Should Student's have to wear uniforms?

Should you be able to express yourself freely? Wear what you want to wear? To school? These controversial questions have been debated for a long time by school administrators, parents, teachers, and students. Wearing what you want to school without the restriction of uniforms gives students a way to express themselves and make your own choices.

          

  Wearing school uniforms restricts the ability to express yourself. With uniforms everybody looks the same and you aren’t allowed to show who you are through what you wear. For some people wearing particular clothes and dressing a certain way communicates a part of them. Uniforms also limit the ability to make choices. Making choices is a process that we face throughout our whole lives. If our ability to make choices is restricted in high school, how will our skills for making choices be effected in life after high school? Without uniforms, many people can see diversity between people and understand better that person and who they are. In some cases uniforms can restrict expression of religious beliefs.

           

 Many people may also argue that uniforms defy the first amendment. The first amendment of the US Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. This guarantees certain freedoms including the freedom of expression. For example in the Pyle v. South Hadley School Committee Jonathan and Jeffery Pyle sued the South Hadley High School Principal, superintendant and school committee for violation of their first amendment. The two boys were accused of wearing t-shirts that went against the dress code. This resulted in South Hadley coming up with a new formal dress code.
           

 However, along with the overwhelming evidence that students should not have to wear uniforms, some support good reasons for school uniforms as well. It is said that in some cases behavior improves when school uniforms are mandatory. Some people believe it helps reduce the threat of violence. This all ties to the fact that with uniforms students may be less distracted than without uniforms.

Research shows that wearing uniforms can help some schools and have no effect on others. In her article, “Parents: Do School Uniforms Make a Difference?” Pauline Wallin, PhD noted that when principals, teachers, and parents were asked whether they believed that school uniforms made a positive difference, they often answered that their school's attendance, behavior, and achievement had improved. However, when researchers looked at school attendance, number of fights, and discipline referrals, the results were inconclusive. In some schools, there were improvements, but in others, it was the same or worse. Nevertheless despite, many parents, and school officials claims that uniforms make a difference there is insufficient evidence to require uniforms. On the other hand freedom of expression and students ability to practice making choices as simple as what should I wear to school today are important opportunities to help develop young people into to responsible adults.