School Uniforms Should Be Mandatory

School Uniforms Should be Mandatory

“Mom, I have nothing to wear to school,” says the student getting ready for school. We have all been in the situation where we just do not have enough time to do laundry every day. I propose that all school should make uniforms mandatory for each and every student. Even though students might lose some of their individuality, schools should make uniforms mandatory because it will save the parents money and reduce violence/gang affiliation. Some say that a child in a school uniform is more likely to take school seriously. Putting on the school uniform signals he or she is going to school just like dad/mom dresses up to go to work. The only disadvantage is that uniforms make students feel that they are losing their sense of individuality. A student’s personality and intelligence have more individuality than anything they wear. Individuality can never be lost. Parents who believe that their child could lose their individuality by wearing a uniform are sadly mistaken. Much of what students perceive as unique styles are a part of a larger niche, which is not very different from uniforms. Besides, school hours should be for learning and expressing individuality through your schoolwork not through your clothes. Another benefit, especially in these economic times, is the money parents will save. Parents are pressured into buying trendy clothes for their children every season, year after year. The average cost for a year’s worth of new outfits for children is $100 per month, which averages about $1,100 for the school year. According to a website called Socyberty.com, “the average cost for a year’s worth of uniforms ranged from $110 to $140” (Summer, 2007). School uniforms will not only save money for parents but also reduce the gang affiliation within the school. "If it means teenagers will stop killing each other over de-signer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require students to wear school uniforms,” Bill Clinton stated in his State of the Union address in January of 1996 (Children 's World, of St.John Parish, 1997). Gang affiliation is become a very big problem in today’s schools and in our culture. Schools should make it mandatory for the children to wear uniforms because then they would not be able to display their gang colors and so forth. There is a plethora of statistics showing how school uniforms can better the children. On May 12th, I conducted an interview with a student’s parent, Lisa, from Regina Dominican High School. I asked the parent several questions about how uniforms have improved the attitude of their child and how it has cut costs down in their household. Here is how the interview went: (Lisa, 2010)
Elma: “Would you say that you saw a change in your child’s behavior after your child started wearing a uniform?” I asked the parent.
Lisa: “I would have to say that at first we had a lot of problems with Emma, because she was so against wearing a uniform, until one morning when she did not have any clean clothes except her uniform. She turned to see and said, “I guess it is a good thing that I do not have to worry about clean clothes early in the morning.””
Elma: “Have you seen any changes in the amount of money you have saved from buying a uniform?”
Lisa: “We have seen significant changes in how much money we used to spend before on clothing, now that we buy uniforms yearly we are saving a bundle”
I talked to Lisa for a couple more minutes and was told that she would really like for all the school districts to implement mandatory uniforms. All the schools, in the entire United States, need to get onboard with this program to help protect our children and teach them responsibility. Enforcing school uniforms will help reduce the crime, schools suspensions and vandalism. Despite students losing their perceived individuality, schools should make uniforms mandatory because it will save the parents money and reduce violence/gang affiliation.

References

Children 's World, of St.John Parish. (1997). Terrebonne Parish. Retrieved May 12, 2010, from Terrebonne Parish: http://www.terrebonneparish.com/local/educational/schools/uniforms/uniforms.htm

Lisa. (2010, May 12). (E. Kurtovic, Interviewer)

Summer, E. (2007, October 25). Retrieved May 14, 2010, from Socyberty:
http://www.socyberty.com/education/the-benefits-of-school-uniforms

References: Children 's World, of St.John Parish. (1997). Terrebonne Parish. Retrieved May 12, 2010, from Terrebonne Parish: http://www.terrebonneparish.com/local/educational/schools/uniforms/uniforms.htm Lisa. (2010, May 12). (E. Kurtovic, Interviewer) Summer, E. (2007, October 25). Retrieved May 14, 2010, from Socyberty: http://www.socyberty.com/education/the-benefits-of-school-uniforms