Should School Children Wear Uniforms?
In other parts of the world, they do wear school uniforms, even in public schools. In the United States, we know that school uniforms are normally limited to private schools. The question remains: should our school children wear uniforms to school?
The reason I am asking this question is that in Bloomfield, kids in K-8 are going to be required to wear them come fall. A post in Courant writes about this:
Proponents suggest that uniform policies improve safety. How many incidents of violence related to gang colors have occurred on the playground of Bloomfield elementary schools in the past five years and what was the reduction since the voluntary policy was implemented? How many incidents of 6 to 10 year old trespassers at Bloomfield elementary schools that have been more easily identified with a uniform policy have actually occurred? The policy ’solves’ problems that don’t exist. Putting a white polo shirt on a school bully will not eliminate the bully; it will simply make more bullies wearing white polo shirts - making it more difficult to identify the perpetrator. Rather than improving safety this policy does the opposite. This conclusion is supported by empirical data that showed a negative effect on the perception of safety by both students and principals in schools with uniform policies.
So the bottom line is that children need to follow certain guidelines as to what they can wear in school. Let us look at both sides of the argument.
On the one hand, having children wear school uniforms can make it easier for authorities to identify intruders – those who are not supposed to be within the school premises and who may pose threats to the children’s safety. Another argument would be that the families can save money on clothing as the children would have a set of uniforms to wear day in and day out.
On the other hand, if children already have enough clothes to wear to school, having to purchase new uniforms would simply add to the family’s expenses. Regarding security, do we really think that children in K-8 would sneak into the school premises and pose a threat to the “legitimate” school children?
I think that personally, I have nothing against school uniforms. They can be handy – no need to dwell on what the kid would have to wear everyday in school. But to use the argument that it will make schools safer is, I think, not fair. There are other more effective things we can do to ensure school safety. Let us not use school safety as an excuse to do things that we want.
Are you for or against school uniforms?
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Posted on July 30th, 2008 by Deborah J Thomas
Filed under: Administrators, News, Parents, People Involved, School Grade Level, School Safety Issues, Security, Students
I’m not for or against uniforms. The questions that need to be answered when considering a switch to uniforms are:
Does the current dress code impact school safety?
How will the community react to this change?
What positive impact will this bring?
What negative effects may the policy change have?
What is the smallest change we can make that will have the greatest impact?
How does this change fit with the school’s plan for improving school climate and safety?
There may be more questions. The point is that this would be part of a plan. Without thought about what else you would do, it might not have the intended positive effect.
it was helpful!!!
i need a little bit more information
i believet that students should choose rather they want to wear uniforms. some people express themselves through their clothing and for those children that doesn’t like being like everyone else this might be a little hard for those people!!
i know that children must follow the rules but i believe that children need to express themselves as far as what they want to wear in school!!!
please reply back to this rather you agree or not!!!