Uniforms: A Way of Taking Away Individuality or Uniting All Students as One

Just how important are the cloths we wear? Are cloths really what make us different? Is this really how we should be defining ourselves; by the cloths we wear? Yes it is important for one to be able to express ones individuality, but there are ways to do this without it being a fashion show. The best solution for this is uniforms. Uniforms are a way for students to be on an equal playing field when it comes to the world of fashion. Which in today’s society plays a major role. However, “Many students simply do not like wearing uniforms. They complain that uniforms take away individuality, promote conformity, or are unflattering or uncomfortable” (School Uniforms).Though students come up with many reasons for no uniforms it comes down to the fact that “uniforms were doing something to prevent violence, improve school climate, and help parents out financially” (Konheim). So although it is important for one to be able to express them self, it is also important to have the safest and most productive place of learning possible.
In today’s society we all want to express ourselves as individuals and have the nicest cloths out there. Why would anyone want to have a uniform that would not allow them to express who they are? No one would, this is why most students hate the idea of having to wear uniforms. Students like being able to go out shopping with friends and pick out cloths that express who they are. When they pick out cloths they pick what they
think looks best and what is most comfortable to them. There are those that say; “Expressing myself through how I dressed was my way of asserting my individuality and making it clear that I was unique” (Washington). Importing uniforms in schools takes away a persons ability to express who they are through their clothing which is the way many students like to express themselves. It takes away their ability to feel that they are unique and themselves. Its an easy way for someone to first see the type of person they are with just a glance.
There then is the whole idea of conformity. While growing up as kids we were always told to be ourselves no matter what. How are kids suppose to be ourselves if we are all conformed to look the same. How does this help kids express who they are. In the real world there is no uniform. There may be a dress code that is highly required for one to follow other wise a job could be loss, but there is no actual uniform. In the real word people have to deal with the possibility that they will be judged by what they are wearing. There will be no one there to punish a person for saying something negative about ones cloths. Its all part of life and everyone has to deal with it. So we might as well get use to it in school before we have to face it out in the real world. Just how well does conformity work anyways? Milena Stephenson age 16 says “ you still have separation from the rich and the poor. Because even though there is a uniform some people buy their uniform from a nicer place than those with less money” (Stephenson, M). Hearing this from a student that actually has a uniform, it makes you question if there is still going to be the separation why have uniforms at all.
Uniforms are uncomfortable and just don’t look pretty. Kids spend eight hours a day in a school sitting in classrooms listening to teachers talk all day. They not only have to sit in a school and listen for eight hours, they also sit in extremely uncomfortable chairs. If kids are already sitting uncomfortably they at least want comfortable cloths to wear. Some people have issues with the idea that people will judge others by what they are wearing and yes that will probably happen, however not everyone cares. Some people dress for the sole purpose of being comfortable. Many students will wear sweatpants and sweatshirts to class not really caring what they look like or what others think of them, they just want to be comfortable and uniforms do not help there.
However kids put it to say they don’t want to wear uniforms there are actually many perks to having them. Two things that uniforms help do is “reduce violence in schools by diminishing gang influence and easing competition over clothing“ (Konheim-Kalkstein). As said earlier in the paper many ways kids express themselves is by their clothing and that in includes colors worn that can be related to gangs. It has been proven that “In fact, gang violence is one of the most influential reasons for adopting uniform policies” (Konheim-Kalkstein). So now by enforcing uniforms it takes away the distinguishing different members of different gangs therefore eliminating the violence between them. Uniforms not only get rid of gang violence but also the “competition over clothing”. School should not be a fashion show and that who ever has the top of the line cloths is the best, that is just not fair to those with not enough money. As student Katie Line says “I think they [uniforms] are an amazing way to keep everyone on the same level.” Uniforms help eliminate the “I’m cooler than you because I have nicer cloths than you” status that kids feel. This competition is a form of school violence because kids who don’t have the nice designer cloths get picked on. Often times this lowers a students self esteem so uniforms also eliminate that as well. uniforms help in a major way of getting rid of school violence.
Uniforms also can help with parents financial situation. Especially with the way today’s economy is. A lot of parents just don’t have the money to provide their kids with the top of the line clothing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, however those kids with a lot of money would go and buy all the more expensive cloths and then think they are above those who don’t have designer cloths. it has been said that, “School uniforms are a bargain. They are becoming far less expensive than many other clothes. Schools argue that school uniforms are economical, especially compared to designer clothing, and parents agree given school uniform durability” (Pros and Cons). This means that not only will they save money but the cloths will last longer because the cloths were “made for repeated wash and wear” (Pros and cons). Cheryl Stephenson mother of Milena Stephenson says that “after two years of uniforms the budget is cheaper for there is no need for new cloths every year” (Stephenson, C.). Some people believe that uniforms actually cost more, yes at the beginning they might but looking back to what Cheryl said, over time it does save money because new wardrobes don’t have to be bought every year and the cloths last longer.
Uniforms also help create a better school environment. Some say that “uniforms make schools safer…behaviors improve…learning improves” (Sholes). Students are now able to focus and pay attention in class because they are not concerned about the cloths that others are wearing therefore allowing students to learn more which helps improve test scores. Not only cam it improve this but it also makes school look more professional:“Some say that a child in a school uniform is more likely to take school seriously. Putting on the school uniform signals he or she is going to school just like dad dresses up to go to work. Schools report that when students dress in "work clothes" rather than "play clothes" they take a more serious approach to their studies.” (Pros and cons)This pretty much explains it. Students will be dressed nicer therefore will look at it as a type of work environment, which in a sense it is because a students “job” is to go to school and get an education. With the nicer clothing and business type attire students will more likely take school seriously thereby improving behavior and improving there abilities to focus and learn.
One of the major concerns people have with uniforms is their thought that uniforms take away a persons individuality. This is not true at all. There are many other ways for one to express them self without having to have nice cloths. There are plenty of ways to accessorize an outfit to make it ones own. There is jewelry that can be worn to give the outfit the pop. A certain hair cut can also change someone’s look in a major way. So we have accessories and hair cut and then there is the most important one the way you act. Katie says “how you look should not define you” (Line). She is very right it should not matter how we look. What really should matter is the way one acts. Uniforms help this because now students are not able to quickly judge someone based on clothing they actually have to get to know the person before making judgment.
So over all yes it is important to express who we are but we can do this with out having to wear the nicest cloths or cloths with funky designs and sayings on them. Students need to learn to be able to express themselves through actions and not looks. Along with learning new ways to express themselves they also have safer and better learning environment. Uniforms do have its pros and cons but the pros out weigh the cons making uniforms the better choice. There is no definite answer, for it is all a matter of opinion and everyone’s opinion is different. But if we were to think logically then it is clear to see that uniforms is the way to go. Students are still capable of being an individual if they can learn to do so and schools have a nicer environment while the students look nicer and learn more. It also gives the student a way of showing their school pride with the fact that most uniforms a in some way school colors or have their mascot somewhere. So I feel that uniforms are logically the way to go.

Works Cited

Line, Katherine. Personal interview. 26 Oct. 2010.
Konheim-Kalkstein, Yasmine L. “A Uniform Look” American School Board Journal
193.8 (2006): 25-27 Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.
“Pros and Cons of School Uniforms.” Article Base. 9 Sept. 2005. Web. 25 Oct. 2010.
“School Uniforms.” Current issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale,
2010. Gale Opposing View Points In Context. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.
Sholes, DeLene. “School Uniforms Pros and Cons.” Suite101.com 22 April, 2009. Web.
25 Oct. 2010.
Stephenson, Cheryl. Personal interview. 26 Oct. 2010
Stephenson, Milena. Personal interview. 26 Oct. 2010
Washington, Melissa. “Should Public School Children Wear Uniforms: No” Helium.
Web. 25 Oct. 2010.