Aed200 Final Project : Are Uniformas a Good Way to Improve Student Discipline and Motivation

Many can argue that uniforms are the best way to improve student discipline and motivation. This argument has gone on for years; however no one can agree 100% if they believe or do not believe the statement is true.
Let us begin with the Pros of this argument since there are many. It has been seen in some instances that uniforms can reduce student’s distractions, since both parents and teachers agree that clothing can be a big distraction with the student body. When the students wear uniforms they reduce rivalry among the students and can help keep a structured environment in the classroom and it also reduces the crime rate in the school. School uniforms can keep a level of social equality inside the school on a level and in so doing students can focus on more important matters. Uniforms can also form team spirit among the student body and help them feel a sense of togetherness; this can be accomplished with similar attire in many schools.
Many teachers and administrators believe that school uniforms does help when it comes to student discipline and think that it out ways the students rights to free speech. Students have their off time to wear clothing that many times is seen as offensive and or gang related in certain location. This can be a problem in cities schools where gangs have an upper hand on what their members need to wear to show power on their turf. Uniforms do stop gangs from not only showing their power but it also helps the students to focus on school not worry on violence in their neighborhood. This can help the students to take a time out from reality and concentrate on their education and the future, and the violence is put on hold until after school.
It can make our school safer since when children wear uniforms they cannot hide weapons on their person. Uniforms are made to fit a student to a fault so that if they are caring a weapon it will be spotted and can in turn save a life. We hear in our schools today of students caring guns, knives or drugs to school uniforms can stop that, and in turn save our children lives. It can reduce the drugs and alcohol abuse our children can buy on school property and in doing so keep our children away from unneeded influences on a daily basis and is so doing stopping unhealthy habits before they can start.
School uniform are great for those low income families, they can save money on buying expensive clothes for their children and purchase reasonable uniforms instead. The uniforms can be handed down from one child to another as they grow, since they are made with stronger lasting material. This allows children of low income families to fit in with other children at their school. It reduces bulling by other students who find some children’s clothing no up to standards with their own. We know that school should keep our children safe however bulling can cause children a big distraction and if we cannot control it can also cause a child to choose suicide to remove the problem.
The one thing that I believe is a great asset to wearing uniforms is that it shows the inner pride students have. The way they upkeep the appearance of their selves shows the teachers and other students how they feel within. This can also help teachers, parents and administrators to see if the student has an underline problem that they need to address. If they start to not take care of their appearance it can be detected quicker than if they did not wear uniforms, and the problem can be addressed and corrected faster to bring the student faster solutions to any problems. Students can hide their feeling from teachers and parents alike, but the way they wear their uniforms can show a lot about the child and in so doing we as professionals can work on finding out what is hurting the child and fix it before it gets out of hand. This can come in handy and possibly stop repercussions such as the Calabine Massacre.
I have given the Pro of uniform now it is time for the Cons and there are many and most feel that students are losing their constitutional rights by making them wear a uniform to school. And we should ask each other why is it that teachers are not made to wear uniforms also; in so doing the students might be more willing to wear a uniform by example.
Children have the same given rights as adults do so to take away the right of free speech by taking away the right to wear civilian attire at school is wrong. They have a right to wear whatever they feel comfortable wearing and school are wrong to remove that right because they feel this will give them an upper hand on discipline and motivation. Teachers and administrator could lead by example and also implement the need for all personnel to wear matching uniforms also. In so doing it shows the students that they are not the only ones losing free speech and might be more comfortable with the changes.
Many researches have been made on how wearing uniforms affect the students and most have shown it has a negative psychological effect on the students. It suppresses the child individuality and in so doing makes the child lose a vital part of them self. It takes away the child self expression and can put a major hurdle on the child future. This can give the child the wrong idea and can cause problems in the future dealing with the outside world, not to mention that wearing the same color each day can be boring and in turn be very depressing to students.
School uniforms remove the student’s identity and the student loses the person that he is, he becomes a robot that does as he is told. I believe that the student deserves to learn in a safe environment however it comes at a high price for the child. Each person should follow their own path into discovering who they are and expresses that in any way possible without interference from the adult in their daily lives. Uniforms are not going to remove violence or bulling in school yet the students are the ones that pay the price.
As for low income parents you can find designer clothing at the good will or at second hand stores or ever yard sales or flea markets. Parents can take the time out of their busy schedule and take their children to look at clothing and find some on sales or even second hand. In this day and age parents can find nice clothing for their children and it can reduce the stress on how children tease them at school. That being said uniforms are not a necessity that we need to reduce students making fun of one another, so that should not be a reason to wear them. Students can be made fun of it parents have to use uniform hand me down from older to younger since the uniforms will show wear and tear after being used, and students will comment on it to the child wearing it. Stores like Wal-mart, Kmart, and Target have nice clothing at reasonable prices that low income parents can purchase, so we need to allow children to express their own personality.
Let us discuss how school uniforms reduce crime rate in the school system. Well it really does not since even the top private run school that in force uniforms have many crimes and the uniforms are present. Drugs can be carried in back packs, purses, and coat pockets. So the uniforms do not stop these from entering the school, same with weapons they can be carried into school and used on unsuspecting students. The gangs still exist and the students know who they are and fear them each and every day, the change of clothing does not stop the gangs from controlling the student body or it soldiers. The students have an outside life that they choose and it does not stop because they are in school and all wear the same clothing, to be honest I feel that schools without uniforms can control the gang members with ease since they wear colors or markings that help the teachers identify who they are and that give them the upper hand in dealing with the problems.
Student uniforms take away the students personal choices and in doing so reduce the students self esteem and can hurt the students in the future. Unless the student joins the military or even worse goes to jail or prison the future will be hard for him. The reason we allow students free choices in clothing is so that they learn to express themselves and to stand on two feet, since when they leave school they will have to learn to cope with daily problems and a uniform will not help them to that. They need to learn right from wrong and that the decision they make on a daily basis does affect the way people see them and respond to them, and can hurt or help them in the future.
I feel that I have given many ways why school uniforms’ are good or bad to each individual. I would rather my children went to a school that allows self expression and free speech. I am against school uniform and I will not allow strangers to dictate what or how my children are raise, or how or what they are allowed to wear. Uniforms do not reduce the crime rate in schools and do not teach my child how to cope with the future of living out in society. Children need to learn to cope with student rivalry, drugs and crimes made against them, if they feel they have the right to stick up for what they believe and deal with any injustice that comes along. They cannot do that if they are dressed in strait jackets that are so thigh it leaves no room for them to take a stand and face their fears that will help them in the future.
School uniforms may make the teachers and administrators life easier but I feel that it is not implemented for the benefit of the students that wear it. It is there to make the teachers’ job easier so that they will not have students that have their own opinion and feel comfortable to express it. We need to allow future generations to stand tall and trust in what they believe in and uniforms do not allow for this, so I say NO to uniforms in school.

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Facts About School Uniforms. (2009). Public Schools and Education , (), . Retrieved from http://school1101.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/facts-about-school-uniforms

Khilawala, R (2010). School Uniforms Pros and Cons. (). Buzzle.com, (), . Retrieved from http://buzzle.com/article/school-uniforms-pros-and-cons.html