School Uniformity

School uniform policies have increased dramatically across the United States in the last forty years. In that time, the popular idea that school uniforms help improve studies among students, reduce gang affiliated activity, and promote conformity amongst the student body has wormed its way into the minds of school board members and parents across the country. It is much more likely that adults support the idea of school uniforms, not only at a high school or middle school level, but also at an elementary level, than students do. Now, more and more schools are adapting school uniforms, believing that school uniforms provide more of a positive impact rather than it does a negative one. But do school uniforms actually contribute positive implications? …show more content…
A look of uniformity makes it significantly easier to identify trespassers on school campus. This may include those with the intent of shooting students or staff at a school, those who may be sexual predators who lurking on school grounds with the intent of harming a student, or in the case of gang affiliation, rival gang members looking to start trouble. This is a very good point to bring up in the argument over school uniforms. Trespassers may not have the clothing necessary to blend in within the student body, especially if schools have specific details on their uniforms, such as school colors or a school emblem. However, many school uniforms have a similar distinction that may be easy to recreate if one bothered. Many school uniforms requires students to wear blazers, a common clothing item that a trespasser may easily pull on and proceed to make it onto school grounds while remaining unnoticed. While there may be holes in the idea that school uniforms make it easier for trespassers to be spotted and caught, a study showed that fifty-nine percent of students, over half of one school’s student body, agreed that school uniforms make spotting trespassers on school grounds significantly easier …show more content…
Some believe that school uniforms have beneficial impacts such as increased uniformity amongst the student body. Conformity amongst students may lead to a decrease in clothing related bullying. It is believed that school uniforms in inner city schools that see a large percent of gang affiliated violence may lead to a decrease in gang related activities and violence within the school community. Uniformity may also make it easier to identify trespassers on school grounds, who may be on school campus with malicious intent towards students and staff. The largest argument for school uniforms is that uniforms keep students more focused on bettering their education than they do on their clothes. However, all these arguments can be met with various counter arguments. School uniforms are expensive, and in inner city public schools, where school uniform policies are the most prominent, most families would not be able to afford such uniforms. School uniforms also promote uniformity over individuality, and may discourage students from choosing their own clothes. Choosing an outfit for oneself leads to the creation of a sense of identity and pride within oneself. Discouraging individuality amongst students with school uniforms may delay the transition from adolescence to adulthood by taking away the ability to make personal choices. While the stances promoting school uniforms may be