Conformity Vs Individuality
In 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression at the schoolhouse gate.” Students should not be forced to wear school uniforms because they restrict freedom of expression, promote conformity rather than individuality, and they are widely opposed by students. The first reason that students shouldn’t be forced to wear uniforms is because they restrict freedom of expression. In 1969, students decided to wear black armbands in protest of the Vietnam war. When this case was taken to the supreme court, the supreme court sided with the students saying that students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom
of speech and expression at the schoolhouse gate." While some may try to argue that students' focus should be their education and not their clothing, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, there is no statistical proof that uniforms improve student achievement or behavior. School uniforms have no statistical backbone in helping students in school and therefore, should not be used. The second reason that students should not be forced to wear school uniforms because they are widely opposed by students. In an article by Kaitlin Menza, a student was asked his opinion on school uniforms. He said that uniforms underestimate boys’ maturity and are unfair to girls. He said that even when a girl breaks dress code and wears something violating the school's’ rules, he has never felt distracted by it. Even though some may try to argue that school uniforms improve a school’s ability to keep the focus on the classroom, a National Bureau of Economic Research report shows that there is no statistical difference between students in schools with and without uniforms in a district they studied. School uniforms are usually enforced because they are supposed to help students focus on their education rather than learning, but according to a National Bureau of Economic Research study, uniforms have no effect. To summarize, school uniforms should not be used because they restrict students’ freedom of expression, are met with strong opposition from students, and promote conformity rather than individuality. If school uniforms keep spreading to all schools, younger generations will learn that their freedom of expression, a constitutional right, has been stripped from them in school.
of speech and expression at the schoolhouse gate." While some may try to argue that students' focus should be their education and not their clothing, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, there is no statistical proof that uniforms improve student achievement or behavior. School uniforms have no statistical backbone in helping students in school and therefore, should not be used. The second reason that students should not be forced to wear school uniforms because they are widely opposed by students. In an article by Kaitlin Menza, a student was asked his opinion on school uniforms. He said that uniforms underestimate boys’ maturity and are unfair to girls. He said that even when a girl breaks dress code and wears something violating the school's’ rules, he has never felt distracted by it. Even though some may try to argue that school uniforms improve a school’s ability to keep the focus on the classroom, a National Bureau of Economic Research report shows that there is no statistical difference between students in schools with and without uniforms in a district they studied. School uniforms are usually enforced because they are supposed to help students focus on their education rather than learning, but according to a National Bureau of Economic Research study, uniforms have no effect. To summarize, school uniforms should not be used because they restrict students’ freedom of expression, are met with strong opposition from students, and promote conformity rather than individuality. If school uniforms keep spreading to all schools, younger generations will learn that their freedom of expression, a constitutional right, has been stripped from them in school.