Essay about Wow! Look at Those Uniforms!

Submitted By fieldhockey4life
Words: 1822
Pages: 8

Wow! Look At Those Uniforms!

Debated about whether schools should mandate school uniforms have been going on in schools all around the world, for many years. Countless schools have already ordered uniforms to be worn because of the decrease in violence, the increase in impressive grades, and better attendance to school. “The percentage of public schools requiring uniforms increased from 12 percent in 1999-2000 to 19 percent in 2009-10, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The percentage of principals who reported a strict dress code increased from 47 percent in 1999-2000 to 57 percent. (Parrish 1)” Schools uniforms have been mandated in the Baltimore Public School System. Students in Baltimore Public School System and all around the United States feel the need to rebel against the uniforms, because they feel that it restricts them from expressing themselves. School uniforms should be mandated because they provide educational benefits, decrease in violence levels, decrease the time and money spent on clothes, and they decrease in the amount of peer pressure on students. Uniforms have many educational benefits, one of them being a decrease in violence. If students do not wear uniforms, then there is a lot more room for break in dress code, because of the excess in freedom. In Greeley, Colorado, certain NFL jerseys were banned because of the gangs in the District 6 Greeley area. This school is ensuring safety in the school system by adding a strict ban on certain jerseys in the dress code. If the students did not wear these certain jerseys, they could be contributing to the amount of gang violence in this area. “We all agree that we'd like to have gang influences out of our schools. That not only includes gang violence, but it also means gang signs, gang clothing, and gang recruiting. In fact, we're no so sure, as some have suggested, that a complete ban on sports jerseys might signal and even tougher anti-gang stance. And why not require school uniforms at all schools in Greeley? Seven District 6 elementary schools and one middle school already require school uniforms, and we think a discussion about explaining that requirement district-wide, even at the high schools is a conversation worth having. (McClatchy 1).” Schools all around the United States are mandating school

uniforms because they are trying to ensure the safety of the students, and to try to decrease in the amount of gang activity in the schools. All schools around the country should take note of the decision that the Greeley area made, because it could compare to the situation in many schools, and could be a very effective solution to gang violence in the schools. School uniforms could be that factor that decide whether students get to live or die. In Anne Arundel, a student was killed over his shoes. Michael Eugene Thomas was killed over the Air Jordan basketball shoes that he was wearing. This is a very tragic incident that occurred over what Michael was wearing. “A ninth-grader at Meade Senior High School in Anne Arundel , Md, Thomas was found strangled on May 2, 1989. Charged with first-degree murder was James David Martin, 17, a basketball buddy who allegedly took Thomas's two-week-old Air Jordan basketball shoes and left Thomas's barefoot body in the woods near school (Telander 1).” Michael was murdered over $115.50 shoes. This is an outrageous incident, and measures should have been taken by the school system to protect their students. If school uniforms were mandated in this school, then Michael would not have been killed over his shoes. School uniforms should be mandated because they can decrease in the amount of violence, and ensure the safety of students. Uniforms should be required in the Public School System because they decrease in the amount of peer pressure on students. A survey from Clemson University says that 1 in 6 students are