Uniforms are Not in Schools – At Least They Shouldn’t Be

By Bella    

    Many schools like their students to wear uniforms. However, are uniforms the answer for all schools? No, uniforms are not the answer. Today surveyed 17,000 people ages eighteen through sixty-four, asking them what they thought about dress codes. Fifty-one percent think their school uniform makes them feel uncomfortably hot or cold. Thirty-three percent think their school uniform forces them to spend more money on uniforms. Additionally, twenty-nine percent think uniforms limit their comfort and make them feel less productive. Twenty-two percent think school uniforms limit freedom to express themselves, and thirteen percent think school uniforms target their gender in unfair ways (Murray). Students should not have to wear school uniforms because uniforms hinder freedom of expression, are too expensive, and cause students to suffer mentally.

    Students should not have to wear a school uniform because it limits their freedom of expression. One way uniforms limit freedom of expressions is when they take away the ability to use clothing to express support for social causes. Students at Friendly High School in Prince George's County, MD, were not allowed to wear pink shirts to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and 75 students received suspensions for breaking the school's uniform restrictions (Wiggins). It is not okay that the school suspends the students for not wearing uniforms or other clothes. Students will also lose their self-expression if they are made to wear the same clothes as everyone else. If this happens, then everyone will end up looking the same. "Despite their reported benefits, mandatory uniforms are controversial because a lot of parents and students do not like the idea of forcing children to dress alike, which they say suppresses freedom of expression" (Ordway et al.). Given these points, students should not have to wear school uniforms because they will lose their freedom of expression and uniqueness.

    Students should not wear school uniforms because school uniforms are too expensive, and companies are just using them to make money. Parents spend a lot of money on school uniforms. "Americans spend around $1 billion on school uniforms every year" (Daniels)(Skariacha). Many parents think school uniforms are too expensive. School uniforms require parents to purchase clothes, always too expensive, that will not be worn on weekends or outside of school. This means parents will have to buy extra clothes for the weekends. In one year alone, uniform company Lands' End spent $3 million on marketing efforts directed at public schools and districts (Brunsma). Uniform companies make their money by telling schools – children need to wear uniforms. Then, schools will tell parents – their children now need to wear uniforms. So now, parents have to buy uniforms for their children to wear to school. As noted, uniforms should not exist because they are too expensive and are used to make money for companies.

    Most importantly, students should not wear school uniforms because uniforms make students suffer mentally. When students have to wear the same outfits, rather than selecting clothes that suit their body types, they can suffer embarrassment at school. Robyn Silverman, child development specialist, says this about wearing uniforms, "students…they feel it allows for a lot of comparison…[students with a] plus-size body, a curvier body, a very tall body, a concise body, those girls often feel that they don't look their best" (Flam). This embarrassment can damage their self-image. Uniforms can teach kids to be ashamed of what they wear because they suffer consequences if they do not meet uniform requirements. For example, uniform requirements often require tucked-in clothing. Some kids feel these styles are not pretty to certain body types, and they do not tuck in their clothes. Students are then punished, like being sent home from school, when they do not follow the uniform requirements (Kelley). As can be seen, students should not have to wear school uniforms because students suffer consequences, and it damages their self-image.

    Some people think school uniforms help students pay more attention to their classwork, be better behaved, and be safer because they are not focused on their appearance. However, school uniforms are the real distraction from actually fixing schools. School uniforms "are a distraction from focusing on systematic and fundamental transformation to improve our schools" (Houlihan). When schools focus on school uniforms, it takes the attention away from fixing their real problems. "More substantive improvements to public education could be achieved with smaller class sizes, tightened security, increased parental involvement, improved facilities, and other measures" (Starr)(Brunsma). Instead of using uniforms to fix schools, schools should focus more on students than on students' uniforms.
    In conclusion, students should not wear school uniforms because they can suffer embarrassment and face the consequences if they are not wearing school uniforms; they limit freedom of expression, and uniforms make everyone alike and not unique. Also, they are too expensive, and companies are just using uniforms to make money. Students do not need uniforms anymore. Schools should let their students have more freedom in choosing what students wear.

Works Cited

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