Strict Dress Codes

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A young girl was suspended from school for not meeting “dress code requirements”, all for shaving her head in support of her friend getting cancer. Students all around the world are being forced to follow strict dress code and uniform requirements, like this young girl, not allowing them to support what they believe in. This topic has caused much debate about the requirements at hand. To some they find these requirements unnecessary and undermining to a teens ability to express themselves. Then there are some that find that uniforms and dress codes help children with their education and behavior towards one another and adults. The different viewpoints will help others to understand why critics and supporters chose the side that they did, and …show more content…
First off, it is important to understand where uniforms and dress codes are commonly found. In the article “School Uniforms”, the author states, “Although originally only popular in private schools, school uniforms have been the topic of much debate in homes, schools, and courts. So schools, public and private, are opting for uniforms.” (School Uniforms 1) This evidence suggests that since there has been a lot of debate about having uniforms in public schools, because it is more common in private schools, more public are beginning to require them also. Secondly, knowing when these policies started will help to better understand why it started and why it is so popular. Well, from the article “School Uniforms” it states “According to the U.S. Department of Education, increasing numbers of public schools in the United States have mandatory uniform policies. The department reported in 2015 that during the 2011-12 school year-the most recent academic year for which data is available-19 percent of public school districts require uniforms.” (School Uniforms 1) This passage …show more content…
First, there was a question on why people should be against uniform and dress code policies. Critics had many arguments to answer. From the article “School Dress Codes Silences Students Expression”, by Isabelle Cavazos, she wrote, “9-year old Kamryn Renfro from Colorado, shaved her head to support a friend diagnosed with cancer (…), and instead of being praised for her support, Renfro was suspended.” (Cavazos 1) This evidence explains how schools aren't rightfully acknowledging students supporting what they believe in. Next, critics claim that a lot of problems arise from uniform and dress code requirements. From the same article, Cavazos states, “They reveal how schools could discourage students from presenting themselves outside of social norms.” (Cavazos 3) This article was stating that a girl had gotten in trouble for shaving her head in support of her friend having cancer and the school didn't feel it fit their dress code policy. This evidence suggests that some schools are limited in what they find appropriate as far as dress coding, even if it is to support something you believe in, which is one of the many problems critics have talked about. Thirdly, they think that the uniform and dress code policy could be affecting the way teens express themselves. From the article "School Uniforms and Dress codes" a student shows their opinion on why they think

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