Boring. Plain. Static. These are how students opposing in school uniforms perceive the matter. While their reason could be about individuality or just hate changes, a research by Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychologist and a professor at the University of California, showed how a simple change in self-control can really be a positive influence not just for the moment but on long-term effects. Although Dr. Lyubomirsky focused on Happiness [that a simple smile, fake or genuine, can exhibit true happiness], her point rooted in the subject of Psychology; The psychology of change and its positive benefits.
The issue for the antagonist of school uniforms lie on the overrated topic about the First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
This Right about liberty, supposed to be celebrated and not questioned, had actually brought thousands of confusions to many. A slight misunderstanding can differ one view from another. Arguments revolve around the question of knowing how much freedom is too much. And an implementation of school uniforms will surely be a headline for the issue of Civil Rights, which is an expected event in the Land of the Free. Too much talk about freedom of self-expression leaves another major issue unattended – Social Discrimination – so evident in children especially in the secondary-education (Gale Group 2).
Who's the rich kid, the geek, the cheerleader, the jock, the loser, etcetera. Without school uniform, the different social classes of students are easily identifie...
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...10. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 9 January 2011.
United States. Department of Justice. National Criminal Justice Reference Service. Nonfamily Abducted Children: National Estimates and Characteristics. National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children, 17 Sept. 2010. Web. 11 January 2011.
Brog, Linda. “Students, Parents Finding School Uniforms A Good Fit.” Rhode Island News, 31 August 2007. Web. 11 January 2011.
Motsinger, Carol. “Ironing Out Policies In School Uniforms.” USA Today, 7 August 2007. Web. 11 January 2011.
Stockton, C., & Gullatt, D.E. “School Uniforms: Policies and Procedures.” Research in Middle Level Education Online, 25.1 (2002)11 January 2011.
National School Safety and Security Services. School Uniforms, Dress Codes, & Book Bags. National School Safety Consulting Firm. Web. 11 January 2011.
Jahn, Karon L. “School Dress Codes v. The First Amendment: Ganging up on Student Attire.”
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people
For one, students dressing in school uniforms should feel a sense of equality and unity with classmates. Wearing school uniforms should make it difficult to pinpoint the cliques, including the jocks, the Goths, the nerds. Making
Kelly, Mike. “School Dress codes Limit Students’ Freedom of Expression.” School Policies. 2008. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 29. Apr. 2014. http://ic.galegroup.com
middle of paper ... ... Retrieved 11 20, 2010, from First Amendment Center: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=pledge. Jr., D. L. (2010, 11 19). Student Expression. Retrieved 11 23, 2010, from First Amendment Center: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=clothing_dress_codes_uniforms.
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
Proponents of school uniforms agree that students’ school uniforms are not a violation of their First Amendment of the U.S. constitution right. In the case of Canady v. Bossier Parish School Board, the Fifth Circuit upheld that “students remain free to wear what they want after school hours. Students may still express their views through other mediums during the school day” (Canady v. Bossier Parish School Board). Advocates for school uniforms argue that school is for learning, and that self-expression is for after-school hours. Some people will say that there is room for self-expression such that students’ can use hairstyles and accessories to start forming their individuality. However, proponents of school uniforms need to
In America, “The World’s Melting Pot”, we are all unique and should be seen as individuals. Wearing a uniform does not allow for students to demonstrate their individuality; they have to dress conforming to the school’s uniform policy. According to Akerlof and Kranton, “...with attempting to establish a sense of community might be the loss of student’s sense of identification with the school, which could in turn yield lowered outcomes in effort and skills”. These policies leave the students questioning themselves and wondering, “Who am I?”. A survey, of 100 random students, conducted at Zapata High School showed that 72% of students reviewed felt that wearing a uniform suppresses their ability to express themselves as individuals. Forcing students to wear a uniform is also going against the first amendment, which clearly prohibits Congress from making laws that violate freedom of speech; it includes freed...
School uniforms reduce the stress children feel when trying to fit in with their peers. Without them, some children may be alienated because their economic background reflects the clothes they wear. Children tend to break off into “cliques” and uniforms could possibly help unite students. Finding creative ways to express their individuality through other outlets other than fashion can help children forge friendships based on their common interests.
Parents who are at a low financial state, shouldn't be forced to purchase uniforms. If that's what they wanted for their child, they would've gone to private school, but they didn't. Parents are not going to take their child out of school, but if they keep them in they are required to buy uniforms and that's not okay. As well as threatening family's financial state, rules enforcing uniforms also threaten citizens rights. Ferrell also agrees that “Rules enforcing school uniforms could possibly be civil rights violations, such as the right to free speech, right to privacy and freedom of religion.”
Media has influenced a lot of today’s trends and ideologies. Adolescents, being on the psychological level of self-identification, bring this deceptive notion of fashion and social classes to school. The problem comes when this trend affects the performance of students and their personal lives. We all remember our days back when the talk was “Who are the jocks, the cheerleaders, the rick kids, the geeks, the losers, etcetera?” Believe it or not, the status quo in schools is always composed of them. These cliques have identities exclusive for each. Students who do not look, act, or dress the same as one group are, more often than not, left out. They could be hurt physically and or psychologically with cruel teasing and rumors. Bullying and social discrimination are both so evident in children especially in the secondary-education (“School Uniforms” 2). These are not the media’s wrongdoing. These are done by the students themselves, and administrators are not helping enough to relieve it. Counselors may help with the students’ emotional stress, but there is no other tangible solution in removing the segregation like school uniforms.
A huge negative effect of school uniforms is that they infringe ones’ individuality. High school is a time when students begin to develop their own sense of personal style, desperately trying to both stand out and fit in simultaneously. By being self-conscious and often lacking the confidence needed to assert themselves, teens are forced to use clothing and their outward appearance to manifest their individuality. By not being able to express teenagers act out in other ways. School uniforms also reduce ones ability to choose clothing that fits individual comfort needs. Above all, school uniforms even go against the 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, which is about establishment of religion and free speech.
School uniforms promote academic achievement to students in many ways. Wearing identical uniforms puts everyone in the same situation, so they are more likely to help each other succeed. This is the reason why players on a sports team wear identical uniforms (Latham). Teenagers are so infatuated with the latest trends and what people are wearing. They are often distracted by observing what other people wear than focusing on schoolwork. According to Betty Mike-Sell Bailey, school-improvement resource teacher at Decatur Middle School, “Children at this age are so impressed with dress that, if we can eliminate that little aspect of their daily lives and get their minds focused on academics, that is half the battle”(Viadero). Studies have also shown the relationship between wearing uniforms and academic success. Virginia Draa, assistant professor at Youngstown state University compared the attendance, graduation, and proficiency pass rates at sixty-four high schools in Ohio. Her study concludes those schools with uniform policies improved in attendance, graduation, and suspension rates (Wilde). Along with all of the academic achievements school uniforms also help diminish school bullying.
Worrying more about others, rather than themselves, students pay more attention to the appearance of their peers instead of their academics. To begin, if school uniforms became apart of the school policy, students’ academics would improve phenomenally. Hanley noted that “The reason for the policy [was] to further improve ascending test scores and provide a safe, comfortable learning environment” (A1+). Clearly, school administrators wanted to improve test scores, and they figured if students dressed the same, then they would have no other choice but to focus on their school work. If the students can concentrate on their school work, then they will have high self- esteem. Furthermore, Valdez believes that school uniforms, positively, will change student academics: “… [they] decrease self consciousness and increase self esteem...” (14). Reasonable and realistic, students who feel better about themselves will succeed in school rather than those who have poor self-esteem. Not only do school uniforms encourage students to have a better attitude about themselves, but they also change the environment in which students learn....
As stated, in the article “The Pros and Cons of Uniforms in School” by Holly Charlonne, “some schools will look to uniforms as a possible way to bring together students from various backgrounds as a unit” (Charlonne). When the students are dressed alike, it takes away the social segregation that sometimes a child may feel if they do not have the same style of clothing as another child. Charlonne, also suggests, another proof of this advantage can be seen in the “cutting down the number of cliques that are formed in school due to economic or social status seems to have had a positive outcome in past from having students wear designated uniforms in public schools” (Charlonne). Wearing the uniform reduces the competition for who has the best clothes and who doesn’t, and allows the student to focus their attention on more productive matters. When the students all wear the exact same thing, they feel as though they belong to the group. The unity created by all students in uniform gives them an elevated sense of pride toward their school. Recent surveys have shown that “despite the fact that they (students) aren’t exactly thrilled about wearing uniforms, some students do recognize the benefits they offer”, in fact “54% of the students” included in this survey, report “having to wear a uniform didn’t compromise their identity” (Lake). It is for this reason that I firmly agree with the notion of public school