Category: Dress Code

Why Are School Uniforms Uncomfortable

It was the first day of middle school and I walked to the steps of RSGC. I was fully dressed in our school uniform, with a white long-sleeve dress shirt, an RSGC tie, grey dress pants, dress shoes, and black socks. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, judges and teachers, Today I will brief about a debate that is ongoing with students for centuries in Canada of whether are not school uniforms are beneficial.

A large number of people say that school uniforms are beneficial for us students. School uniforms are effective because they make it easier to get ready for school, some people say. Due to this, students can easily find their uniforms instead of searching for their most preferred clothes. Since some time is saved, they will most likely get to school on time. Others also say that school uniforms separate the poor from the rich, decrease bullying and teasing and they also promote school spirit. Instead of spending countless amounts of money on casual clothing, parents can use some of that money on buying uniforms for their kids instead. When everyone is dressed the same, no peer pressure would be added when it comes to their clothes. It doesn’t show whether you are rich nor poor. There also wouldn’t be any competition of being dressed up in the most modern trend. According to Atlas Infinity, schools actually claim that when students come to school in uniforms, they improve on discipline and kids are gaining academically as well.

Believe it or not, according to debate.org, (a website that allows you to express your thoughts on whether or not something is beneficial or not, which in this case, it would be about uniforms) forty-four percent of people say that uniforms are beneficial while an amazing fifty-six percent of people say that it isn’t advantageous. These people say that it isn’t favorable because it doesn’t allow their kids to show their personality and to express their thoughts which is usually through fashion. Some people also say that school uniforms are very expensive and some parents might not be able to afford them so they can only buy one or two pairs. Then, when the kids get home from school, the parents and/or their kids will have to wash the uniform to wear the next day which will take up valuable time that could have been used for homework, playtime, or even rest. However, the biggest issue of school uniforms that has been addressed so far is that they cause discomfort, mentally and physically. Some kids might have allergies to certain materials and the uniform might feel tight and/or rigid to them. This can increase their temper and can also affect their learning as well. They might also think that when walking home in their uniform, kids from other schools might make fun of them and start bullying him/her. This can lead to depression and lack of sleep.

School Uniforms Stifle Freedom Of Expression

Students should not wear uniforms because they take away a student’s sense of individuality. Imagine this: 30 students sit at desks in a small classroom. Each student wears tan pants and a white shirt. They sit with their school books and papers in front of them. They all look exactly alike. Does this seem right? Of course not! We are all individuals! We are unique in many different ways. Why try to make all students look alike? An article I found was called ‘School Uniforms Stifle Freedom of Expression’ stated, “But our biggest problem with a school uniform policy is the anti-individuality message it sends. If young people are to understand that a cornerstone of our freedom is the primacy of the individual—over government, over the collective, over any non-voluntary association—then sticking them all into look-alike clothes is a poor way to teach it.” Parents and Teachers are always saying how important it is to just be ourselves and not to worry about what others may think, having a uniform takes that away from us.

On the side of practicality, uniforms are often seen as less comfortable than normal clothes. They can be tight and not adjustable to different weather conditions. In an article called ‘A lack of moral fiber: school uniforms use fabrics, we would normally avoid. Why?’ It stated, “Natural fibers are more expensive. They are also harder to look after and more prone to shrinkage; they need better handling, and you can’t just wash and drip-dry them before wearing them. Mostly they need attention with a hot metal object called an iron.” Many students feel they do not look their best in uniforms. This is due to the fact that uniforms fit the mold of certain body types, and curvier or plus-size individuals often feel out of place and uncomfortable in uniforms. Wearing uniforms lends itself to more comparison, and children who do not fit the mold of a “normal” student in terms of body type are commonly ridiculed by classmates.

Another practical concern is that paying for uniforms wastes the money of parents when their children can simply wear the clothes they have. With school budgets limited, the financial burden of buying uniforms will fall to the parents. Parents will no longer have a choice in the type of clothing or the price. Also, parents will have to get clothes that their child will wear outside of school. The article called ‘ School Uniforms,’ stated “Many parents may have to make financial sacrifices or rely on financial aid to pay the tuition at a private school. In such cases, expensive uniforms can be viewed as a financial burden that disproportionately affects students from low-income households. Some vendors have gained reputations for filling orders slowly and providing poor customer service while charging exorbitant prices.” Furthermore, uniforms become a more significant cost when parents have more than one child to pay for. While others believe uniforms are affordable, their reasoning is wrong because school uniforms are costly and in today’s up and down economy, they are an unnecessary added expense.

Dress Code In Schools As A Female Sexism

In 1630, the Puritans colonized Massachusetts Bay. They were the first to implement a dress code among themselves. “Impure” clothing such as ripped clothing were forbidden. Today, dress codes are built on this anti-democratic foundations. Many believe that dress codes create a safer environment and reduce distractions, but this is false. Dress codes are sexist, vague, regulate students voices and should be changed severely.

First off, dress codes are extremely vague and subjective. Most schools have a dress code rule that reads similarly of that clothing must be “safe, appropriate, and not interfere with or disrupt the educational process.” This causes an unfair dress code in which any clothing item could be violating the dress code. For example, one may consider flip-flops to be unsafe while another could disagree all based on their personal beliefs. Other unjust rules are, “apparel that may cause disruption” and “accessories that hide your face may not be worn in school”. For the ladder, personally, I have had experience with this. The rule states a hidden face isn’t allowed. I admit to wearing a had, but I believe the backwards style in which I was wearing the hat did not hide my face nor violate the rule. Another time, I was wearing a hood on school property, but not inside the school. The rule states such items “may not be worn in school” but I was sent to the office for this also. Cynthia Leung, a student of Lowell High School and the author of the article “The dress code is unfair and vague. Here’s how to improve it”, when talking about the matter stated, “The district should give examples of violations of the dress code or include images of clothes that violate it or are appropriate for school. Also, the school administration could hold a presentation describing what is appropriate or inappropriate for school and answer questions that students may have” (Leung, 2017). As you can clearly see, many different rules can be defined differently based on a person’s personal beliefs and interpretation.

Some claim mere style can’t be expressive, but style and fashion are used to express feelings and emotions. Another example of this would be music. Many kids use music to express their emotions and feelings. It is the same with clothing and style. Dress codes restrict students voices. In one case, a school regulated breast cancer awareness bracelets that said, “I ♡ Boobies”. A similar case to this is probably the most infamous case is Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District in 1969. In this case, high school students wore black armbands to school in order to protest the Vietnam War. The school told the students they were not allowed to wear the armbands, suspended them and were told they couldn’t return to school until they removed them. The students filed a First Amendment lawsuit. The Supreme Court agreed with the students and said students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” According to the Middle Tennessee State University, the right to freedom of expression, or expressive conduct, is defined as “behavior designed to convey a message; its function as speech means that it has increasingly been protected by the first amendment.” I would have to argue that clothing can be expressive. Fashion is used as an expressive form of social life and in many cases are protected under the first amendment.

It’s time to address the elephant in the room. Dress codes are extremely sexist and target females. Schools claim dress codes reduce classroom distraction, but this is extremely one-sided. Sexist dress codes restrict what female students can wear with no benefit. A survey with an estimate of around 10,000 people surveyed had 64.8% of people on the side claiming dress codes are sexist. A distraction is construction noise, being hungry in class, a student continually talking or tapping their pen, or needing to go to the restroom. A girls body and clothes aren’t. Regulating a girls body often sexualizes them more.

The Benefits Of School Specific Uniform

Uniforms in school have been around for a long time. Wearing certain clothing with the school colors such as polo, certain jeans or pants, shoes, the school’s jacket, etc. There are schools that do not require to wear a uniform, meaning students can wear any type of clothing they feel comfortable with, but of course, there is a “dress code” this student must follow, such as no piercings, no mini skirts, no unnatural hair color and some more. Wearing uniforms is a great way for students to be mentally ready for the next 8 hours of school.

But, should private schools follow this “dress code” instead of forcing their students to wear a certain uniform and, do uniforms help and anyway on the student’s performance in school?

First off, wearing uniforms helps the school in different ways to keep them safe, one of them is to spot any stranger in the campus. School administrators say uniforms help eliminate gang-related styles and logos and that students will pay more attention to their classwork if they aren’t preoccupied with fashion during class. Despite these benefits, parents, and students don’t like the idea of forcing children to dress alike, which they say suppresses freedom of expression.

Now, it could be true that is suppressed freedom of expression, but it is hard to have different outfits for the whole school year. With bullying being something very present in school nowadays, it’s easier for a kid to tease someone that has been wearing the same t-shirt or the same shoes. Meanwhile, when everyone is wearing the same polo, the same color shoes, or the same khaki pants or shorts, then no one should be bothered because everyone is wearing the same thing.

Wearing uniforms can also help the students wake up and know that they have to go to school and work, meanwhile, when you wear whatever you want to school it puts you in a lazy mode, like its just another day and you may also just fell asleep during your next class.

During my time in school, I have always been forced to wear a uniform, during elementary, middle school where I had to wear a vest and tie, but now during high school, it just required for me to wear the school’s polo, jeans, and any shoes I want. Now, I have never attended a school where uniforms are not mandatory, but just from experience from going out with friends or to any type of reunion, coming out with an outfit for just one day is a little bit hard. So I can’t imagine how hard it could be for me to come out for different outfits for a whole school year.

Many people are against schools forcing their students to wear a uniform, many people think that just using a dress code is enough, but the true thing is uniforms do not just apply to school, it’s something everyone follows in their lifetime such as jobs if you are a businessman, is required for you to wear a suit and tie to your job. If you work at a supermarket, you must wear a uniform that makes you stand out from the customer. All and all, uniforms are an essential part of our life and really do not affect in a huge way the students work during their school time.

School Uniforms: Dignity And Respect In The Classroom

Many students go to school and wear inappropriate clothing making their school look more unprofessional and inconvenient for many other schools worldwide. Without school dress codes and private schools, Would students behave the same? We should all respect each other, Learn how to help each other, And not bully anyone. With the school dress code, Students would be able to focus on their educational classes more than their clothing. Dress codes could have a positive impact on many schools.

One of the reasons why the school dress code should be mandatory in school is because it would lower the chances of encountering gangs, violence, theft, And peer pressure. “Since all students are dressed in uniforms, It can be easier to pinpoint who is not supposed to be there. This also prevents students from showing their gang affiliations by wearing certain colors of clothing”. (20 disadvantages). It is also proven that dress codes increase improvement and can also have a sense of security and make schools feel safer.

All students should learn discipline, respect, and how to treat others like how we would like to be treated. The school dress code helps achieve this goal Because it would prepare students in the future to properly dress well in different places such as jobs, important meetings, and family events. School uniforms can help students be successful in the future. This can teach students to dress formally in events And can improve student achievement and behavior. Students should learn that the school dress code can be very useful in the future to look more professional and be more trusted when communicating with people. Dressing formally can help get more job opportunities and can also be more friendly. “They can have a better sense of unity because everyone will wear the same clothes and they have a single identity” (20 disadvantages). Schools should consider this and should make the school dress code mandatory.

School dress codes have become common worldwide. Inappropriate clothing can be a distraction for teachers and students. Wearing T-shirts with inappropriate images and profanity can lead to disturbance to other students who are trying to learn in school. School is meant to be a Safe, Clean, And educational environment for the community. “Dress codes provide guidelines through which students are allowed to wear clothing that meets the school’s requirements, whether they pertain to color, style or cut of the clothing” (5 Benefits). Students should follow the school rules and should keep the community clean and safe. The most important reason why we should have a dress code mandatory in schools is that there would be less envy and students would most likely not bully anyone. “The way children dress is one of the most common reasons for bullying. Kids who dress differently or who can’t afford branded clothes are made fun of and discriminated against. School uniforms can help stop this issue” (20 disadvantages). Dress code This also includes girls that wear skirts and boys wearing ripped jeans. Every school worldwide should consider the dress code and it shouldn’t be used in a bad way, but in a good way to teach students discipline, manners, and for them to dress to impress. “68% of parents believed the uniform policy would improve overall academic performance” (Wilder). Many parents agree with the uniform policy and can save more money for their children instead of buying more clothes.

The school dress code is important for our society because it can teach students to be more productive in class and teach them to be more professional in their work environment in the future. Some may say that the school dress code is unnecessary and should not be mandatory in school, But would students behave the same and have better attendance without it? There is a high chance that it won’t. Students wouldn’t do better on their tests, And also would be distracted by their clothing and would lose focus on studying without the school dress code. Without the school dress code, Students would be bullied and have lower grades. It is important to teach us in the real world, And students wouldn’t have any pressure. The school dress code should be kept as a policy for schools and jobs to show a better image of yourself.

Schools Uniform Is Beneficial Rather Than Detrimental

Uniforms are distinctive clothing worn by members of the same organization or by children attending the same school. It’s having the same form, manner, or degree. Although, school uniforms cannot stop all social issues, making school uniforms mandatory in all educational institutions have a number of tremendous effects. It breaks barriers among students, minimizes expenses for families, is less time-consuming for students, improves discipline and concentration, and is useful for identification.

It breaks the barriers between students. Even though students may attend the wealthiest of schools, there are still students who aren’t from wealthy families. Since students are wearing the same outfits there is no obvious distinction to be made between them. When students don’t wear uniforms, it is easy for them to spot children with more or less economic privileges, so visible markers between these children will be decreased with the wearing of uniforms, leading to more social mixing among economic lines. God created all of us in the likings of himself and even though some might not be able to afford nice things, they’ll be made fun of and those persons will think they are better than others because of what they can and cannot afford. Bill Clinton during his time as the president of the United States (in the ’90s) is one of the most prominent and strongest proponents of adapting school uniforms and how it may help us end many social evils done to students over mere designer jackets. Although people may argue that they won’t be able to be themselves if they are wearing the same thing but isn’t everyone unique in their own way; no two persons are the same. It might also be said that uniforms will deprive them of the privilege of expressing themselves but not all will be able to do so based on economic status.

Secondly, it minimizes expenses for families. Precisely, they would cost way less than casual clothing as you can have a set of uniforms for a week which can be repeated unconditionally, while with casual clothing students won’t want to repeat clothing occasionally. Therefore, clothing would have to be bought on the regular. Although you would still have to pay a price for a variety of uniform pieces, those uniforms would be worn all throughout the school year, so leaving casual clothing for special occasions. Spending time focusing on getting new clothes for the child every minute, can be quite stressful and strenuous as the parent would want their child to have to best so they aren’t criticized. This is rather a petty issue which is a want than a need. Although, they might not say it openly the survey of more than 500 schools conducted in 2013 revealed that more than 90% of the parents are “pro uniforms” and believe it could help them save money. They would spend less with uniforms and focus more where it matters, which is fulfilling the child’s needs and ensuring they get a good education. School should not be about what you wear, it’s, not a fashion show. The major priority should be about what you go there to do.

Thirdly, it’s less time-consuming for students. School uniforms will save students time when getting ready in the mornings. Getting dressed for school in the mornings will be hassle-free, as it is already known what will be worn. Since they know what they have to wear there isn’t much thought or effort that has to go into getting ready for school each day. This will help them to get ready by an adequate time in the morning, so lessening the chances of the missing school; thus, improving the punctuality of students. The time that would be spent on choosing what to wear and getting ready, will then be spent sleeping a little longer eating breakfast without rushing. No more of “what will I wear this morning or the picking choosing and refusing”.

Therefore, making school uniforms mandatory across all educational institutions will improve discipline and concentration. The Journal of Educational Research, 2003, Vol. 97. has presented data that shows a positive correlation between uniforms and achievements. With everyone wearing the same thing, there will be no focus on what each other is wearing or worrying about who is more fashionable and putting what goes on in the classroom at the center. It will then prevent distractions in the classroom. Another argument that’s often raised about uniforms is that they may increase students’ focus. The evidence for this seems to be thin, but many people of uniforms argue that when students don’t have clothing to notice, comment on or respond to, they can spend more mental energy on learning. This argument goes hand in hand with the sense of disciplined learning in schools, but some say uniforms contradict the idea of diversity that schools encourage. By looking the same as other students, some would say it discourage students from making choices, but one is less likely to be concerned with their appearances. There will be less monitoring of what students wear, as you do not have to examine if it’s inappropriate or not. Rather than students building friendships on fashion for popularity reasons it gives them the opportunity to just BE and get to know one another genuinely. So, to speak, the wearing of uniforms will prevent distractions and create uniformity within the classroom and school environment. Students will no longer have to report signs of peer pressure that would occur from the types of clothing that they wear.

In addition, they are also effective in the use of identification. This allows you to easily identify outsiders on the campus and differentiate students from teachers. It is a badge of pride that creates an identity for schools. The wearing of uniforms shows that you are a part of an organization, that you take pride in your appearance and you are dressing smartly. Imagine the concept that, you are on the street and something happens, identifying which institution you are from would be so much easier if you are in a uniform. It is also likely that schools will have field trips and events to go to, which represent in a uniform will be easy to acknowledge which group you belong to and shows a form of togetherness.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the concept of having uniforms as a mandatory policy in schools is beneficial rather than detrimental. In the attempt to support this, it has been concluded that it gives structure to students and allows for the restraining of alienation. School uniforms have been a controversial topic of discussion for a long, long time. There are many critics of school uniforms, but they are usually seen to be fighting a lost battle when it comes to defending what they perceive. It is time for all of us to think neutral, leaving our egos behind and deciding on what is best for our new generation and society. Spending our valuable time on petty issues concerned with uniform wearing is going to take us nowhere but will just keep the never-ending debate on fire! Believe it or not, the wearing of school uniform is only helping us to abide by policies and maintain professionalism when we go out in the working world. No more time spent on making fun of others based on what they wear, being stressed out over getting designer clothes are even to be popular based on fashion choices, but yet directing the focus on what really matters in life. In terms, it lowers spending abilities, adds discipline and proper functioning to the school environment.

The Impact Of School Uniforms On School Students

Outfits are unmistakable attire worn by individuals from a similar association or by kids going to a similar school. It’s having a similar structure, way, or degree. In spite of the fact that school regalia can’t stop every social issue, making school garbs obligatory in every single instructive foundation have various huge impacts. It breaks hindrances between understudies, limits costs for families, is less tedious for understudies, improves order and focus, and is valuable for ID.

It breaks obstructions between understudies. Despite the fact that understudies may go to the wealthiest of schools, there are still understudies who aren’t from well-off families. Since understudies are wearing similar outfits there is no undeniable differentiation to be made between them. At the point when understudies don’t wear garbs, it is simple for them to spot youngsters with pretty much monetary benefits, so obvious markers between these kids will be diminished with the wearing of outfits, such prompting increasingly social blending among financial lines. God made us all in the likings of himself and despite the fact that some probably won’t have the option to bear the cost of pleasant things, they’ll be ridiculed and those people will think they are better than others due to what they can and can’t manage. Bill Clinton during his time as the leader of the United States (during the ’90s) is one of the most noticeable and most grounded advocates of adjusting school garbs and how it might assist us with closure numerous social shades of malice done to understudies over simple architect coats. Despite the fact that individuals may contend that they won’t have the option to act naturally on the off chance that they are wearing something very similar however isn’t everybody extraordinary in their own particular manner; no two people are the equivalent. It may likewise be said that garbs will deny them the benefit of communicating yet not all will have the option to do so depending on monetary status.

Furthermore, it limits costs for families. Exactly, they would cost path not exactly easygoing garments as you can have a lot of outfits for seven days which can be rehashed unequivocally, while with the easygoing apparel understudies won’t have any desire to rehash dress once in a while. Hence, the apparel would need to be purchased on the customary. In spite of the fact that you would in any case need to take care of an assortment of uniform pieces, those outfits would be worn all through the school year, so leaving easygoing attire for extraordinary events. Investing energy concentrating on getting new garments for the youngster consistently, can be very distressing and strenuous as the parent would need their kid to need to best so they aren’t censored. This is fairly a trivial issue which is a need that a need. Despite the fact that they probably won’t state it straightforwardly yet the study of in excess of 500 schools directed in 2013 delighted that over 90% of the guardians are ‘expert garbs’ and trust it could assist them with setting aside cash. They would go through less with regalia and concentrate more where it is important, which is satisfying the kid’s needs and guaranteeing they get decent instruction. School ought not to be about what you wear, it is anything but a design that appears. The significant need ought to be about what you go there to do.

Thirdly, it’s less tedious for understudies. School garbs will spare understudies time when preparing in the mornings. Getting dressed for school in the mornings will be without bothering, as it is as of now realized what will be worn. Since they comprehend what they need to wear there isn’t highly thought or exertion that needs to go into preparing for school every day. This will assist them with getting prepared by a sufficient time toward the beginning of the day, so diminishing the odds of the missing school; along these lines, improving the dependability of understudies. The time that would be spent on picking what to wear and preparing, will at that point be spent resting a little longer having breakfast without hurrying. Nothing else of ‘what will I wear toward the beginning of today or the picking and won’t’.

Along these lines, making school outfits obligatory over every single instructive establishment will improve order and focus. The Journal of Educational Research, 2003, Vol. 97. has introduced information that shows a positive connection among’s regalia and accomplishments. With everybody wearing something very similar, there will be no attention on what each other is wearing or stressing over who is increasingly in vogue and putting what goes on in the study hall in the middle. It will at that point forestall interruptions in the homeroom. Another contention that is frequently raised about garbs is that they may build understudies centers. The proof for this is by all accounts slender, however numerous individuals of regalia contend that when understudies don’t have attire to see, remark on or react to, they can burn through progressively mental effort on learning. This contention goes connected at the hip with the feeling of taught learning in schools, however, some state outfits negate the possibility of decent variety that schools energize. By looking equivalent to different understudies, some would state it debilitate understudies from settling on decisions, yet one is less inclined to be worried about their appearances. There will be less checking of what understudies wear, as you don’t need to look at if it’s wrong or not. As opposed to understudies building companionships on design for fame reasons it offers them the chance to simply BE and become acquainted with each other really. In this way, to talk, the wearing of outfits will forestall interruptions and make consistency inside the homeroom and school condition. Understudies will no longer need to report with indications of companion pressure that would happen from the kinds of attire that they wear.

Likewise, they are additionally viable in the utilization of ID. This permits you to effectively distinguish outcasts on the grounds and separate understudies from educators. It is an identification of pride that makes recognition for schools. The wearing of regalia shows that you are a piece of an association, that you invest wholeheartedly in your appearance and you are dressing sagaciously. Envision the idea that, you are in the city and something occurs, distinguishing which foundation you are from would be so a lot simpler in the event that you are in a uniform. All things considered, schools will have field excursions and occasions to go to, which speaking to in a uniform will be anything but difficult to recognize which bunch you have a place with and shows a type of harmony.

In closing, the idea of having outfits as a required arrangement in schools is valuable instead of negative. In the endeavor to help this, it has been reasoned that it offers structure to understudies and takes into account the controlling of distance. School regalia have been a disputable subject of conversation for a long, long time. There are numerous pundits of school-garbs, however, they are typically observed to be facing a lost conflict with regards to protecting what they see. It is the ideal opportunity for us all to think impartial, abandoning our consciences and choosing what is best for our new age and society. Investing our important energy in frivolous issues worried about uniform wearing is going to take us no place however will simply keep the ceaseless discussion ablaze! In all honesty, the wearing of school uniform is just helping us to submit to arrangements and keep up polished skill when we go out in the working scene. No additional time spent on ridiculing others dependent on what they wear, being worried over getting fashioner garments are even to be mainstream dependent on style decisions, however yet coordinating the emphasis on the main thing throughout everyday life. In wording, it brings down spending capacities, adds discipline and legitimate working

Many Conflicts In Schools Can Be Solved Or Minimized With School Uniforms

In both public and private schools, students are constantly being judged on what they wear or how they look. These types of judgments increase the amount of bullying. If schools were to make uniforms mandatory, the judgment would be eliminated and the bullying rate will more than likely decrease. We make inferences on the economic status and background of others. It’s no surprise that there are less fortunate people who can’t afford as nice clothing as wealthy people can. Students shouldn’t be treated differently just because their parents can’t afford “in-style” clothing. With the impression of school uniforms, students are able to focus more on learning in school and building relationships with others.

Mandatory school uniforms would eliminate the bullying problem and will give people an opportunity to judge people on their personality, not just on what they wear. Bullying, in general, is spiteful: it’s not only a burden of learning but also is a probable cause of making students’ lives intolerable. Bullying cannot be eliminated, but can surely be reduced with mandatory uniforms. Along with bullying, theft and gang activities can be majorly decreased by mandatory uniforms. Over the years, gangs are usually identified by clothing. Without knowing who may be in each gang, the violence could be reduced and make the school an overall safer place. If the society and school board insist on doing everything in their power to put a stop to the mistreatment of all students, school uniforms must be mandatory.

Along with bullying and gangs, the overall lives of students could be less stressful. A huge amount of students’ time is put towards their clothes. Instead of spending a vast time choosing clothes, they could have more time for other daily requirements. Students, more so girls, stress about what they will wear or how they look compared to other girls they encounter. The mandatory school uniforms will eliminate this cause of stress. Not only will the stress be relieved from students, but also the parents. Some parents just cannot afford trendy clothing.

Every parent has a huge desire for their child to fit in. As hard as some parents may try to make the best lives for their kids, some just seem to not be able to accomplish this goal.

Many may argue that school uniforms don’t allow students to express and show who they are through their clothing, but that is not the case. It is not the clothes that make anyone who they are. Whether you wear hand-me-downs or the newest outfits, it does not effectively make you who you are on the inside or out. Unfortunately what it does do is make the students ashamed of themselves and where they come from.

Many conflicts in schools can be solved or minimized with school uniforms. They can induce the parent’s and their student’s confidence and allow students to excel without as much stress. People are always going to be judged on a number of factors, but the main reason for judgment is because of appearance. So, therefore, school uniforms should be mandatory for students to reduce stress, bullying, and make the school an overall better place.

Dress Code Sexism In Schools

As part of the Jefferson County Code of Conduct, the school dress code has always been a major concern with the administration and students in Shades Valley/JCIB. I, and many other females, have experienced shame because of the clothes we wear. I assume that this is because the administration believes that feminine clothing would cause a distraction and make male students uncomfortable. However, it is immoral to discipline female students for the actions of others, especially when it was not your intention to do anything malicious. Jefferson County unfairly targets females and, as a result, the dress code should be made more gender neutral.

The code of conduct clearly states their restriction on female clothing, and only female clothing. The majority of the rules have to do with covering certain body parts, such as the stomach and chest. Rules indicate that skirts,dresses, and shorts can be no shorter than 4 inches above the knee and that your midriff and back should not be seen (JEFCOED Code of Conduct). Other rules include wearing a cover over tank tops,cutoff tops, and leggings. Articles of clothing such as leggings, dresses, and tank tops are usually worn by females. At the same time, if a guy were to wear a tank top he would most likely be overlooked because there is not really anything to hide but muscles and skin. Girls, on the other hand, are built differently and tank tops would cause a problem. This is basically body shaming at the expense of girls. According to Amber Thomas, a journalist engineer for The Pudding, ‘77% of schools’ policies specifically prohibit the visibility of certain body parts’ (2019).

In comparison to girls, a guys wardrobe is fairly simple. It may include t shirts, athletic tops,basketball shorts, and ripped jeans. Girls, on the other hand, have access to a broader variety of clothing and accessories ranging from headwraps,jewelry, and different types of tops (JEFCOED Code of Conduct).The dress code should be more lineauant considering the way modern fashion is.We, as young people, tend to like to stay up to date with these fashion trends. According to Jennifer Betts , a teacher for several schools, a child’s teenage years are when they care most about their self image and because of this kids tend to dress like their peers. But everyone is built differently. A pair of clothes on one person may violate the dress code and may not on someone else (Betts, 2019). For example, a shirt that was meant to be a midriff top looks like a regular t-shirt on someone who is short, but on a taller girl it might expose her stomach. Then, you have just picked on someone for being tall. The dress code then sends a negative message that makes teenagers self conscious of their body and lower their self esteem. Then,a new problem arises where the student would have to find new clothes. Out of the wide variety of feminine clothes available almost half of them are prohibited because of today’s fashion trends. According to a study conducted by The Pudding , 41% of ‘tween’ girl clothing was considered distracting (Thomas, 2019). This means it must be difficult to find clothing that correlate with the dress code. However, some schools such as Shades Valley and JCIB make up for this by permitted certain coverage under pants with rips above the knee and more. The code of conduct should implement this so females would not have to worry about the exposure of skin on the leg.

The male dress code targets how guys wear their clothes, and nothing else. The Jefferson County Code of Conduct states, ‘Students are to wear clothing in the manner for which it is designed. Pants must be worn at the waist’. Other rules include the prohibition of wearing hair picks in hair. These two rules are the only rules that are aimed only to the male gender, meaning that more than half of the dress code are aimed toward females. Other students would not have to stress as much over what to wear. According to Thomas, 50 percent of 481 US schools ban sagging pants while 60 to 70 percent ban short shorts. Both of these trends could expose skin above the knee, yet the dress code is stricter against short shorts, making it unfair towards females.

Nevertheless, critics of a strict dress code will probably argue that a strict dress code prevents distraction and provides a more productive school environment because do not have to constantly worry about what to wear. However, according to Betts, banning so much clothing “takes away a female student’s comfort level at best, and at worst, suggests that boys should be comfortable but [girls do not need the same comfort]”(Betts). The dress code implies that is not necessary to pull a female from class because of her clothing, creating a negative influence on her grades and making a male’s education more important. At the same time, a girl’s education should be of equal importance.Instead of saying that certain clothing is distracting, try to fix the behavior of the distracted. Yes, students would not have to worry about what to wear but they would still want to look good in the fashion of their choice. When a person dressed in what they like it makes them look good,feel good, and feel more lively. The more confident you are in your own clothes and skin, the more motivated and productive you could be.

School dress codes in Jefferson County and all over the US seem focus primarily on gender stereotypes, instead of what is really important: the children’s education. These stereotypes do not account for the tremendous amount of modern clothing that may not abide to it, as well as the negative effects and messages it has sent to the young world. The school dress code should be revised so that it does not unfairly target females and creates fair ground for both genders.

Dress Code Gender Discrimination

Every girl who has been a student at a public school knows the struggle of dress code. Our dresses are too tight, our shorts are too short, our shirts reveal to much cleavage, our tops show too much shoulder and our leggings are too distracting. School dress codes are unfair, body shaming and reinforce rape culture.

The schools dress code clearly applies more to girls than the boys. Boy’s shorts are made longer, and they have no need to wear bras or worry about cleavage. No one is watching the length of the guys outfits but somehow the girls are always dress coded. (Schulte, 2019) Dress codes are created for girls. For example, Cox Mill High Schools dress code is mostly applied to girls. (Current Students / Dress Code Information) I understand that their need to be some sort of dress code, but girls are not waking up and wanting to go to school in a bikini. The girls just want to be comfortable and look cute without worrying about “distracting” the males.

Girls are apparently to distracting. Well what about girls being distracted? Maybe the short preppy shorts, the boxers hanging out of their pants or those drop tank top that reveal their shoulders, biceps and their side are too “distracting” to us. The problem with school dress codes is not just that there unfair but the logic behind it.

School dress codes are also body shaming. A 17-year-old girl named Kelsey Anderson was told to leave class because she violated the dress code by being “busty” and “plus size.” A principle of a high school in South Carolina announced to the school that unless you are a size 0 or 2 do not wear leggings. A 12-year-old girl wore a skirt that was 2 inches above her knee and was told that she looked like she should go clubbing. Another teen was dress coded for showing her collar bone and her principle response was “distraction always comes back to what the girl was wearing”. (Heller,2017)

Teenage girls are taught from a young age that they must be careful of what the wear in order to not distract the boys. The schools are teaching young girls that women need to wear more “modest” clothes in order to not be raped. Men can control themselves and their urges. . Men should be taught to be gentlemen instead of forcing girls to take the responsibility.

The school’s opinion on the school dress codes is that we will distract the boys. Girl at a young age are taught not to show off their bodies because of the fear of distracting the males. Schools are teaching girls that they should cover up their bodies and whatever happens to them is their fault for wearing “revealing” clothing. The fact of the matter is that the victim is not the one that should be blamed but the one who committed the actions.

The schools are taking the responsibility from the boys. By enforcing how girls dress to take the boys attention from them, the school are sending a message that is a girl’s responsibility on how boys view them. Since the responsibility is taken from the boys, girls are blamed for sexual harassment. It is not the victim’s fault. The victim is not responsible for the rapist doings. The victim did not wear leggings in hoping a man would take her against her will. The idea that clothing causes rape is false.

The idea that what women chose to wear has do with being raped or assaulted has been around for a while. According to the Washington Post, the Supreme court of Appeals in Rome ruled that a woman wearing jeans could not be raped in 1999. (Kendall, 2019) One of the questions a victim is asked by the police is “what were you wearing?”. As if what the females wears gives men consent. In 2005, Amnesty International had a poll and a third of respondents believed women were responsible for being assaulted. A Federal Commission Non-Crime of violence found out that just 4.4 percent of reported assaults involve provocative behavior. It has also been proven that rapist could not remember what the victim was wearing. Studies show that a woman who tends to cover up completely has more of a chance to be raped. In a college study 1 in 3 men say that they would rape a woman if they could get away with it. That study had nothing to do with clothing. (Kendall, 2019)