More than half of elementary, middle, and high schools in America wear uniforms. Whether school uniforms should be worn by children is an undecided factor in society today. Carroll Jumana and Stephen Daniels have unique opinions expressed throughout, determining the positive and negative aspects of wearing school uniforms. Does a uniform make a different in children education? This essay will address social values, the legal principle of freedom of expression, and what becomes of wearing school uniforms.How do school uniforms compare to other uniforms in our society, such as sports team jerseys, doctors' scrubs, or prison jumpsuits? Schools and school districts exercise the use of school uniforms due to the importance of having them, equality. Some believe uniforms can provide a certain level of security.
Essentially one of the biggest arguments in why schools should have uniforms is the equality the kids would have. There is no division in what kids wear, and how nice and or expensive their clothes are.They would all be wearing the same thing if there were school uniforms enforced. Daniels communicates a specific detail of unity where she states, “Schools with uniforms say that their students have better self-esteem because without the name brand clothing on display, the students are placed on an equal level” (Daniels).
Uniforms provide the simplicity of solving day to day problems, which may occur within the students, or in regards to their parents. The divisions amongst children due to their clothing no longer exist, due to the equal level the kids are placed on.When children use clothing to fit in or go by the social values of what is expected in society, it more often than not, will portray a negative image rather than a positive one. The beliefs of Jumana of how kids make their own friends, form their own opinions, and shape their own beliefs (Jumana), contrast to the students being on an equal level. How are they supposed to do these sorts of things when their opinions of what they wear, or what others wear is being taken away? It is impossible to shape their own beliefs if they cannot experience problematic situations on their own, and what to wear is ypically a simple decision.
Uniforms will indirectly affect achievement through producing a more level playing field, a more positive school environment, school unity, school pride, and so on. However, there's no evidence that they do. According to Jumana, “to infringe upon the rights and independence of the individual by coercing uniformity is an affront to both the spirit and the letter of the law of this great nation” . When school uniforms are set within the schools, it takes away the ability for these kids to personally express themselves.
Also while going against the legal principle of freedom of expression. Daniels, in contrast gives a better understanding as to why it is ok for schools and school districts to want and have school uniforms. “..
. student dress policies withstand legal challenges as long as they adhere to some basic principles” (Daniels). This stated by Daniels, allows more people to want school uniforms. Every school has a set of school rules and regulations, which broke quite often in public schools. If there were school uniforms, then this is a regulation all on its own, and the students would have no choice to follow this.
If the idea of having school uniforms has to follow basic principles, then this should help the students comprehend what it means to follow specific policies. Also school uniforms can reduce problems that happen in every school and school district. They can decrease school violence, provide school discipline, and help students concentrate on their academics rather than what they are going to be wearing to school the following day. Daniels helps support this by stating “As a result, the learning environment improves—making it easier for teachers to teach and for students to learn” (Daniels).School uniforms set the mind of every student on things that are more important in life, like their education. The things that matter in life do not have anything to do with what people wear.
In schools the important things are what is learned in class, respecting the teachers and doing homework. On the other hand, Jumana believes that not only should the students have to wear school uniforms, but the teachers should too. “.. Teachers also be forced to wear uniforms in an effort to improve their teaching” (Jumana).
If students learning and studying habits are improving, then teachers having to wear a uniform could provide them with better teaching skills. However, it seems unlikely that teachers would agree to wear a uniform. It was shocking to me. Growing up, I remember seeing pictures of Native American children dressed in frontier clothes. And I'm thinking, OK, so we've taken away their land, we've decimated their culture, and we're going to dress them up like us to make them feel in some way that they are a part of the American dream when it's been stripped away from them.We've done the same thing to African Americans, Latinos, and Chinese Americans.
We don't know what to do with those groups of people. For all our talk of diversity, we don't like the work behind the word, which is to actually make diversity a strength. It could potentially be seen as a racist and classist policy. Prehap, the decision of wearing school uniforms should be decided by the people who have to wear them, the students. Instead of being based on the parents views and opinions.
The social norms in society, and how they might be affected due to the wearing or lack of school uniforms. Legally, it is allowed for schools to enforce the rules of wearing school uniforms, but it is believed it is unfair. What are some outcomes of wearing school uniforms are touched upon, within this paper. So do you believe at uniforms have a strong effect on your children education? Many school administrators feel that "spending time enforcing uniform policies distracts from their main mission" of improving academic performance.
