School Uniforms

School Uniforms

School uniforms are not anything new. The idea of having uniformity in school is appealing to most educators and parents. On the other hand, to other students and parents, the idea of not being able to express ones’ self is just wrong. I must say, personally I agree with the students and parents against school uniforms.
Take for example high school. High school is usually a time where young children or teens begin to distinguish themselves from one another. Students begin to develop their own sense of personal style, desperately trying to both fit in and stand out simultaneously. Being self-conscious and often lacking the confidence needed to stand up for themselves. Teens are forced to use clothing and outward appearance as the means to express this type of individuality. This is why students should not be forced to wear uniforms to school. According to the article, “School Uniforms Growing in Favor in California,” spokesman Dick Van Der Laan of Long Beach United School District believes that wearing everyday clothes are “….unofficial uniform of intimidation.” I do not find this statement to be true. In this article, it talks about how gangs are intimidating young students and school is for schoolwork. Well here is an actual fact. Regardless of what you put on teens, there will always be a way of tweaking the system. For example, at Westbrook Senior High School in Beaumont, Texas, one of the requirements the school enforced is when a female wears a skirt, it must not be any shorter than her longest finger with her arms straight to her side. The school believed this would help students focus more on the school work in front of them rather than the girl in the mini-skirt sharpening her pencil. Did this work? No! The females would pull their skirts down when it was time to be “inspected” by the teacher, as soon as they were done, or the teachers’ head turned, the girls would pull that skirt right back up.
Freedom of expression is a big part of being an America. Although I do not agree with baggy pants, gang representation, or students fearing fellow classmates, I do believe there is a better alternative. Maybe the schools should give the students less time in between classes; that way the time the teacher gains from that could be used to do inspections on appearance. I doubt a student would change their style back to “sagging” if they were actually in the room with the teacher. It’s between classes when these changes occur. Wearing school uniforms is believed to be the education’s system of stripping the young of their identity and I could not agree more. I am most positive there are many more solutions out there in the world that do not require everyone to be dressed the same. School is not just one big fashion show and it is not just a place for education. It is a place where parents send their children to become educated but also gain somewhat real-world experience; such as learning how to handle everyday situations with other people. It gives them a chance to mingle and solve problems they might face in everyday life. Running into gangs, bumping into snobs, or sitting next to a gothic person on the bus is something all of us encounter every day, so why not try and prepare them now?.
Each person has his or her own opinion in the school uniform matter. No, our children should not have to fear fellow classmates, but then again, our children should not have to feel like robots (I am talking about the uniformity of uniforms). As a mother, I want what is best for my two girls, and as a mother, it is my job to ensure that they do receive the best, but if someone told me that wearing a uniform is a must for my child, I probably would not let my child attend that school. The great thing about America is freedom of expression and the freedom to be an individual. So why should someone who sits behind a desk all day try to change the First Amendment, our American rights?
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