uniform instantly identified their school. Others note that security guards were more likely to follow children around shops if they are wearing uniforms.
The professor who led that study said that uniforms often directly add to a feeling of school pride, and they do not want to compromise by misbehaving outside the school gate. Overall, pupils favored uniforms because they encourage a feeling of pride in their school and also prevent them having to select chic fashions each morning. These studies also show that students tend to be most in favor of distinctive and smart school uniforms.
Opposition to School Uniforms
Of course there are strong opponents to school uniforms and they list their reason as follows:
- Violate a student’s right to freedom of expression
- Makes students a target of bullies from other schools
- Are simply a small aid on the issue of violence of the school
- Are a financial burden for families who are poor
- Are unfair additional expense for those families who pay taxes for a free public education
- Are difficult to enforce in public schools
The structure of school uniforms was put in place so the school could put more stress on academics instead of appearance. But it also smothers a student’s creativeness, weakens the students overall experience of learning and change school hallways into depths of plainly outfitted automatons. This greatly hinders the environment for learning.
Carbon-Copy Students
The way that a student dresses speak volumes about their personality and interests and in some are a simple and effective means of expressing themselves. When this privilege to wear what one wants is revoked, a classroom appears to contain only carbon-copy students rather than a multitude of unique students, making for an undoubtedly drab and ineffective learning environment. It seems that dress codes and school informs have both good and bad points about them.
Author Bio
Joshua Kingstone is a professional writer with years of experience writing articles on varying niches. His latest articles are about tips on how to buy school uniforms. Joshua has a school age son and he is the one responsible in taking care of the schooling needs of his son. This is where he basically got his knowledge about practical tips when buying school uniform for school age children.
