Should School Uniforms be Required?

Should School Uniforms be Required? Kelli abbott

Certain materials are included under the fair use exemption of the U.S. Copyright Law and have been prepared according to the multimedia fair use guidelines and are restricted from further use.

Thesis

In today's society, uniforms can create much controversy, whether it be the restriction of expressing oneself or the studies showing they can reduce bullying. School uniforms should be required in all schools, private or public, because not only do they save parents money and reduce bullying, but students are still able to express their individuality even without a certain type of clothing.

Examples of a basic, normal school uniform

Introduction

The pros and cons of student uniforms in private and public schools
Parents are able to save money
Decreases peer pressure and bullying if kids wear uniforms
Kids are still able to express individuality in ways other than just clothing
Prevent the display of gang signs and insignia
Uniforms can improve school attendance
Wearing uniforms enhances pride and unity

As of now, most private schools have uniforms and public schools do not. Many are trying to change this.

Parents can save money

Instead of spending large amounts of money on several different outfits for their child everyday at school, most parents find it a lot cheaper if they were able to just buy one or two uniforms for their kid since it would save them money and time. A large estimation said that the overall cost of a uniform is $150 or less, as opposed to the countless outfits needed every day of the week that the students would want. Mary Yarber from the Los Angeles Times stated that it would create less competition among families and kids would no longer have to feel judged by what they wear.

This pictures represents different things that may be part of a standard school uniform and how much each article of clothing would cost.

Picture of a parent in Cleveland buying a school uniform

Decreases peer pressure and bullying

Bullying is a major problem in schools nowadays that may never be completely stopped, but can help be prevented with the use of uniforms. By wearing the same clothes, separation of social class is masked. NAESP proved in a survey that "86% of school leaders said uniforms make a positive impact on peer pressure," and 64% said that bullying is reduced greatly with them. Everyday kids miss school because they are afraid of being attacked because of what they wear. By not wearing uniforms, students would not have to be self conscious over what they wore which would lead to less peer pressure and bullying.

In the movie Mean Girls, the new girl Cady is picked on by the queen bees at school because of what she wears. They immediately judge her once they lay eyes on her. Since she isn't wearing designer shoes or fancy clothes, they decide that she isn't worthy enough.

No child can be made fun of for what they wear, because their uniform makes them look the same.

Kids are still able to express individuality

People who do not want uniforms argue that they take away freedom of expression. However, there are several other ways to express individuality besides clothing. With uniforms, kids are able to focus more on one another's personalities rather than their physical appearance. There are also several sports teams and clubs to join to help with expressing oneself, and accessories can also be worn.

Accessories such as hair ties, scrunching, and headbands can be worn

Kids can join clubs and sports teams and express their true individuality

Preventing gang signs and insignia

The Us Department of Education's Manual on School Uniforms said that uniforms can "prevent gang members from wearing gang colors and insignia at school", encouraging a safer environment. According to another report, almost 50% of high school students say that there are gang members at the schools they go to. Jay Wheeler stated that the schools that required uniforms for the first year for K-12 had a 46% drop in gang activity.

This is a chart to show the percentage of kids who reported gangs in their school in 2001 and 2009. Overall reported gang presence remained at 20% from 2001 to 2009, and more 9th and 10th graders actually reported gangs than 11th and 12th graders.

Uniforms can improve attendance

At the University of Houston, a study showed that the average absence rate for girls in middle and high school decreased by 7% once uniforms were required. Attendance, graduation, and suspension rates were all improved. Kids don't spend as much time picking out clothes, so uniforms make it much easier to get ready in the morning. As a result, less kids run late to school since they already have their outfit for the day picked out for them.

Kids are more diligent and alert when coming to school with a uniform. Attendance increases, meaning more learning time for students.

Pride for the school and unity with students is enhanced

A study from Oxford Brooke's University saw that uniforms "often directly contributed to a feeling of school pride." Many other research universities have also studied and proved that uniforms help troubled kids feel as though they have support in the community and have a sense of belonging. In 2007, a peer-reviewed study showed that after the uniforms were introduced, teachers saw that kids began to respect them more and were more trusting, and that the students felt important and unified by wearing a uniform.

Conclusion

By wearing uniforms in schools, parents could save money, bullying would be reduced, students would be able to express themselves with accessories and clubs, gang insignia would be prevented, attendance would be improved, and they would enhance pride and unity in the school. The behavior in the school overall would improve, leading to happier teachers, students, and parents. Instead of looking at uniforms as a negative, they should be viewed as a positive addition to schools.

Resources

Buying New School Uniforms. N.d. Money Crashers. Melissa Batai. Web. 27 June 2016.
Do Uniforms Make School Better? N.d. GreatKids. Marian Wilde, 19 May 2016. Web. 26 June 2016.
Extron PoleVault Systems. N.d. Extron Electronics. 2013. Web. 27 June 2016.
Ondrey, Thomas. Low-income Cleveland Families. N.d. The Plain Dealer, Cleveland. Cleveland.com. Margeret Bernstein, 10 Aug. 2011. Web. 26 June 2016.
Parker School Uniforms. 14 Dec. 2012. The Dog Blog. Parker School Uniforms, 14 Dec. 2012. Web. 27 June 2016.
Should Students Wear School Uniforms? N.d. Echo. Reference. Web. 27 June 2016.
Statistics of High School Gangs. N.d. Black Demographics. Feb. 2010. Web. 27 June 2016.
Svab, Petr. School Uniforms: Parents Love Them, Students Hate Them. 8 Sept. 2014. Queens, NY. Epoch Times. Petr Svab, 22 Oct. 2014. Web. 26 June 2016.
The Good, the Bad, and the Plaid. 26 July 2013. The Times-Picayune, New Orleans. The Times-Picayune. Danielle Dreilinger. Web. 27 June 2016.
"Uniforms." ProCon.org. N.p., 1 June 2016. Web. 23 June 2016.
When Gangs Come to School. N.d. National Gang Center Newsletter. 2 Sept. 2013. Web. 27 June 2016.

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