Ke (R.I.P. MJ)
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Uniforms in Public Schools
What students wear to school is an issue of concern for students, parents and school officials. Often students violate the school dress code, which disturbs the learning atmosphere and negatively effects the reputation of the school. Uniforms for students offer solutions to school problems.
First, uniforms will improve school’s spirit. Many students purchase clothing, such as jackets and shirts, with the traditional colors and syrabols of the school at the school’s store. Therefore, a uniform that possesses these characteristics would be familiar and easy to get used to. Equally with football, basketball and soccer uniforms, the school uniforms will create pride in students for representing their school. In the same way as uniforms develop the sense of unity in athletes they will do the same for students.
Second significant aspect of uniforms is that they will create equality among students and raise their self-esteem. What students wear will no longer reveal their social and economic class, so they will be able to bring up their self-esteem. Students will also be free from the pressure to impress their frienRAB with fashionable clothing. Not worrying about how to dress unique will allow students to develop their individuality and creativity. President Clinton also supports this view, “Young people will learn to evaluate themselves by what they are on the inside instead of what they’re wearing on the outside” (Discount Store News).
Wearing uniforms will produce a sense of belonging that the students will share.
School uniforms are certainly very cost and time efficient for parents. Many department stores, such as Sears and K-Mart, work with the schools to provide the uniforms and to offer discounts.
At Long Beach Unified School system in California, where the uniform movement initially began, the average cost of a uniform is twenty-five dollars. (Michael Abbott Jr.2)
Also, in George Washington Carver Elementary School, Kansas City, Missouri all students received uniforms at no cost. (Manual on School Uniforms). In other schools throughout the country free uniforms are offered to students who cannot afford them. Whereas one typical teenager outfit for public school costs about 140 dollars. Roni Baudour, a mother in Salinas, California says that uniforms will make the morning preparations less stressful, “My son and I spent time arguing each morning about what clothes match and look presentable. He is only eight and a half, and I see this problem only escalating as he grows older.” (Andrea Atkins and Jeremy Scholosberg42). Uniforms can relieve on enormous amount of pressure of parents with school-aged children.
Uniforms can make schools safer. In Memorandum for the Secretary of Education, Richard W. Riley, President Clinton stated, “If student uniforms can help deter school violence, promote discipline… then we should offer our strong support to the schools and parents that try them. We should applaud parents, teachers, and school leaders when they take courageous action to make our schools safe and free of gangs, drugs, and violence” (1). The evidence that uniforms reduce violence also exists. In Long Beach, California, the progress is outstanding. Scott Jensen, a Representative of Wisconsin, gives the following statistics, “School crime has dropped 36% in the first year after a mandatory uniform policy was adopted. Fighting fell by 51%, weapons possession by 50%, assault and battery by 34%, vandalism by 18%” (Michael Abbott Jr.1). Uniforms will substantially decrease violence; behavioral trouble and gang related activities.
The increase of students’ safety will not only make them want to come to school, it will also improve the learning atmosphere of the school as well. At Whittier Elementary School, where the uniforms have been required for the past six years, the attendance has increased every year to a high of ninety six percent (Caruso83-84). Student uniforms will make the school reserable an office, thus creating more orderly classes with serious atmosphere. According to Peter Caruso, a junior high school English teacher in Mesa, AZ, “When all students are wearing the same outfit, they are less concerned with their peers, thus they can concentrate on their schoolwork…” (84). Consequently, emphasis on education promises better grades. With having uniforms schools can concentrate on their main purpose: education.
Some students, parents and school officials do not support the introduction of uniforms in public schools. Some of their arguments are that uniforms violate the First Amendment of the Constitution, because they affect freedom of expression. Concerning this argument, students should express themselves through the use of their minRAB, attitudes, and actions. Other arguments question safety and learning environment created by the uniforms. Those issues are supported and tested by data, therefore do not need further debates. The arguments opposing school uniform cannot match the benefits that it would have on the educational system of the United States.
Uniforms are effective for improving the country’s academic reputation. They significantly decrease violence, eliminate crime and gang related activities, promote safety, create an emphasis on learning and improve the spirit of schools. It is necessary to require uniforms in all of the Nation’s 16,000 public school districts.
What students wear to school is an issue of concern for students, parents and school officials. Often students violate the school dress code, which disturbs the learning atmosphere and negatively effects the reputation of the school. Uniforms for students offer solutions to school problems.
First, uniforms will improve school’s spirit. Many students purchase clothing, such as jackets and shirts, with the traditional colors and syrabols of the school at the school’s store. Therefore, a uniform that possesses these characteristics would be familiar and easy to get used to. Equally with football, basketball and soccer uniforms, the school uniforms will create pride in students for representing their school. In the same way as uniforms develop the sense of unity in athletes they will do the same for students.
Second significant aspect of uniforms is that they will create equality among students and raise their self-esteem. What students wear will no longer reveal their social and economic class, so they will be able to bring up their self-esteem. Students will also be free from the pressure to impress their frienRAB with fashionable clothing. Not worrying about how to dress unique will allow students to develop their individuality and creativity. President Clinton also supports this view, “Young people will learn to evaluate themselves by what they are on the inside instead of what they’re wearing on the outside” (Discount Store News).
Wearing uniforms will produce a sense of belonging that the students will share.
School uniforms are certainly very cost and time efficient for parents. Many department stores, such as Sears and K-Mart, work with the schools to provide the uniforms and to offer discounts.
At Long Beach Unified School system in California, where the uniform movement initially began, the average cost of a uniform is twenty-five dollars. (Michael Abbott Jr.2)
Also, in George Washington Carver Elementary School, Kansas City, Missouri all students received uniforms at no cost. (Manual on School Uniforms). In other schools throughout the country free uniforms are offered to students who cannot afford them. Whereas one typical teenager outfit for public school costs about 140 dollars. Roni Baudour, a mother in Salinas, California says that uniforms will make the morning preparations less stressful, “My son and I spent time arguing each morning about what clothes match and look presentable. He is only eight and a half, and I see this problem only escalating as he grows older.” (Andrea Atkins and Jeremy Scholosberg42). Uniforms can relieve on enormous amount of pressure of parents with school-aged children.
Uniforms can make schools safer. In Memorandum for the Secretary of Education, Richard W. Riley, President Clinton stated, “If student uniforms can help deter school violence, promote discipline… then we should offer our strong support to the schools and parents that try them. We should applaud parents, teachers, and school leaders when they take courageous action to make our schools safe and free of gangs, drugs, and violence” (1). The evidence that uniforms reduce violence also exists. In Long Beach, California, the progress is outstanding. Scott Jensen, a Representative of Wisconsin, gives the following statistics, “School crime has dropped 36% in the first year after a mandatory uniform policy was adopted. Fighting fell by 51%, weapons possession by 50%, assault and battery by 34%, vandalism by 18%” (Michael Abbott Jr.1). Uniforms will substantially decrease violence; behavioral trouble and gang related activities.
The increase of students’ safety will not only make them want to come to school, it will also improve the learning atmosphere of the school as well. At Whittier Elementary School, where the uniforms have been required for the past six years, the attendance has increased every year to a high of ninety six percent (Caruso83-84). Student uniforms will make the school reserable an office, thus creating more orderly classes with serious atmosphere. According to Peter Caruso, a junior high school English teacher in Mesa, AZ, “When all students are wearing the same outfit, they are less concerned with their peers, thus they can concentrate on their schoolwork…” (84). Consequently, emphasis on education promises better grades. With having uniforms schools can concentrate on their main purpose: education.
Some students, parents and school officials do not support the introduction of uniforms in public schools. Some of their arguments are that uniforms violate the First Amendment of the Constitution, because they affect freedom of expression. Concerning this argument, students should express themselves through the use of their minRAB, attitudes, and actions. Other arguments question safety and learning environment created by the uniforms. Those issues are supported and tested by data, therefore do not need further debates. The arguments opposing school uniform cannot match the benefits that it would have on the educational system of the United States.
Uniforms are effective for improving the country’s academic reputation. They significantly decrease violence, eliminate crime and gang related activities, promote safety, create an emphasis on learning and improve the spirit of schools. It is necessary to require uniforms in all of the Nation’s 16,000 public school districts.