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Should public school children wear uniforms?
Results so far:
| Yes | 45% | 3059 votes | Total: 6816 votes | |
| No | 55% | 3757 votes |
Yes
by Connie Kelley
Created on: June 09, 2007
I have taught in the public school system for the past nine years, and during that time, my opinion regarding whether students should wear uniforms has changed dramatically. In the beginning, because I thought a student's "right" to express his/her individuality outweighed the school district's desire for uniformity in dress, I was adamantly opposed to uniforms. However, after years of looking at drooping "drawers", "cascading" cleavage, and bulging buttocks that were either wearing the same underwear I'd seen for several consecutive days or nothing that could actually be called underwear, I have reached the conclusion that uniforms are, indeed, a necessity "evil" that should and must be "inflicted" on our students.
Was my change in opinion based on my desire to avoid the daily onslaught of such disturbing sights? No, it was, in fact, based on my own observations and experiences over the past four years, during which our school went from a nonuniform to a uniform school. When I began teaching at my current school, students showed up on a daily basis in a variety of "costumes", which were distracting not only to the faculty, but more importantly, to other students. I frequently listened to any number of disparaging and insulting comments thrown back and forth between the students over what they were or were not wearing, which ultimately resulted in some sort of physical altercation, and a cessation of any learning that might have occurred in the classroom. Eventually, based on reports our principal was receiving from other schools who had switched to uniforms and the assertion that having done so resulted in a drastic change in student behavior and academic achievement, it was determined that our school would also begin requiring students to wear uniforms.
Thereafter, much to my relief and shock (because I had not previously considered the impact that a change in dress might have on student behavior and achievement), once the dress code was instituted, we quickly began to see a change in both the students' behavior and academic achievement. Once the students were required to go from "casual" dress to "business" dress, they began to behave differently. Once they began to behave differently, and the distractions and disruptions that resulted from what they were wearing or not wearing were removed, they began to learn differently, and once they began to learn differently, they began to achieve things they had not achieved in the past. For example, where we were once a C-rated school, we are now anticipating an A+ rating from the District, based on our most recent state standardized test results. Is this increase in test scores solely related to the change from individualized dress to uniforms? Not likely. Was it a significant contributing factor? In my opinion, yes. It is my firm belief that changing the students' dress from casual to "business" directly impacted the students on many levels.
First, it impacted how they felt about school. School was no longer merely a "playground" or a "fashion show". Second, because they were dressed in a more "serious" manner, they viewed school and what they did there with a more serious attitude. Third, wearing uniforms removed the "pressure" from the students to "keep up with the Joneses", so they could focus on their academics, instead of whether they were going to "pass muster" with the other students. Fourth, and most surprising to me, the institution of a uniform dress code literally removed numerous non-compliant students from our school. Within months, many of our worst behaved, disruptive, and distracting students withdrew from the school, simply because they )(or their parents) were unwilling to comply with the new dress code, just as they had been unwilling to comply with other school and class room rules during their tenure at the school. After their departure, it was astounding how much easier it was for the remaining students to focus on their acadmic endeavors and how much easier it was for teachers to manage the classroom and do what they are paid to do..TEACH! It was also not long before the remaining students stopped trying to "push the envelope", and fully complied with the dress code. The complaints stopped, the dress code violations dropped to a minimum, the disciplinary citations waned, and true learning took place in the classrooms.
Should public school children wear uniforms? Absolutely.
Learn more about this author, Connie Kelley.
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No
by Bobby Coles
Created on: March 28, 2012
Today’s educational system is compromised on many levels. The conflicting views on Standardized Testing, the removal of teaching spelling and grammar, the proliferation of bullying and cyber-bullying, the utilization of cell phones in the classroom, and the inability to discipline children are of far more pressing concern than whether or not the children wear a school uniform.
The debate over whether or not public school children should wear uniforms is one that is hotly contested by the opposing sides. Many of the powers that be claim that a school uniform presents a financial savings to cash-strapped parents, positive behaviour increases, and socio-economic differences are alleviated, thus minimizing bullying. These claims can be reduced to shambles with relative ease.
*Financial
A public school uniform does not mean an increase in savings from parents that do not have to worry about dressing their children for school. Not only do parents have to purchase a costly uniform, but also their children still need clothes to wear once school is over. The students will not remain in the uniform once they get home or go to work, a friend’s house, or to a part-time job.
The uniform merely adds another ensemble to the already bloated budget of the average family. A uniform is not one simple outfit. There are typically two colours, a choice between pants and kilts for girls, Polo and Oxford shirts, cardigans, vests, sweaters, and hoodies. Tack on to this the cost of the footwear and school socks, plus the specific uniform for Physical Education, and the costs are rampantly out of control.
From a different perspective, the costs of a school uniform double and triple for those with siblings, and children do tend to grow while they are students. This leads parents to purchase new uniform items on a regular basis in order to accommodate the physical spurts of their children. If a school uniform is being imposed for the first time, do the graduating students have to shell out the money for one year’s worth of uniform? If not, how does it look if part of the school is not clad in the uniform? Many dilemmas face the prospect of adding a school uniform.
*Behaviours
Positive behaviours do not increase because of a school uniform. Potentially students will behave worse (such as food fights) in a uniform because they care less about those clothes than they do about their own fashionable clothing.
Most children in school spend a ludicrous amount of time trying to carve their own niche in the crowd. For many, this arduous task takes many calculated risks. Once they find a crowd that is accepting of them, they want to adapt to those philosophies, and this usually means dressing in a certain style or fashion. With a school uniform, students are incapable of spreading their wings and crafting their unique individuality.
Once a child finds a way into a crowd, he or she will feel better about himself or herself, and this may lead to better behaviour. Stifling the creativity and imagination of a child may hinder their behaviour. When you look good, you feel good. This typically comes when you are wearing clothes that you have chosen, either due to colour, fit, brand, or comfort. The clothes, as they say, make the man.
*Socio-Economic
Claiming that socio-economic differences in the school population can be eradicated due to a uniform is a flawed thought. Students of monetary privilege will dress up and accessorize their uniform in ways that their less fortunate counterparts cannot. With notions ranging from donning all of the uniform variations to wearing expensive footwear, jewellery, outer garments such as coats, scarves, hats, and handbags, the differences in socio-economic status will always be prevalent. Some students will also be using the latest version of the iPhone or iPad, while some will not have any technological devices. The class status does not go away through the enforcement of shabby, ill-designed attire.
For those students of a modest background, laundry cannot be done every day, and if they only have one piece of uniform item, the differences will be noticeable. Young children play hard at recess, and grass stains and sand, mixed with finger paints and spilled snacks present quite the financial conundrum for parents of modest means.
Public school uniforms should not be worn by children. Once they reach the high school level, the debate opens up and becomes much more plausible. From a grade school perspective, however, the uniform consideration should be shelved.
Learn more about this author, Bobby Coles.
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