This article discusses the pros and cons of school uniforms.
There are many arguments for and against uniforms in public school. When each student is dressed alike, there is a sense of school unity and pride among the school body, but teenagers, especially, feel the desire to express themselves.
Benefits
School uniforms do benefit parents in that they do not have the wage the battle each morning with their teenage daughters over shorts being too short or shirts being too tight. Not only does this benefit parents, but it also benefits schools in that they do not have nearly as many dress code offenders. With school uniforms, students know what is acceptable and what is not. There is not that gray area that often results from interpretation of the school’s dress code policy.
Another problem that school uniforms solve is that gangs cannot wear clothing that is expressive of their gang and what such groups represents. Likewise, it eliminates students from wearing shirts that allude to sex, drugs, and/or alcohol.
Students become Creative
Although uniforms eliminate the majority of problems associated with school dress, students become creative and find new ways to express those things for which they stand. They may wear a certain necklace or carry a certain-colored handkerchief. It is kind of one of those things in which the more you impose upon students, the more they are going to try to get away with.
Affordability or Lack Thereof
School uniforms tend to be affordable, especially when compared to the price of today’s clothes. The argument is not that school uniforms are expensive, but it becomes expensive as parents not only have to buy uniforms for their students to wear to school, but they also have to buy everyday clothes for the students to wear when they are not at school. So, in other words, parents end up spending more buying two whole new wardrobes for their students.
Consistency is Key
When public schools implement the wearing of uniforms, there needs to be a consistent enforcement of what is going to be tolerated and what is not going to be tolerated. Dress code violators need to be disciplined, so minor dress code violations will not become a major school wide fad.
