What Mark Mathabane talks about in his article “Appearances Are Destructive” is how students should be required to wear uniforms in public schools because uniforms encourage students to focus on education. Mathabane draws from his experience from when his sisters from South Africa went to school in the United States. One of the points he makes is how the U.S. is the only country who allow an open dress code in schools. He also talks about how students are more concerned with how they look rather than their education. Mathabane also states how “in schools Nike, Calvin Klein, Adidas, Reebok and Gucci are more familiar names to students than Zora Neale Hurston, Shakespeare, and Faulkner”. Furthermore, he states that if students do not dress in designer clothes they may be ridiculed by others. The author's final opinion is that “It's time Americans realized that the benefits of safe and effective schools far outweigh any perceived curtailment of freedom of expression brought on by dress codes.”
Many educators and even former President Bill Clinton, in his 1996 State of the Union address, have publicly supported the use of uniforms in schools. Larry Wilder Ed. D at Fresno Pacific University School of Education is one of those supporters.The reason he agrees with uniforms is because “They lead to a safer educational environment that increases Student's ability to learn, increases equality between the sexes and tolerance among ethnic and social groups.” There is much debate by educators on whether or not students in public schools should wear uniforms or have a dress code. There are many positive aspects and several negative aspects of uniforms in school. No matter what side you are on, there is a mixed bag of data when it comes to the ...
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...ers found when schools switched to uniforms was that school fights decreased 36%, and students fights dropped 51%. In addition, sexual offenses dropped 74%. Nevertheless the research was mixed when it came to academic performance.
In conclusion, no matter where people stand on the issue of whether schools should have a dress code or require uniforms in schools, there are no studies that definitively prove one way is better than the other. On one hand , school uniforms have been shown to decrease school violence, and make school environment safer and aid in the academic process. In contrast, a school dress code has also been shown to have no significant impact on attendance or behavior and has not been proven to be anymore effective than not having one. No matter what, uniforms will always be a societal issue that will always be up for debate on their effectiveness.
Until President Clinton called attention to the issue in his State of the Union address, mandatory public school uniform policies were sporadic local occurences. A few school districts had been quietly experimenting with uniforms for years, but the issue caught President Clinton's eye after the Long Beach, California school district released some numbers suggesting that after only one year, its mandatory uniform policy had not only brought about significant decreases in vandalism and fighting, but had also led to higher test scores. Now that the President's endorsement has elevated school uniforms into the realm of federal education policy, a question needs to be answered: Are uniforms a good idea?
Officials say that students feel happier when they don’t have to worry about their clothes. Which would help students focus in class better. Virginia Draa, assistant professor at Youngstown state university took a survey with students with uniforms and students without uniforms. Her results were fascinating, she said that even if their wasn’t that much of an academic improvement. But she said there were better attendance, graduation and Proficiency rates. It is proven that uniforms not only help for graduation and other rates it also helps to gain discipline. Having uniforms in school would help students take school more seriously. Students would feel equal in class because there wouldn’t be any differences in clothing.
One of the most controversial topics revolving around schooling is the weather students should or should not wear uniforms to improve academic and social behavior. Many sources say that school uniforms improve discipline, attendance, lower criminal activity, and increase academic achievement in students; Furthermore, this is due to less distraction and conforming to the idea that uniforms makes you smarter. This false ideology that is expected from school uniforms has not been proven in any way to work and is more of a waste of the tax-payers money than an improvement. There are more outlying factors that contribute to success or failure than just uniforms and pro-advocates do not get this big picture. The most outspoken reasons why to use
There is a controversial issue on whether public schools should be required to wear school uniforms. I believe that public schools should wear uniforms because it helps students focus on their studies rather than other students. Wearing school uniforms help maintain school discipline, and reduce social conflict and violence within the schools.
In society today, school-age children are under tremendous pressure to fit in with their peers and still perform well academically. I believe that school uniforms at pre-K through high school levels are an excellent way to help children succeed not only in school, but to prepare them for college and the “real world.” Three reasons why I believe school uniforms should be used in all schools is first, they are economic, next, they reduce distractions and finally, they help with social equality. To begin, school uniforms are economic. When schools have a uniform policy, it makes it easier on the children and parents.
Some schools say that wearing uniforms are better, while others say that it is not. First let’s discuss schools that require uniforms. You’ll most likely find them throughout Britain, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and most African counties. Only private school use them to distinguish them from other private or public schools. If student wear uniforms then they would feel like they belong to the school. But some religions won’t let the female or male wear certain kinds of clothing and will be pulled out at an earlier age. Uniforms also prohibit gang related problems like wearing gang colors or styles. This can be avoided by issuing a dress code prohibiting certain types of clothing but still allowing the children the freedom of picking clothes that they want. Uniforms are not practical. They are often old fashioned and uncomfortable to wear. The cheapness is often bad. They over heat when you wear them in the summer and they don’t insulate heat in the winter. There’s no real evidence that proves wearing uniforms will reduce crime in school. But there will be bulling with kids from other schools. Wearing uniforms will show that a student goes to a certain school and will be easy to identify who is “the rival” and bulling or attacks will increase between schools. Dress code can eliminate the “us-and-them” feelings that are made with uniforms. Uniforms are expensive when bought to be customized and is hard for some parents to buy. Uniforms are only produced in small quantities and are made in special shops so the price is usually increased.
At the beginning of the 20th century almost no parent or faculty had any concerns with how students dressed to attend school. Nowadays, though, this is a giant concern among students, parents, and school board officials. Many arguments have been made over the matter saying uniforms should be required and enforced in schools. But, uniforms should not be required as they ultimately eliminate freedom of expression, promote conformity over individuality, may have a detrimental effect on students self image, emphasize the socioeconomic divisions they are supposed to eliminate, and lastly, school uniforms in public schools undermine the promise of a free education by adding an extra expense for families.
The ever so controversial issue of whether or not students should be required to wear school uniforms is commonly discussed and argued about. School board members, superintendents, teachers, and parents frequently talk about the benefits and negative effects of school uniforms on the students, schools, and the communities as a whole. People argue that uniforms pose a feeling of unity, decrease bullying and bad behavior, and that they look professional. On the other side of the argument, it is said that they are expensive and suppress the creativity and individuality of students. So the real question is, does requiring uniforms in school benefit students or deter them from reaching their full potential in
Bill Clinton once said, “People will learn to evaluate themselves by what they are on the inside to evaluate themselves by what they are on the inside, instead of what they’re wearing on the outside, then our public schools should be able to require students to wear school uniforms.” Public schools across America are searching to improve safety, school belonging and also help parents save money & students save time getting ready. One way to improve these issues would be to implement a uniform policy. The adoption of school uniforms policies will reach what public schools across America are searching for.
School uniforms are a boiling conversation point these days. There are so many well-built points of view about what route parents, students, and superintendents wish to go in. It has been disputed that school uniforms have the potential to make a school safer, that uniforms reduce harassment or self-esteem issues, and that uniforms return the focus to the students' learning. I disagree. I, in fact think that school uniforms do not help make our schools a more secure place, I think that they do not revisit the center of attention to student's education - they just shifted where the attention was previous, and that they won’t help cut down on harassment or self- esteem issues in school.
School uniforms in public schools are becoming increasingly popular across the nation. The public school system would benefit greatly if this policy were to be adopted. Opposition is always a factor when trying to make changes. Taking all things into consideration, the positive effects would be far greater than the negative effects. School uniforms should be required in public schools because their use would lead to higher education, less violence, and lower cost to parents.
Uniforms in public schools are becoming accepted throughout the world. The public school systems would benefit significantly if this policy were to be accepted. Wearing uniforms in public schools result in positive effects.
Since the 1990 's schools have reported amazing results by mandating a school uniform policy. Konheim-Kalkstein, Y. L (2006) write: “ School uniforms, proponents have said, can lead to improved discipline and classroom behavior, increased school attendance, respect for teachers, better school performance, higher student self-esteem and confidence, lower
“We cannot forget that reinforcing economic differences drives students further apart when schools should be drawing them closer together.” There are many problems in public schools with no uniforms. The use of school uniforms could eliminate some of these problems. Although school uniforms may take away a child’s individuality, there are more benefits than disadvantages to having school uniforms in public schools because school uniforms lessen the money spent on the latest fashion trends and school uniforms provide a positive school climate. A school uniform should be a simple outfit.
Did you know that as many as twenty-five percent of the nation?s pubic elementary, middle, and junior high schools have successfully implemented a school uniform policy? (Isaacson, 1998) School uniforms greatly benefit both the students and faculty by creating an atmosphere in which the students are able to get the most out of their education. I believe that all students should wear school uniforms regardless of whether or not the school is public. Below are clear-cut arguments in favor of school uniforms.