School Uniform Benefits

The Benefits of School Uniforms.
The requirement of school uniforms has always been a topic of controversy. While many are in favor of the school uniform policies, other people stand firmly against their adoption. Many obstacles make it difficult for public schools to adopt uniform policies, knowing that parents have a lot to say about it, and that public schools have been sued before over the “constitutionality” of their uniforms. However, one should not be discouraged by the amount of efforts required to adopt school uniforms, when the benefits of having them are more than noticeable. Public schools should require students to wear uniforms because they increase the attendance rates, make the school environment safer for students, and more …show more content…
Students with less financial means than others cannot always afford to follow fashion trends and look as “in” as those whose parents are more financially capable. Many people are opposed to the enforcement of school uniforms, because they argue that school uniform policies take away the freedom of speech of students by limiting their creativity and making them plain. In effect, Lauren Tarshis supports in her article School Uniforms: Awesome--Or Awful? that “Some schools do allow kids to spice up their uniform look with jewelry or hair accessories, but in general, options for creative expression are limited” (23). While this argument holds some degree of truth, let not forget that the principal reason why children are sent to school is to learn and grow, and that outside activities are available for them to cultivate their creativity without interfering with their courses curriculums. It is to acknowledge that not all parents have the means to always purchase clothes that will reflect the creativity of their children. Most parents go for the generic brands of clothing and shoes because they cannot afford to lose some extra money in clothing their children, even if they want to do it. In this case, the adoption of a school uniform policy helps having a uniform body of students in which students will focus more on what they learn rather than how they look. It addresses the peer pressure on wearing specific brands or styles of clothes to fit into a group. Also parents do not have to worry about how to dress their children for school, which is another stress relieved from their shoulders. School uniforms put every student on a level playing field. On the same note, school uniforms prepare students to embrace the “professionalism” of a work environment, making them more likely to enjoy (or at least not minding) the dress code of their work