School Uniforms in Public Schools
Over the past decades, schools, educators, parents, and students have clashed on the issue of school uniforms. The topic remains controversial even today. Historically, private schools and parochial institutions were associated with school uniforms. However, many public schools are embracing the trend and requiring school children to attend school in uniforms. Proponents of school uniforms put forward strong arguments to encourage public schools to embrace them. The paper argues in support of school uniforms in that they promote student safety, ensures students are focused on their education rather than fashion trends, promote uniformity and pride, and they are easier to enforce.
Public school children should wear uniforms because it increases their safety. When students wear school uniforms, it becomes easier to trace intruders and track students (Research, 2013). For example, an individual can hide weapons or tools in buggy clothing but have difficulties hiding such weapons in school uniforms. Previous studies also show that schools that have adopted school uniforms report lower violent incidents compared to those that do not. For example, when school uniform was introduced in Sparks Middle School, Nevada, a 63 percent decrease in violent incidents was recorded in school police logs (Research, 2013). The data shows school uniforms promote safety in schools.
Schools uniforms ensure schools are more focused on school work and not their clothing. When school children dress the same, the concerns of how they look, and incidents of children worrying about their clothing decrease (Brookshire, 2016). For instance, when students are not in uniform, the pressure to fit within the latest fashion trends can increase, causing them to lose concentration on schoolwork. When students are in uniform, the sameness brings some balance in the way students view each other. In the process, students concentrate more on their school work than how they dress.
Also, children in public schools should wear uniforms because it promotes uniformity and pride. When students wear school uniforms, it almost levels the playground, and students can feel they belong to the same team (Wilde, 2014). The uniform increases their perception and belonging to their school community than when they wear regular clothing. For example, by wearing uniforms, students feel they share something with the rest increasing inclusivity and pride (Brookshire, 2016). When school uniforms are encouraged, a sense of community spirit grows even when a student sees a peer wearing a similar uniform outside of the school.
School uniforms are also easier to enforce in schools. When students are allowed to wear any clothing of their choice, many inappropriate dress codes can appear (Wilde, 2014). For example, some children can wear clothing with inappropriate messages such as Nazi logos or gang messages. Others may wear too short dresses, baggy clothing, and other inappropriate dressing. The school may spend more time sending students home or warning students about what to wear and what not to wear. Uniforms eliminate this complexity making it easier to enforce a dress code that does not need to be constantly monitored.
Conclusion
The issue of public schools wearing uniforms has been controversial. However, arguments in support of uniforms in public schools are overwhelming. Uniforms encourage safety in schools and ensure that students focus on their educational goals. Uniforms also encourage pride in one’s school community. They are also easier to enforce than regular clothing.
References
Brookshire, A. N. (2016). The Impact of School Uniforms on School Climate. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2249/
Research and Innovation. (2013). College of education researchers conduct study on impacts of school uniforms. Nevada Today. https://www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2013/school-uniform-study
Wilde, M. (2014). Do uniforms make schools better? Great Schools.org. https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/school-uniforms/