Unit 2, EA 2, Writing an Argumentative Essay
The Role of Uniforms in Education
A half-century ago, President Dwight Eisenhower observed: "When you put on a
uniform, there are certain inhibitions you accept”. Eisenhower served 40 years as an army officer
and he should know more than enough about uniforms. Uniforms in public school help to end
discrimination and bullying, while also better preparing students for life after school.
The most significant aspect of school uniforms is that they allow everyone to appear
equal, which decreases the bullying and discrimination that occurs in schools. Uniforms in the
public education system promote safety in multiple ways and are a cost friendly method for
parents to clothe their children, allowing the focus on education to return to its prominence.
Clothing can show the socioeconomic status of a student, which does not go unnoticed by peers.
As a result, when uniforms are not implemented the clothing of children can be a factor for
which they are bullied or discriminated against. Also, the students who do not have the money to
buy all the newest clothes tend to not go to school as much. This can be due to feelings that they
do not fit in or fear of being bullied. Not fitting in leads to self-image problems and can cause
long-term self-resentment or negative school grades. Numerous private schools have already
adopted this idea as well as some public schools in England and Australia. Furthermore, reverse
bullying can also occur, where envious children that cannot afford nice clothes, act out violently
against students with name brand or designer items. King (1998) stated, “Children have been
violently injured or even murdered for their designer clothes, sneakers, or professional sportteam paraphernalia” (p.32). Uniforms foster a sense of unity, teamwork and community amongst
students because they share a common identity through their clothes. Additionally, uniforms can
help prevent discrimination, gang related clothing colors, and mistaken identities from occurring
on campus. Similar dress amongst students would allow for kids to focus on their schoolwork
and prevent stress and social anxiety. Some parents dismiss uniforms and feel bullying is not as
big of a problem as it has been in the past, due to better teacher-student relationships and more
anti-bullying promotions occurring in school. Nevertheless, according to King (1998),
“Approximately one in four students reports worrying about becoming a victim of crime or
threats at school”. Students should not have to worry about their safety in school at all and
uniforms foster a safe and comfortable learning environment for everyone.
On the other hand, many parents and children argue against uniforms because they want
to allow freedom of expression through dress. Children especially dislike the strict rules that are
associated with properly wearing their school uniforms. Parents that are against uniforms in
school claim that how a child is dressed does not affect their performance in school. However,
according to Craik (2007), studies have shown that schools across America “noted a possible
connection between school violence and the type of clothing students wear in school” (p. 37).
Moreover, school uniforms better prepare students for life after school where they will be
required to dress a certain way for their job. When schools were established in America, one of
the focus points was preparing children to for the work force. As a result, schools taught basic
liberal arts and skills, but also meant to prepare students for all aspects of work. This preparation
for students included long work hour with limited breaks, as well as teaching students how to
dress for future careers. Similarly, this should be an objective for modern school life. “School
has historically been- and still vestigially remains- a training to make men out of boys” (Craik,
2007, p.38). For instance, schools in America started booming during the industrial revolution.
Because students were being prepared to be factory workers, the long school day with an early
morning start time was designed to mimic the long hours factory workers had (King, 1998).
Critics of school uniforms argue that not every job requires a uniform; however, most employers
do require certain attire in the work place. Today many of the careers that schools prepare
students for include professional dress, therefore students should be readied for strict dress
codes. Uniforms help show that there should be an air of professionalism and a sense of duty,
present in school as well as jobs later in life. According to Craik (2007), a common view of
adults is that uniforms, “involve images of order and discipline, and imply characteristics of
respectability and status” (p. 38). Wearing a uniform to school shows that school is different
from home; home should be more comfortable and school should be for learning. Setting up
those barriers teaches children early that certain behavior is required of them in their working
conditions.
Ultimately, although dressing oneself is a great way to show freedom of expression and
convey personality, uniforms do a better job at limiting bullying in the school environment as
well as preparing children for their future work environment. It seasons children early on to be
less judgmental of their peers and dress professionally on a day to day basis. Some parents and
children may not advocate uniforms for personal reasons, but the experiences garnered from
wearing uniforms in school are crucial for children so that they perform optimally in their careers
later in life.
Works Cited
Craik, J. (2007). Uniforms Exposed. Waxmann Verlag.
King, K. A. (1998, January). Should School Uniforms be Mandated in Elementary
Schools? Journal of School Health, 68(1), 32-37.