Private Schools Should Have Their Students Wear Uniforms

My Arguments 1. Uniforms may increase a student’s self esteem because they do not have to worry constantly to be better dressed than those around them. [1] Many kids are discouraged by the fact that they don't own, or cannot afford some of the clothing other kids can. Uniforms put all kids at the same level, and takes that much more stress off the students that cannot afford the latest "fashion". [2] By implementing uniforms confidence is boosted and negative peer pressure is eliminated. Over 75% of schools that implemented school uniforms noticed a drop in peer pressure. [3] 2. Uniforms improve learning by not allowing kids to be distracted. Clothes can be a huge distraction when you are in the classroom, especially if you are bored. Kids always want to know what others are wearing and even judge other students over it. Uniforms eliminate this problem and helps kids to stay focused in class. 3. Uniforms show that everyone there with you is part of your school. It shows you are all part of a team. It promotes school spirit and shows that everyone there is "on the same side". [4] This togetherness helps to eliminate division among students at the school and reduces bullying; giving a sense of community is beneficial to the mental well being of a student. [5] 4. Uniforms help the school faculty to quickly identify who is part of the school and in the end could actually help in keeping strangers and potentially dangerous people off the campus. This helps to make students feel safer at school. School uniforms may also eliminate gang and clique symbols bringing about a feeling of safety and togetherness. Safety is very important when increasing the amount of students who enroll in a school. 5. Bullies like to pick on kids who are lesser than them, and therefore tend to pick on kids who do not wear quality or popular clothes. [6]By implementing school uniforms this problem is solved. School uniforms encourage discipline through neatness, order, and equality among students. [6] 6. School uniforms encourage creative forms of self expression. Since students lose the ability to express themselves in certain ways through the clothes they were, they will be more likely to express themselves through things such as their personality, academic performance, clubs, and sports. It pushes students to put themselves out there. 7. School uniforms reduce violence and student behavioral problems. [7] Long Beach, California District School held a study comparing violence and behavioral problem rates among students before and after uniforms were implemented. In the five years following the implementation of school uniforms there was an 86% drop in violent assaults. Vandalism cases dropped from 1409 to 106. [8] The U. S. Department of Education also found that school crime decreased 36%, sexual offenses decreased 74%, and fights between students dropped 51% after school uniforms were implemented. [13] Almost 80% schools that implemented school uniforms noticed an improvement in student discipline. [9] Schools that implemented school uniforms also showed to have a higher graduation rate and attendance rate than schools without school uniforms. [11] [12] School uniforms have helped improve schools, as emphasized by one study that finds that “various benefits to wearing uniforms were reported, including decreases in discipline, gang involvement and bullying; and increases in safety, eases of going to school, confidence and self-esteem. Additionally, school police data showed a 63 percent reduction in police log reports during the first year of implementation. Other decreases were noted in reports of gang-related activities and student fights, along with graffiti, property damage, battery and administrative assist. “[10] Contentions Forfeiting the ability to wear whatever you want certainly does not outweigh all of the good that is achieved through uniforms. As you can see in the arguments I presented, every individual argument for having students wear uniforms certainly outweighs a student not being able to wear what they want. In addition, I argued that by implementing school uniforms it focuses on kids being able to self identify themselves through other means, such as through personality and hobbies. My opponent states that if kids do not wear their own clothes they will be more likely to be made fun of for things like their personality. Cutting down on bullying through controllable factors is key. A controllable factor in this case would be implementing uniforms and doing away with free dress. However, people who bully others for uncontrollable factors cannot be stopped, such as bullying someone for how they look or their personality. The problem then, rests in focusing on bullying and eliminating it more than it focuses on eliminating factors that cause bullying. In the end, the bully is the problem, not the factors that cause bullying. [1] . http://everydaylife.globalpost.com... [2] . http://www.eduguide.org... [3] . https://www.dickies.com... [4]. http://www.greatschools.org... [5]. http://www.frenchtoast.com... [6] . http://www.parenting.org... [7]. http://www.calvaryschoolkc.com... [8] . http://www.davidsonacademy.com... [9] . http://www.buzzle.com... [10] . http://www.unr.edu... [11] . http://www.19actionnews.com... [12] . http://www.uh.edu... [13] . http://www.psmag.com...