Edornan.weebly.com



Emma DornanMr. BeckerHonors English 10 10 February 12, 2013A Uniform Solution For many public schools experiencing gang issues, academic slacking and crime problems, the solution to all of these problems does not seem complex at all. Countless schools have turned to mandating a school uniform in hopes that it will whip their students into shape. However, uniforms are counterproductive because they repress individuality and present an extra financial burden on struggling families. Today, 19% of public schools require their students to wear some type of uniform. These uniforms usually consist of dress clothes, commonly in the school’s colors, with separate uniforms for male and female students. A full uniform costs between $100 and $200 in most cases. Even those schools that do not require a uniform typically have some form of dress code that prohibits certain types of inappropriate or offensive clothing. “Some school officials support the policy, hoping that uniforms will encourage students to focus on their work,” summarizes the author of Fashion Do or Don’t? regarding the opinions on the topic, “Opponents, however, say that students should be allowed to express themselves through clothing” (p3). School uniforms may be put in place with good intentions, but they result in one major consequence—reducing student individuality. Students express themselves in many ways, especially as teenagers, but clothing is one of the most evident ways. School uniforms would repress this outlet against students who have a right to freedom of expression. As Dennis L. Evans, a high school principal, points out, “Some of the students whose clothing and hair styles were the more outlandish were also the most outstanding scholars and school leaders” (139). This quote proves that a student’s clothing has little effect on their academics. In fact, this outlet for creativity can result in a positive academic and behavioral outcome. Stifling this outlet would have only negative consequences. However, a few proponents of school uniforms argue that allowing students to wear what they choose creates problems. A student’s clothing of choice could become a distraction to students and teachers around them. Aycock Middle School principal, William Price, insists that “If students are wearing baggy pants and earrings, some teachers can’t get past that” (Ron Schachter, p46). These distractions can impact students’ performance in their classes and can result in students acting out as well. Some suggest that requiring a school uniform will eliminate these distractions and the problems that come with them. While these things are undeniably issues in many public schools, uniforms are not the solution to this. Mandating school uniforms alone will not solve any of the bigger issues a school system faces, such as crime or low test scores. “Those committed to school uniforms agree that changing student appearance has not made a difference by itself,” acknowledges Ron Schachter (46). Public schools should not pour money into what is basically an unrealistic cover-up solution for other problems. Instead, schools should invest in programs that have a direct impact on these issues, such as more tutoring to help struggling students. Uniforms will have no lone impact on the problems schools are trying to solve by implementing them. On top of this, buying a new set of uniforms at the start of every year, possibly more often if they stop fitting, can be pricey. This will just be another expense for families, especially those that are already struggling financially. Although supporters of school uniforms brag that they are low-cost, Katha Pollitt affirms that “this is overstated, because kids still need the clothes they wear now for after school, weekends, church” (p10). Uniforms will just add an expense on top of what parents already pay for a student’s everyday clothing. This is another reason why uniforms should not be required in public schools. Although school uniforms might take away a distraction for kids, they would repress student individuality and be a financial trouble for the families that are required to purchase them. Because of this, school uniforms should not be mandatory in public schools. Uniforms, like many other programs in schools, are just an indirect solution for bigger problems. Works Cited Ron Schachter, “District Administration.” Do Clothes Make the Student?. Web. January 30 2013. Dennis L. Evans, “Phi Delta Kappan.” School Uniforms: an ‘unfashionable’ dissent. Web. January 30 2013.“WR News, Senior Edition.” Fashion Do or Don’t? Should public schools require students to wear uniforms? April 6, 2007. Web. January 30 2013.Katha Pollitt, “The Nation.” Madchen in Uniform. April 27, 1998. Web. January 30, 2013. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download