School uniform policy

Introduction

The assessment of the debate of whether children should wear school uniform is one that has been in existence for long amid the assertion that schools in the US should adopt a uniform policy. The adoption of the uniforms rules had been considered as a means of stopping children from dressing in gang colors in most of the troubled urban areas. Later, there were assertions that the introduction of school uniforms resulted in the better discipline while the results of these students improved, an issue that encouraged different districts as well as schools to implement the change. However, issues that support the desire not to have uniforms in the school incline me into supporting those who argue against the introduction of the uniform policy.

One of the assertions by the proponents of the school uniform policy is that it leads to the creation of a desirable feeling of belonging to an institution for the students wearing the uniform. The assertion is, however, wrong, as making the wearing of uniforms by the students will only lead to the hampering of the students’ original thinking. Compelling children to subscribe to a certain way of thinking hampers their independence in future, being unable to make their opinions without the assistance of others effectively. Everyone has a right to individuality, making one's decisions as well as expressing their personality (Wilken, Ilani, & Van Aardt, P 159-184). Compelling children to wear the certain type of clothing thus is an infringement of their right of free expression. The assertion, in this case, is that the protection of the right to free expression is central to the development of the personalities of the young people, and choosing what to wear to should be left within their purview.

The assertion that adopting the policy on school uniforms is going to be a way of ensuring that the students are more focused on their education and not their clothes have been used to support the adoption of the uniform policy. The fact when it comes to the assessment of the issue is that school uniforms have become a means of promoting the element of conformity over the case for individuality. The culture that characterizes the current school environments is that promote the appreciation of the diversity of the children, which implies that the efforts that are geared towards the enforcement of the standardized dress code are a contradiction to this culture (Gentile, Elisabetta, & Imberman, P1-17). Further, the issue of the gendered schools that dictate boys have to wear pants while girls wear skirts, it brings new challenges in a society that is keen in accommodating the transgendered individuals, gender non-conforming as well as the gender fluid students who are left feeling ostracized.

There has been the assertion by the supporters of the policy on school uniforms that they assist in the creation of the leveled playing ground among the students from different background in addition to the reduction of peer pressure and bullying. The assertion has however been found to be flawed in that the adoption of school uniforms does not reduce the cases of bullying and that it has been seen to increase the case of bullying (Mimmo, P4-5). The issue here is that the introduction of the compulsory school uniforms the doubling of fights in the middle schools in the same year. The fact that there does not exist official data supporting the assertion that the introduction of the compulsory uniforms serves to reduce the case of violence in schools further serves to water down the argument of the parties supporting the introduction.

The argument that introducing uniform policy serves to enhance the pride of school, the unity as well as the community spirit. The fact of the matter, however, is that school uniforms fail to address an issue of academic preparedness, school attendance, and the exam results. The overall assertion is that the adoption of the school uniforms does not have any impact on the desire of the students to attend schools, behavioral improvements as well as issues of substance abuse (Brookshire, P6-18. It has become evident through research that school uniforms have no impact on the performance of the second-grade students in mathematics and reading examination, with the case being the same for the 10th-grade mathematics, reading, and history and science examinations.

The further assertion that school uniforms help parents to save money and thus supporting the adoption of the school uniform policy has been negated by the fact that the time that is spent addressing the enforcement of the district the stakeholders from resolving the core issues affecting the schools (Bhembe & Mfanzile, P20.35). The time and resources spent on the assessment of how the policy is going to be implemented only served to detract the concerned parties from the efforts meant to reduce the rates of crime as well as enhance school performance.

Conclusion

The debate on whether the schools should make school uniforms compulsory for all students has been raging for a long time. Proponents of the policy have been working hard to demonstrate the diverse issues that make it necessary to adopt the policy, with reducing of burying, enhancing performance, reduce costs for the parents being among the main issues. It is, however, evident that the policy will produce more harm that the good it is intimated to produce, with most of these assertions used to support its adoption found not to be true.

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References

Bhembe, Mfanzile Mlamuli. School Uniforms And The Human Dignity Of Learners In. Diss. University Of Pretoria, (2014): 20-35

Brookshire, Attillah N. "The Impact of School Uniforms on School Climate." (2016):6-18

Gentile, Elisabetta, and Scott A. Imberman. "Dressed for success? The effect of school uniforms on student achievement and behavior." Journal of Urban Economics 71.1 (2012): 1-17.

Mimmo, Jonathan. "Student perceptions of school uniforms: a comparative study of students participated in school uniforms and those who did not." (2012):4-5

Wilken, Ilani, and Annette Van Aardt. "School Uniforms: Tradition, benefit or predicament?." Education as Change 16.1 (2012): 159-184.

Yang, Shufang. "School Uniforms, Elementary Students—"Docile Bodies"." Race, Population Studies, and America's Public Schools: A Critical Demography Perspective (2016): 55.

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