Mandatory School Uniforms

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Many schools across the world have implemented policies requiring a school uniform. This differs from a dress code by focusing on what the student should wear and setting an outfit specification instead of just prohibiting unwanted clothing (Wilde). Previously many private schools had this system, but as of 2014, about twenty percent of public schools had adopted this practice, a twelve percent difference since 2000 (Ordway) This drastic change could have been sparked by a comment made by the former US President Bill Clinton in an address to US citizens. He stated, “If it means that the schoolrooms will be more orderly and more disciplined, and that our young people will learn 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 their students to wear uniforms” …show more content…

Angela Wamsley, an associate dean at Saint Louis University, captures this opinion in her article “What the United Kingdom Can Teach the United States About School Uniforms.” She explains, “when students dress alike, a ‘team-like’ culture develops, and this promotes school spirit and positive self-images. Also, students who wear uniforms can focus on academics, rather than on what others are wearing” (Wamsley). In other words, school uniforms direct attention to learning and give a general sense of belonging, as everyone looks the same to some degree. Allison Torres Burtka also suggests that if a school were to implement a school dress code, then the contrast of lower class, middle class, and higher class citizens would not be as apparent (Burtka). From their judgement, school clothing policies enhance the atmosphere of a learning environment. Hence, numerous people acknowledge that the favorable outcomes of school uniforms are of utmost

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