In high school everyone wants to look alike and wear exactly the same thing as each other right? Of course not, in high school is where the kids start to get a sense of their own style, where they start to express and define exactly who they are or who they want to be. No one wants to come to high school looking the same, which is exactly why they choose to wear the clothes they do, because for them looking the same was something they did while they were younger. High school is the time that the kids typically start to distinguish themselves from one another. It’s where they not only try to fit in but they try to standout at the same time and frankly to them, uniforms just aren’t cool. Being self-conscious and often lacking the confidence needed to assert themselves, teens are forced to use clothing and outward appearance as the means to evident this individuality. Therefore, students should not be forced to wear uniforms to school, especially high school. Standard uniforms are unproven deterrents to student violence, they are a band-aid to cover up the real problems faced by children and teens, and they violate students' right of self-expression, depriving them of their search for identity.
There is something comforting about school children and teenagers dressed in pleats and plaid. Maybe it is a reminder of past times, or conjures up thoughts of order and safety. Whatever the reason, school uniforms are getting a lot of wear these days, yet remain an unproven deterrent to school violence. Many educators and sociology experts believe that requiring children to wear standardized uniforms stifles their self-expression. Self-expression is an important part of child development and some experts believe that curbing it with uniforms can be detrimental to a child. Experts also believe that students who are forced to wear uniforms will only find other, less appropriate ways to express themselves, possibly through inappropriate use of makeup and jewelry.
Some experts believe that public education attempts to strip children of their individuality. They believe that public education does not meet the needs of children who do not fall in the norm, and that uniforms attempt to force every student into one mold. They see standard dress as another way for public educators to remove student individuality where they should be embracing and celebrating diversity. Some experts believe it is not in the best interest of the child to try to control socialization which is a part of human nature. They believe that such use of school uniforms does not prepare children for the real world, in which they will continue to be judged by appearances.
There are just as many experts who believe that the cost of school uniforms is a negative factor as those who see it as a positive factor. Some experts believe that it increases the amount of clothing parents will have to buy for their children because the children will still want and need clothing for the hours they are not in school. Uniforms can be more expensive for a family who buys from second-hand stores or who relies on hand-me-down clothing from friends and family. Some experts believe cost is a negative aspect of school uniforms because there is no use for them outside of school. The kids will grow out of them so fast which means more money their parents have to give out to get new ones. Personally my family can’t afford to be buying me uniforms and clothes to wear for nonschool occasions at the same time and guaranteed there are more children that are in the same situation.
Many educators and experts believe that, although in theory uniforms should improve academic, behavioral, and social outcomes, in reality they do not. These experts argue that the studies of schools who initiate uniforms do not report improvement in any of these areas. Therefore, if the desired outcomes are not reached, there is no valid reason to standardize student dress.
So if there are no signs of improvement in the academic area because of a change in uniform, and the fights at school and disagreements do not see an improvement when uniforms are involved then what is the real need for them? I believe that the administration is just trying to make it convenient to them. If they get uniforms in their school then they do not have to worry about gang associated clothing or any of that, but what they do not seem to understand that teenagers will be teenagers and they are very creative. Therefore they will just figure out some other way to express what is really important to them. I believe the only thing they are deterring from their schools is the students themselves. Of course you’ll find troublemakers at any high school you go to, and forcing them to wear uniforms will not do anything to prevent that. Uniforms will just turn everything into a hassle and eventually, after a few years I am sure that the uniforms will be no longer enforced. So I say leave the uniforms for the elementary kids and allow the high school children find and express themselves before they have to go out into the real world.
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