The Controversy Over The Use Of Uniforms In Public Schools

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For the past decade, schools, parents and students have clashed over the debate of dress code regulations. Although traditionally preferred by private or religious institutions, the abundant range of benefits that uniforms bestow upon Catholic schools have been observed, and public schools are encouraged to adopt this beneficial policy to improve their establishments and acquire these attributes. In regards to the immense peer pressure students face to stay on trend, teenagers have to deal with competition with their peers to buy the latest designer wear, which can result in low self-esteem or bullying. Moreover, uniforms are considered to be a normalizer throughout schools; specifically, with every student wearing the same uniform, the competition over clothing choices and the harassment of those who are …show more content…

Additionally, the use of uniforms in school systems allow students to place their full concentration on their education rather than their clothing. Having students wear the same outfit, the concern of how they look or how they fit in with their peers will be eliminated; accordingly, resulting in better concentration on their schoolwork. As underlined in a study done by the University of Houston, “elementary school girls' language test scores increased by about three percentile points after uniforms were introduced” (Gentile and Imberman, 2010). Also, President Clinton encouraged schools to adopt uniforms as a way to help students focus on learning and not pressure over what they wear, "Take that [clothing choices] off the table and put the focus on school, not on what you're wearing."(Free Republic, 2007). Furthermore, with the vastly growing issue of school safety, school uniforms will avert crime and enhance the safety of students. With students all dressed in the same outfit, it allows the schools to keep track of students and makes any intruders on campus more visible; likewise, uniforms prevent students from hiding weapons under baggy

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