...Uniforms in Public Schools Marla Downey Axia College of University of Phoenix COM 120 Effective Persuasive Writing Dr. Carla Lane February 21, 2007 Uniforms in Public Schools Think back to the age of adolescence, was there ever a comment made by other children on the way one dressed or did some teasing occur regarding the lack of current style? Was there an issue of being prejudged or stereotyped by others, including school faculty, based on the clothing one chose to wear? That was then, now remember how it felt. Times have changed and economic status plays such an important role in everyone’s lives, image how children of today feel. Social economics is a hard issue for adults to deal with and yet children are forced to deal with it on a daily basis in schools with their classmates, friends, and even their teachers. What solutions can be offered to change this bias for all children, regardless of age, race, and social status? One suggestion is to put school dress codes in place which would require school uniforms. School uniforms should be mandated in public schools because our children’s self esteem and education should not be determined by the clothes they wear. There is a nationwide campaign for the use of uniforms and the efforts are “gaining momentum”, states Susan Thomas (1994, p. 44). School systems are challenged with many issues, one being “ways to reduce competition over designer labels” (Thomas, 1994, p. 44). It is safe to say that both opponents...
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...discussions. And, while everyone is in theory affected by dress codes, girls and LGTBQ youth are disproportionately affected by them. Challenging schools to align unexamined, traditional dress codes to contemporary values is a tangible place to start if you're interested in teaching kids to live in a diverse, tolerant society. Of course, many parents are not interested. When it comes to girls, skimpy and skin-baring clothes are often the primary issue. Kids know that many words, like "unladylike," are code for "slutty." Other words that are frequently used include "distracting" and "unprofessional." Many teachers worry that girls' skin will "so addle boys' brains that they will be unable to concentrate." Boys, and apparently in Iowa, adult men who can now legally fire "irresistible" women, we are told, simply cannot concentrate in this environment. So, what exactly is wrong with saying girls are "distracting"? I mean, everyone know this, right? •Who gets to be distracted? And, whose distraction is central? What is a girl supposed to think in the morning when she wakes up and tries to decide what to wear to school? They aren't idiots. The logical conclusion of the "distracting" issue is, "Will I turn someone on if I wear this?" Now who is doing the sexualizing? My daughters would never have thought these things without the help of their school. The only people these policies...
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...ready for school. As I walked past my mirror, I stopped and took a final look and thought “Boy, I look fabulous today.” I continued on my way down the stairs, and when I reached the kitchen my mother saw me and said “Oh no, you are not going to school looking like that.” Why not" I asked," I look fabulous.” Mom replied “You may look fabulous, but that outfit does not meet dress code. Go change!” I sighed and reluctantly went back upstairs to change. As I was changing I thought to myself if there were school uniforms, life would be easier. There would be fewer arguments with your mother, more money to spend on other things, and people would not be judged or judging others by what they wear. First, uniforms will help decrease arguments in the morning before school because they restrict what you can wear. I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that would totally stink having to wear the same thing every day. This is not all that bad; you get to sleep longer. The biggest decision of what to wear is made for you. Plus a little bit of extra sleep can do wonders. Besides there are other ways of expressing yourself other than the way you dress, like using your words and your actions. Secondly, the cost of school uniforms is a lot cheaper. You would just have to buy five shirts and five pairs of pants to get you through the week. These should last you all school year because you would not wear them anywhere else, besides who wants to be seen in a school uniform at the mall...
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...Classical Argument Position ENGL 123 Public School-uniform: Decision hanging by a thread Today’s youth face a different learning environment that was not as prevalent in years past. Peer in on any one of the more than 98,500 schools, and notice the difference. Public schools have morphed into more of a hangout and social hour-type atmosphere, as well as become the new “red carpet” to display the latest fashion trends. That is not all. Reported cases of drug and alcohol use, weapons brought into school, and violence and bullying have drastically increased over the years, and not just in the high schools either, but in all grade levels. As each of these problems take a seat at the head of the class, quality education breaks for recess. Although the factors attributing to the recent increases in these issues are many, one viable solution to mitigate some of the problems is for all public schools to require their students wear uniforms. Many advocates for this initiative, me included, strongly believe that mandating the wear of uniforms will reduce the alarming numbers for violent behavior and bullying, as well as alleviate any socio-economical barriers that currently exist; therefore, they will become the catalyst which brings the focus back to education within the classroom. For those parents who oppose the idea of uniforms, and who believe that mandating their child wear a uniform while attending public schools violates the First Amendment and stifles their child’s...
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...Effect Essay Do School Uniforms Restrict Students’ Freedom? What do baseball players, flight attendants and even restaurant’ clerks have in common? They all wear uniforms to do their work efficiently. School uniform requirements have been controversial among students, parents, and school officials. Do school uniforms restrict students’ freedom? Some students and parents believe that forcing students to wear uniforms ignores their basic rights. But uniforms have lots of strong point for students because school uniforms can help students when they are more sensitive and emotional than any of time in the whole life. School life is between adulthood and childhood. In other words, students are experiencing sudden change in their life; so they are very sensitive about their appearance. Especially, students tend to follow fashion trends because they accord importance to things that they are able to see. Also, they feel and share anxiety together. They can feel comfortable when they notice that they belong in the same group, which contains similar people to them. This means that students can get confidence and emotional stability when they are same with others in a group. Thus, wearing school uniforms eliminates the problems of worrying about appearance and fashion because all students wear school uniforms. Also they don’t need to agonize what to wear in the morning before going to school. One effect is that students can save the time to prepare for school, instead. Furthermore...
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...and arguments that were worked out by administration and local school, often at the request of parents. There should be a dress code for students for several reasons. Many public schools today are making dangerous decisions and these decisions may end up saving someone's life. The decisions are about school uniforms and dress codes. Public schools are beginning to open their eyes to the real world and see what their students are wearing and what the clothes are about. Some schools have banned any clothes with inappropriate symbols or sayings. Baggy wear is very dangerous. Schools are now even taking away the privilege of those clothes for the reason that weapons and other dangerous, illegal items may be smuggled in under loose pants, hats, shirts and jackets. The cost of maintaining a stylish wardrobe can be expensive. Many families have more important things to spend their money on than the image of school children. The dress code may be a way to keep the costs of school down for those families. In some schools, there has even been fighting or stealing based on expensive sneakers or jewelry. There are many clothes in fashion for boys and girls which are not appropriate for school dress. Good taste and common sense should dictate parental and student choice of school clothes. The school will determine what is not appropriate dress, even if it conforms to current fashion. Also, school dress should not be viewed as a daily fashion show. In this...
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...The Effects of Public School Uniform Policies Taresha Y. Hemphill ECPI University Abstract Public school uniform Policies are not a solution to all school problems. Some problems will still exist. However, the improvements that the mandatory uniform policies have made across the nation are indisputable. Public school uniform policies will continue to reduce school violence and gang activity and overall help create a productive and safer learning environment. It will take more work to correct the school systems, but they will only get worse if something is not done about them. Even though school uniforms are a small step to improving the violence in public schools in the United States, it is better to make that small step than do nothing at all. There are vast opinions over what students should wear to school. Some see a student’s style of dress as an expression of who they are and dress code policies as a First Amendment Rights issue. Others see a student’s style of dress as a safety issue. School Dress Codes and Uniform policies have been challenged in PTA meetings, the classroom and in the court room. The main reason for having these policies is to create a safer, more productive learning environment for our children; not to strip away their freedom. We should allow students to express themselves and their individuality. However, this does not mean that their expression should be so...
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... Abstract Females in school are exposed to all kinds of different rules that takes away their right to express themselves. During this essay you will find reasons why dress codes are difficult to follow upon female student. This essay will also explore some of the different controversial issues between schools and female students due to the dress code policy, and the different ways females use to fight back. School dress codes are more for females than males, because schools see women as distraction for males and others. Schools dress codes are messing with the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gives the students the right to express themselves, without hurting others. We will see how females fight back on what they believe it is taking their freedom of speech and freedom to express their unique personalities. Fighting For Freedom Women like to express themselves through clothing, shoes, hair, make up and all kind of different accessories. Regardless of what color, religion, what body size or shape they have, females like to personalize their style using fashion and new trends. While parents drill on their female children the importance to love and feel comfortable with themselves no matter how they look. Schools portrays women as a “distraction” for men and others. They are constantly making changes to the school dressing codes, especially for female students from kindergarten to high school because of their natural sexuality...
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...School Uniforms By Kendall Cole June 2014 AED/200 - CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN AMERICAN EDUCATION Instructor: Christine Duhamel University of Phoenix Since the late 1990's school uniforms have been worn in mostly urban school districts across America. Initially, they were opposed by stakeholders, especially the students. School uniforms were accused of stripping students of their creative expression. After a while, uniforms were tolerated, it was realized that wearing uniforms helped to create a positive learning environment. “School uniforms are being advocated for a range of social, educational and familial issues” (Bodine, 2003, p. 67). There are so many issues students have to deal with when they attend school. Some of these issues create negativity in the student’s educational career. Stakeholders must come up with ways to help make learning environments and experiences more positive. Wearing school uniforms will help to create a positive learning environment. Since the turn of the new millennium, school uniforms have become common place and a trend in large school districts across America. In 1996, former President Bill Clinton mentioned school uniforms in his State of the Union Address (DeCosta, 2006 p. 49). Former President Clinton said, " And if it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, than our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms" (Mitchell,1996). Children have so many issues they...
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...No School Uniforms Taylor Roberts Kaplan University CM107, Professor Healey April, 13, 2015 No School Uniforms It has been a very controversial topic between students, parents and teachers all across the U.S whether or not students should be wearing uniforms to school. I think there is so much debate over it because it does have an effect on how a person feels at school and maybe by limiting self-expression it could change how a person develops in their life. If it is a mandatory rule and a student is uncomfortable or feels strongly against it could actually cause more problems and may have a lasting impact on how a person responds to authority in the future. A lot of people feel that dressing the same could and does help eliminate bulling and bring their focus more on academics Due to ongoing shootings and in school violence Author Maria Wilde (2015), states that public schools should have the option of requiring uniforms to help identify intruders in the school and prevent gangs from forming on school grounds. While students and parents may fuss about the dress code while they are attending school according to an article I read online titled Why Public Schools Should Have Uniforms (Foxcove.com Home. N.p., n.d. 2015), most people neglect to factor in that...
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...Should There Be Dress Codes In Junior High And High Schools? Name: Institution: Should There Be Dress Codes In Junior High And High Schools? Introduction The dress code for junior and high schools has been a hot debate over the years. It has sought to address various issues and have resulted in different levels of controversy. For instance, in the early 1970s boys with long hair sometimes got attracted to their classmates. Resultantly, schools required young men to cut their hair short. Moreover, at the beginning of the 1990s several organizations and parents pushed for a dress code as a strategy to curb gang-related violence (Valdez, 2015). Over the years, the desire to create a professional school environment and reduce struggle over designer clothes made uniforms and dress codes become a familiar topic. However, identical strategies are more restrictive than dress code policies. Dress codes are strict as in the case of schools in California and Napa. For instance, schools in this areas required students to put on solid colors and logos or banned images on clothes. The primary objective of this argumentative essay is to provide adequate evidence that there should be dress codes in both junior and high schools. Claim 1: dress code may increase student safety and reduce crime. Each year several schools adopt a certain form of dress code. Although some challenges are emerging on the constitutionality, court’s rulings have supported...
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...try to break away from parent controlled decisions and try to make decisions about their lives on their own. Many times the decisions made by teens are driven by the desire to fit in rather than any cognitive, well thought out process to make a wise choice. Teenagers today are faced with choices about what to do, what to say, how to act, and what to wear. Peer pressure can begin when the “in” crowd decides whether they will accept you or not. In today’s public schools, acceptance might just depend on what fashions you wear. Expensive clothing trends decide who’s who – who’s on top and who’s on the bottom. A teen’s social status will affect his decision making in all of the other, tougher areas of adolescent pressure. Some of the pressure on today’s students to compete with their peers can be easily relieved if school uniforms were a requirement in public K-12 classrooms. The drive to fit in and be accepted by the crowd is arguably one of the most important things on a student’s mind when they enter the school each morning, distracting from the learning that should be their main focus. “As teens move into adulthood, they begin to ask some of the following questions: Am I normal? Do I fit in? What should I look like? What should I do? More often than not, they turn to their friends and classmates for answers. If they get mixed up with a bad crowd, teens usually end up making mistakes.” (Fanning, 2003). Students who can afford today’s fashions are quite often perceived...
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...Argument Against Wearing School Uniforms Theirs is an ongoing discussion in the nation about school uniforms, whether or not they help with behavior problems and scores (“An Argument Against School Uniforms”). Kade A., A sixth grade student, when asked about school uniforms she said, “no, I don’t like them because they are uncomfortable and makes her and maybe the people around feel like their wearing church clothes all the time” (“An Argument Against School Uniforms”). “Clothes are a sources of expression for children, an as kids get older they become increasingly resentful of uniforms. By instituting a uniform policy, schools are taking away kids individuality. Schools need to decide if that sacrifice is worth making” (“An Argument Against School Uniforms”). “School Uniform use was not significantly correlated with any of the school commitment variables such as behavior, or substance use of (drugs). In addition, students wearing uniforms did not appear to have any significantly different academic preparedness, proschool attitudes, or peer group structures with proschool attitudes other than students” (“An Argument Against School Uniforms”). Middle School/Junior High is a time of maturing, physically, mentally, academically and emotionally. Schools need to create an environment that encourages students individuality and motivate them to challenge themselves and inspire self confidence. Some people feel that school uniforms diminish creativity and self expression (“An...
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...Argumentative Essay: School Uniform The idea of school uniforms seems like an antiquated concept for many North Americans. Unless a child attends private school, it is not normally practiced by children and families. Yet around the world, wearing school uniforms is the norm. Students studying in schools requiring school uniforms generally perform very well academically and seem happy wearing the same outfit every day. There are many benefits to wearing school uniforms that schools in Canada and the United States should incorporate into their public schools. One of the biggest concerns in schools these days is bullying. Students are harassed physically, verbally, and socially. The latest trend in bullying is cyberbullying. Often, the cause of bullying stems from people being different for not wearing the “right” clothes. If someone looks richer, most people feel like they have a higher social status or more power. To the contrary, uniforms allow children to learn on a more level playing field, with less judgment about clothing choices, brands of clothing, or physical appearance. A lot of students who wear uniforms claim that they feel more proud of their school. Wearing school colors gives students a feeling of being more connected to their school and classmates. If there is a sense of community and connectedness among the students, the use of foul language, gang behavior, and crimes like vandalism are largely eliminated. Wearing school uniforms can also help people gain...
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...School Uniforms: Are School Uniforms Constitutional or in Violation of Student Rights Danielle Grider Ivy Tech Community College ENG111-15H-H1 March 18, 2012 Wendy Kruger School Uniforms: Are School Uniforms Constitutional or in Violation of Student Rights For the past decade, educators, parents and students have debated over the issue of regulating student dress codes. While uniforms are mostly utilized by private schools, uniforms are making their way into public schools in the United States. The question becomes are uniforms unconstitutional and do they take away students’ rights, or do they create a safer and more positive learning environment. Since uniform policies are growing more popular in public middle schools and high schools, this has become a highly debated issue. Many people believe that uniforms can create a safer and more positive learning environment for students. According to Stephen Daniels (2001), who is the director of research for the North Carolina Family Policy Council, dress codes and uniforms reduce conflict associated with name brand and gang clothing, decreases the gap between the poorer and richer students, and encourage a sense of equality that helps with the overall order and discipline. Daniels gives statistics to show the effectiveness of school uniforms according to principals that have a uniform policy in their schools: 79 percent believe uniforms have positive effects on classroom discipline; 67 percent...
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