Haley Simmons
Mrs. Bales
English Composition I
20 November 2014
School Uniforms
The idea of wearing school uniforms is a difficult concept for North Americans to latch onto and apply to our everyday lives. Wearing uniforms is typically practiced in private school. Research has shown that uniforms help students perform well academically and are very comfortable wearing the same outfit every day. Statistics recorded in Alexandria, Virginia show that uniforms have helped the school overall by seventy-two percent (Tucker). American schools should incorporate wearing uniforms into their school policy. A large concern in all schools these days is bullying. Young children and teenagers are being attacked physically, verbally, and socially. The most current trend in bullying is cyber-bullying. Normally, the source of bullying arises from people being different for not wearing the “right” clothes. If a person looks richer, people feel like they have a higher rank or more power. Wearing uniforms let people be able to learn on a level that is more even with others. Children will feel like they are being judged less about their clothing. Wearing school uniforms give kids a sense of school pride. Everyone wearing the same colors gives a feeling of being connected to the school and others. If there is a sense of community and connectedness among the students, the use of foul language, gang behavior, and crimes like vandalism are largely eliminated. Wearing uniforms can also help people gain more self-confidence because they know they are a part of something bigger (Glenn). School uniforms bring formality to school settings. Schools that do not require uniforms tend to allow its students to dress sloppily. While there may be a dress code, people typically will not follow it. Wearing inappropriate logos can give the school a bad reputation. Schools with uniforms attempt to have its students looking well put together. Students who do not have to focus on what to wear to school are going to focus more on academics, which leads to improved grades (Glenn). The school and its students will benefit overall. Maria Castle believes that the most common argument against school uniforms is that they take away the students right to self- expression.
Yes, school uniforms limit what the students have to wear, but he/she can still have their own ways of