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Name: ____________________________ January 15, 2015

6th Grade Writing KIPP 2025(: LU UM USC

Argument Essay 1: Text Set

Source 1:

School Uniforms: Awesome – or Awful?

More and more schools are telling students what to wear.

BY LAUREN TARSHIS

Source 2:

School Uniforms: A Heated Dispute

There are pros and cons to school uniforms

BY BETH ASAFF

Many public school systems across the country are requiring school uniforms in an effort to improve overall school performance and to reduce negative behavior. But, requiring students to wear uniforms has become a heated[1] national debate with experts taking stands on both sides of the dispute.

Let’s examine what the experts say on both sides:

Academic Impact

Many educators believe that students who wear school uniforms perform better academically in school, and a study done in 1998 by professors at Notre Dame University shows slightly better student performance among students who wear uniforms. Without uniforms, students are often so focused on their clothing that it distracts them from learning. Some experts believe that a mandatory uniform policy will remove this distraction and improve student attention, believing that uniforms set a more serious tone within the school environment that is can improve student performance. They also believe that school uniforms improve student attendance. Many parents report that their children spend a great deal of time planning and choosing their daily clothing and that uniforms allow students to use this time to sleep or study.

Effect on Behavior

It is also thought that students who wear school uniforms behave more appropriately in the school environment. They believe that uniforms dictate a stricter atmosphere and that students who wear uniforms are more likely to follow school rules. The US Department of Education maintains that the mandatory use of standardized dress reduces violence within the school.

Social Relationships

SourceSome experts believe that, more than anything, school uniforms improve the social outcomes in a school environment. Clothing and fashion are often the cause of social conflict. Children are often made fun of by other children because of the way they dress. Many children use clothing to express themselves and to define themselves. This self-expression and definition often leads to the formation of cliques in the school environment. Many students feel that they are judged according to what they wear by other students, as well as by teachers and administrators. School uniforms remove these factors from the social environment within the school, which relieves students from the pressure to fit in. Experts believe that, by improving the social environment through mandatory[2] standardized dress, both academic and behavioral outcomes improve.

Cost

In some cases, the use of school uniforms is more affordable to families because there is not as much pressure to buy expensive, trendy, popular clothing. Uniforms are made to last, and can be washed easily and frequently. After the initial cost of buying uniforms, there is no need to spend as much money on clothing.

On the other hand, there are just as many experts who believe that the cost of school uniforms is a negative factor as those who see it as a positive factor. Some experts believe that it increases the amount of clothing parents will have to buy for their children because the children will still want and need clothing for the hours they are not in school. Uniforms can be more expensive for a family who buys from second-hand stores or who relies on hand-me-down clothing from friends and family. Some experts believe the cost is a negative aspect of school uniforms because there is no use for them outside of school.

Clothing as Expression

Many educators and other experts argue that requiring children to wear the same uniforms stifles[3] their self-expression, or the way they express themselves with their clothing. Self-expression is an important part of developing into a teenager and adult, and some experts believe that lessening it with uniforms can be detrimental, or harmful, to children. Experts also believe that students who are forced to wear uniforms will only find other, less appropriate ways to express themselves, possibly through inappropriate use of makeup and jewelry.

Hurting Students Down the Road

Some experts feel that self-expression and self-identification as a teenager helps prepare them to make the leap into adulthood. By forcing teenagers to wear school uniforms, it limits their ability to express in this manner, which may hurt them when they are becoming adults. One study done in the state of Louisiana found that the only benefits derived from school uniforms ended once the students left middle school, and that no benefits were found for high school students.

Source 3:

By the Facts and Figures

All about school uniforms by numbers, statistics, and facts

BY STACY ZEIGER

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, during the 2007-08 school year, 18 percent of public schools required students to wear uniforms. When a school decides to have students wear uniforms, it is likely to face a both approval and criticism. Looking at the statistics on school uniforms will help you decide whether to place yourself for or against this controversial issue in the world of education.

Academic Effects

Advocates, or supporters, of school uniforms argue that having students wear uniforms will help them focus more on academics than on what they are wearing. In a study conducted by the National Association of Elementary School Principals, 67 percent of principals of schools with a uniform policy in place saw student concentration improve. Other studies have shown similar results:

• Students in Kenya who were randomly given uniforms improved attendance and test scores

• Middle/high school girls in a study of a large urban school district (LUSD) in Texas saw an increase in attendance rates after a uniform policy was implemented

• Also in that LUSD, students in grades 1-5 saw significant, or major, test score increases in the years following uniforms

• According to the Long Beach Unified School District, schools in Long Beach, CA saw graduation rates increase after adopting a uniform policy

• According to the NAESP, school principals report an increase in school unity, which increases a student's motivation to do well.

Behavioral Effects

One of the biggest reasons for adopting a school uniform policy is to reduce crime and improve the behavior of students in a school. The unified school district in Long Beach, CA, one of the first public school districts in the U.S. to adopt a uniform policy in 1994, saw an 86 percent decrease in the overall crime rate and a 90 percent decrease in suspensions only 4 years after adopting the policy. A few of the other behavioral effects found after adopting school uniforms include:

• According to the Los Angeles Times, school uniforms reduced gang activity in LA schools because students are not allowed to wear gang colors to school, which decreased the presence of gangs in schools

• According to a fact sheet published by the Consortium on School Violence, teachers and administrators perceive that students are better behaved when wearing school uniforms. However, when this was studied with 8th graders, there seemed to be minimal difference between the overall behavior issues among schools who did and did not implement a school uniform policy.

Emotional Effects

Those against school uniforms, especially students, are most likely to object because of the emotional effects on students. For teenagers, self-expression is an important part of establishing an identity and deciding who they want to be. However, 80 percent of girls in New York Public Schools reported that they liked wearing the uniforms. Many schools also have policies in place for allowing students to express themselves despite wearing a uniform. For example, schools in Memphis, TN do not require students to wear uniforms on Fridays. The Manual on School Uniforms from the U.S. Department of Education reports some additional effects of school uniforms:

• A decrease in competitiveness in Memphis, TN

• An increase in school pride and self-esteem in Kansas City, MO

• An increase in tolerance reported by students and counselors in New York Public Schools

Financial Effects

Many parents are concerned about the financial effects of uniforms. A 1998 study in USA Today reported that parents spent less on uniforms than clothes for school. However, a 2007 study in USA Today found that some parents pay significantly more for uniforms than regular clothes for their children. The cost depends entirely on the type of uniform required. Uniforms that require basic khaki pants or skirts and polo shirts may be less expensive than specially designed uniforms because they may be purchased at discount stores or used clothing stores.

Things to Consider

Studies of the long-term effects of school uniforms are just beginning to appear. As with many studies, for every positive report, there is another report that shows little or no positive results from school uniforms. Beyond the statistics, schools, students and parents must consider the individual school's problems and population to determine whether uniforms will have a positive impact. Regardless of the results, however, most formal studies show that once uniform policies are adapted, they remain in place, even when they face strong resistance. Those who are against wearing uniforms eventually give in to the policy, or move to a new school.

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[1] A serious issue where people feel strongly on either side

[2] Required

[3] Shuts down or holds back

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