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History of School Uniforms
Traditionally favored by private and parochial institutions, school uniforms are being adopted by US public schools in increasing numbers. According to a 2020 report, the percentage of public schools that required school uniforms jumped from 12% in the 1999-2000 school year to 20% in the 2017-18 school year. School uniforms were most frequently required by elementary schools (23%), followed by middle (18%), and high schools (10%).

The first recorded use of standardized dress in education may have been in England in 1222, when the Archbishop of Canterbury mandated that students wear a robe-like outfit called the " cappa clausa." The origin of the modern school uniform can be traced to 16th Century England, when the impoverished "charity children" attending the Christ's Hospital boarding school wore blue cloaks reminiscent of the cassocks worn by clergy, along with yellow stockings. As of Sep. 2014, students at Christ's Hospital were still wearing the same uniform, and according to the school it is the oldest school uniform still in use. When Christ's Hospital surveyed its students in 2011, 95% voted to keep the traditional uniforms. Read more history...

Pro & Con Arguments

Pro 1

School uniforms deter crime and increase student safety.

In Long Beach, California, after two years of a district-wide K-8 mandatory uniform policy, reports of assault and battery in the district's schools decreased by 34%, assault with a deadly weapon dropped by 50%, fighting incidents went down by 51%, sex offenses were cut by 74%, robbery dropped by 65%, possession of weapons (or weapon "look-alikes") decreased by 52%, possession of drugs went down by 69%, and vandalism was lowered by 18%.

And, school uniforms prevent the display of gang colors and insignia, reducing gang activity and pressure to join on school property. The U.S. Department of Education's Manual on School Uniforms stated that uniform policies can "prevent gang members from wearing gang colors and insignia at school" in order to "encourage a safe environment." Educators in the Long Beach Unified School District have speculated that the sharp reduction in crime following the introduction of school uniforms was a result of gang conflicts being curbed. Osceola County, Florida School Board member Jay Wheeler reports that the county's schools had a 46% drop in gang activity after their first full school year with a mandatory K-12 uniform policy. Wheeler explains that "clothing is integral to gang culture... Imagine a U.S. Armed Forces recruiter out of uniform trying to recruit new soldiers; the success rate goes down. The same applies to gang recruitment." [35] [37] [67]
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Pro 2

School uniforms keep students focused on their education, not their clothes.

Wearing uniforms also enhances school pride, unity, and community spirit, which can boost interest in education. A study of over 1,000 Texas middle school students found that students in uniform "reported significantly more positive perceptions of belonging in their school community than reported by students in the standard dress group." Christopher P. Clouet, former Superintendent of the New London Public Schools in Connecticut, stated that "the wearing of uniforms contributes to school pride." Arnold Goldstein, PhD, head of the Center for Research on Aggression at Syracuse University, points out that uniforms help troubled students feel they have the support of a community: "There is a sense of belonging." Further, "teachers perceived an increase in the level of respect, caring, and trust... throughout the school" and "students are made to feel 'important' and as if they are a part of a team by wearing a uniform," according to a peer-reviewed study.

Plus, school uniforms can improve attendance and discipline. A study by researchers at the University of Houston found that the average absence rate for girls in middle and high school decreased by 7% after the introduction of uniforms, and behavioral problems lessened in severity. School uniforms make getting ready for school easier, which can improve punctuality.
When uniforms are mandatory, parents and students do not spend time choosing appropriate outfits for the school day. According to a national survey, over 90% of US school leaders believe school uniform or formal dress code policies "eliminate wardrobe battles with kids," make it "easier to get kids ready in the morning," and create a "time saving in the morning." Tracey Marinelli, Superintendent of the Lyndhurst School District in New Jersey, credits the district's uniform policy for reducing the number of students running late. Lyndhurst student Mike Morreale agrees, stating that "it's so much easier to dress than having to search for clothes and find out that something doesn't match." A Youngstown State University study of secondary schools in Ohio's eight largest school districts found that school uniform policies improve rates of attendance, graduation, and suspension.
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Pro 3

Students' legal right to free expression remains intact with mandatory school uniforms.

Besides, students can still express their individuality in school uniforms by introducing variations and adding accessories. Junior high school student Amelia Jimenez wrote in her op-ed for the Pennsylvania Patriot-News that "contrary to popular belief, uniforms do not stop students from being themselves. Uniforms do not silence voices. Students can wear a variety of expressive items, such as buttons or jewlery." Students can inject their personal style into their daily look with hairstyles, nail polish, and colorful accessories such as bags, scarfs, and fun socks. 54% of eighth-graders said they could still express their individuality while wearing school uniforms.

Further, students dressed in uniform are better perceived by teachers and peers. A 1994 peer-reviewed study found that students in uniform were perceived by teachers and fellow students as being more academically proficient than students in regular clothes. The study also found that students in uniform were perceived by peers and teachers as having higher academic potential, and perceived by peers as being better behaved. Students need to learn a balance between free expression and working within the confines of expectations.
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Con 1

School uniforms do not stop bullying and can actually increase violent attacks.

Further, a peer-reviewed study found that "school uniforms increased the average number of assaults by about 14 [per year] in the most violent schools." A Texas Southern University study found that school discipline incidents rose by about 12% after the introduction of uniforms. And, according to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Office of Education Evaluation and Management, fights in middle schools nearly doubled within one year of introducing mandatory uniforms.
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Con 2

School uniforms do not improve attendance, academic preparedness, or exam results.

The problems arise because focusing on uniforms takes attention away from finding genuine solutions to problems in education. Spending time and effort implementing uniform policies detracts from more effective efforts to reduce crime in schools and boost student performance. More substantive improvements to public education could be achieved with smaller class sizes, tightened security, increased parental involvement, improved facilities, and other measures. Tom Houlihan, former Superintendent of Schools in Oxford, North Carolina, stated that school uniforms "are a distraction from focusing on systematic and fundamental transformation to improve our schools."

That uniform policies are a distraction is most evident when we realize that the push for school uniforms is driven by commercial interests rather than educational ones. Americans spend around $1 billion on school uniforms every year. Retailer J.C. Penney Co. says school uniforms are "a huge, important business for us." In one year alone, uniform company Lands' End spent $3 million on marketing efforts directed at public schools and districts. Multiple studies used to promote the effectiveness of uniforms were partly funded by Lands' End, and at least one of those studies is "so wholly flawed as to render itself useless," according to David L. Brunsma. Reuters reported that retailers were "sensing their opportunity... stepping up competition in the uniform aisles and online. Walmart has set up 'uniform shops' or temporary boutiques within some stores."

The commercialization of school uniforms in public schools also undermines the promise of a free education by imposing an extra expense on families. Parents already pay taxes, and they still need to buy regular clothes for their children to wear when they're out of school and for dress-down days. The Children's Commission on Poverty (UK) found that over "95% of parents on low incomes reported difficulties in meeting school-related costs," including uniforms, despite their children attending tuition-free schools. Anderson, Indiana, parents Laura and Scott Bell argued against their children's school uniform policy, saying the $641 for their children's uniforms broke the guarantee of a free public education. In York County, Pennsylvania, a local NBC affiliate reported that some children were missing class because their families couldn't afford to purchase the required uniforms. And, all of that is before the uniform policies themselves are examined. Most operate like dress codes and are classist, racist, and sexist.
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Con 3

School uniforms restrict students' freedom of expression.

Uniforms take away the ability to use clothing as means of expressing support for social causes. Students at Friendly High School in Prince George's County, MD, were not allowed to wear pink shirts to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month and 75 students received suspensions for breaking the school's uniform restrictions. Removing these choices can delay the transition into adulthood. Adults make their own clothing choices and have the freedom to express themselves through their appearance. Denying children and teenagers the opportunity to make those choices may make them ill-prepared for the adult world. Adolescents see clothing choices as a means of identification, and seeking an identity is one of the critical stages of adolescence, according to the late developmental psychologist Erik Erikson.

When students have to wear the same outfits, rather than being allowed to select clothes that suit their body types, they can suffer embarrassment at school. Child and teen development specialist Robyn Silverman says that students, especially girls, tend to compare how each other looks in their uniforms: "As a body image expert, I hear from students all the time that they feel it allows for a lot of comparison... So if you have a body that's a plus-size body, a curvier body, a very tall body, a very short body, those girls often feel that they don't look their best." A study by researchers at Arizona State University found that "students from schools without uniforms reported higher self-perception scores than students from schools with uniform policies." Some students also find uniforms less comfortable than their regular clothes, which may not be conducive to learning.
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Did You Know?

1. The first school district in the United States to require all K-8 students to wear uniforms was Long Beach, CA, in Jan. 1994.

2. Americans spend around $1 billion per year on school uniforms.

3. Students at Eton, one of England's most prestigious schools, were required to wear black top hats and tails on and off campus until 1972.

4. US schools with a minority student population of 50% or more are four times as likely to require uniforms than schools with a minority population of 20-49%, and 24 times more likely than schools with minority populations of 5%-19%.

5. A government agency in Sweden declared that mandatory school uniforms were a human rights violation, stating that students should decide their dress and appearance as "a matter of the individual's freedom and integrity."

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School Uniforms Pros and Cons - 13 Arguments For and Against

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Proponents say uniforms may increase student safety. Opponents say uniforms restrict expression. Explore both sides of the debate.

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Do Video Games Cause Violence? 9 Pros and Cons

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Proponents say playing violent video games causes more aggression. Opponents say the games are a convenient scapegoat for real-life violence.

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Animal Testing | Pros & Cons | ProCon.org

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Proponents say animal testing contributes to life-saving cures and treatments. Opponents say animal testing is cruel and inhumane.

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TikTok Bans - Top 3 Pros and Cons | ProCon.org

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TikTok is a “social media platform designed for creating, editing, and sharing short videos between 15 seconds and three minutes in length. TikTok provides songs and sounds as well as filters and special effects that users can add to their videos.” The app, launched in 2018, is owned by the Chinese…

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is the use of "computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind," according to IBM.

The idea of AI goes back at least 2,700 years. As Adrienne Mayor, research scholar, folklorist, and science historian at Stanford University, explained: "Our ability to imagine artificial intelligence goes back to the ancient times. Long before technological advances made self-moving devices possible, ideas about creating artificial life and robots were explored in ancient myths."

Mayor noted that the myths about Hephaestus, the Greek god of invention and blacksmithing, included precursors to AI. For example, Hephaestus created the giant bronze man, Talos, which had a mysterious life force from the gods called ichor. Hephaestus also created Pandora and her infamous box, as well as a set of automated servants made of gold that were given the knowledge of the gods. Mayor concluded, "Not one of those myths has a good ending once the artificial beings are sent to Earth. It's almost as if the myths say that it's great to have these artificial things up in heaven used by the gods. But once they interact with humans, we get chaos and destruction."

The modern version of AI largely began when Alan Turing, who contributed to breaking the Nazi's Enigma code during World War II, created the Turing test to determine if a computer is capable of "thinking." The value and legitimacy of the test have long been the subject of debate.

The "Father of Artificial Intelligence," John McCarthy, coined the term "artificial intelligence" when he, with Marvin Minsky and Claude Shannon, proposed a 1956 summer workshop on the topic at Dartmouth College. McCarthy defined artificial intelligence as "the science and engineering of making intelligent machines." He later created the computer programming language LISP (which is still used in AI), hosted computer chess games against human Russian opponents, and developed the first computer with "hand-eye" capability, all important building blocks for AI.

The first AI program designed to mimic how humans solve problems, Logic Theorist, was created by Allen Newell, J.C. Shaw, and Herbert Simon in 1955-1956. The program was designed to solve problems from Principia Mathematica (1910-13) written by Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell.

In 1958, Frank Rosenblatt invented the Perceptron, which he claimed was "the first machine which is capable of having an original idea." Though the machine was hounded by skeptics, it was later praised as the "foundations for all of this artificial intelligence."

As computers became cheaper in the 1960s and 70s, AI programs such as Joseph Weizenbaum's ELIZA flourished, and US government agencies including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) began to fund AI-related research. But computers were still too weak to manage the language tasks researchers asked of them. Another influx of funding in the 1980s and early 90s furthered the research, including the invention of expert systems by Edward Feigenbaum and Joshua Lederberg. But progress again waned with a drop in government funding.

In 1997, Gary Kasparov, reigning world chess champion and grand master, was defeated by IBM's Deep Blue AI computer program, a huge step for AI researchers. More recently, advances in computer storage limits and speeds have opened new avenues for AI research and implementation, such as aiding in scientific research and forging new paths in medicine for patient diagnosis, robotic surgery, and drug development.

Now, artificial intelligence is used for a variety of everyday implementations including facial recognition software, online shopping algorithms, search engines, digital assistants like Siri and Alexa, translation services, automated safety functions on cars (and the promised self-driving cars of the future), cybersecurity, airport body scanning security, poker playing strategy, and fighting disinformation on social media, among others.

Amid the field growing by leaps and bounds, on Mar. 29, 2023, tech giants including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, as well as leaders in other industries including Craig Peters, CEO of Getty Images, author Yuval Noah Harari, and politician Andrew Yang, published an open letter calling for a six-month pause on AI "systems more powerful than GPT-4." The letter states, "Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable.... AI research and development should be refocused on making today's powerful, state-of-the-art systems more accurate, safe, interpretable, transparent, robust, aligned, trustworthy, and loyal." The letter, which was open for additional signatures, garnered 1380 signatures by Mar. 30, 2023, from other industry leaders as well as professors, artists, and grandmothers.

Is Artificial Intelligence Good for Society?
Discussion Questions
1. Is artificial intelligence good for society? Explain your answer(s).

2. What applications would you like to see AI take over? What applications (such as handling our laundry or harvesting fruit and fulfilling food orders) would you like to see AI stay away from. Explain your answer(s).

3. Think about how AI impacts your daily life. Do you use facial recognition to unlock your phone or a digital assistant to get the weather, for example? Do these applications make your life easier or could you live without them? Explain your answers.
Take Action
1. Consider Kai-Fu Lee's TED Talk argument that AI can "save our humanity."

2. Listen to AI-expert Toby Walsh discuss the pros and cons of AI in his recent interview at Britannica.

3. Learn " everything you need to know about artificial intelligence " with Nick Heath

4. Examine the " weird" dangers of AI with Janelle Shane's TED Talk.

5. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the "other side of the issue" now helps you better argue your position.

6. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives.
Sources

21.

Noah Rue, "How AI Is Helping People with Disabilities," rollingwithoutlimits.com, Feb. 25, 2019

26.

Amisha, et al., "Overview of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine," Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, July 2019

28.

Science Daily, "First AI System for Contactless Monitoring of Heart Rhythm Using Smart Speakers," sciencedaily.com, Mar. 9, 2021

54.

Retail Technology Innovation Hub, "Retailers Invest Heavily in Self-Checkout Tech amid Covid-19 Outbreak," retailtechinnovationhub.com, July 6, 2021

59.

Future of Life Institute, "Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter," futureoflife.org, Mar. 29, 2023

More Science Debate Topics
Should Humans Colonize Space? - Proponents say space colonization is a way to save humans from extinction. Opponents say humans living in space is pure science fiction.

Is the Internet "Making Us Stupid"? - Proponents say the internet is reprogramming our brains. Opponents say technophobia fuels debates about the internet making us stupid.

Should Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) Be Grown? - Proponents say GMO foods have been proven safe. Opponents say studies have not confirmed the safety of GMOs.

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Is Artificial Intelligence Good for Society? Top 3 Pros and Cons

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Proponents say artificial intelligence can improve workplace safety. Opponents say AI poses dangerous privacy risks. Explore both sides of the debate.

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The American Library Association (ALA) has tracked book challenges, which are attempts to remove or restrict materials, since 1990. In 2020, the ALA recorded 156 reported book challenges in the United States, a significant decrease from the 377 reported challenges in 2019 perhaps due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in 2022 challenges jumped to an all-time high with in 2021 with 729 challenges, containing a total of 1,597 books.

In 2022, attempts to ban books doubled from 2021 with 1,269 attempts to ban 2,571 unique titles, according to the ALA. The numbers also reflect a trend in which one complaint includes challenges for multiple books, whereas in the past most complaints only included one book. As of Aug. 31, 2023, there were 695 book challenges 1,915 unique titles; the ALA notes this is a 20% increase from 2022.

In most years, about 10% of the reported challenges result in removal or ban from the school or library. However, in 2016, five of the top ten most challenged books were removed. The ALA estimates that only about 3% to 18% of challenges are reported to its Office for Intellectual Freedom, meaning that the actual number of attempts to ban books is likely much higher.

In 2021, challenges were most frequently brought by parents (39%), followed by patrons (24%), a board or administration (18%), librarians or teachers (6%), elected officials (2%), and students (1%). Books were most often challenged at school libraries (44%), public libraries (37%), schools (18%), and academic libraries (1%).

Sexually explicit content, offensive language, and "unsuited to any age group" are the top three reasons cited for requesting a book be removed. The percentage of Americans who thought any books should be banned increased from 18% in 2011 to 28% in 2015, and 60% of people surveyed believed that children should not have access to books containing explicit language in school libraries, according to The Harris Poll. A 2022 poll found 71% disagreed with efforts to have books removed, including 75% of Democrats, 58% of independents, and 70% of Republicans.

Should Parents or Other Adults Be Able to Ban Books from Schools and Libraries?

Pro 1

Parents have the right to decide what material their children are exposed to and when.

Having books with adult topics available in libraries limits parents' ability to choose when their children are mature enough to read specific material. "Literary works containing explicit [scenes, as well as] vulgar and obscene language" were on the approved reading list for grades 7-12, according to Speak up for Standards, a group seeking age-appropriate reading materials for students in Dallas, Texas.

If books with inappropriate material are available in libraries, children or teens can be exposed to books their parents wouldn't approve of before the parents even find out what their children are reading.

Bans are necessary because "opting your child out of reading [a certain] book doesn't protect him or her. They are still surrounded by the other students who are going to be saturated with this book," said writer Macey France.
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Pro 2

Children should not be exposed to sex, violence, drug use, or other inappropriate topics in school or public libraries.

Books in the young adult genre often contain adult themes that young people aren't ready to experience. Of the top ten most challenged books in 2020, one had LGBTQ+ content, two were sexually explicit, five dealt with racism and anti-police opinions, and others had profanity and drug use.

According to Jenni White, a former public school science teacher, "Numerous studies on the use of graphic material by students indicate negative psychological effects," including having "more casual sex partners and [beginning] having sex at younger ages."

The American Academy of Pediatrics has found that exposure to violence in media, including in books, can impact kids by making them act aggressively and desensitizing them to violence.

Kim Heinecke, a mother of four, wrote to her local Superintendent of Public Schools that "It is not a matter of 'sheltering' kids. It is a matter of guiding them toward what is best. We are the adults. It is our job to protect them - no matter how unpopular that may seem."
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Pro 3

Keeping books with inappropriate content out of libraries protects kids, but doesn't stop people from reading those books or prevent authors from writing them.

Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council noted that removing certain books from libraries is about showing discretion and respecting a community's values, and doesn't prevent people from getting those books elsewhere: "It's an exaggeration to refer to this as book banning. There is nothing preventing books from being written or sold, nothing to prevent parents from buying it or children from reading it."

What some call "book banning," many see as making responsible choices about what books are available in public and school libraries. "Is it censorship that you're unable to go to your local taxpayer-funded branch and check out a copy of the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion'? For better or for worse, these books are still widely available. Your local community has simply decided that finite public resources are not going to be spent disseminating them," Weekly Standard writer and school board member Mark Hemingway stated.
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Con 1

Parents may control what their own children read, but don't have a right to restrict what books are available to other people.

Parents who don't like specific books can have their kids opt out of an assignment without infringing on the rights of others.

The National Coalition against Censorship explained that "Even books or materials that many find 'objectionable' may have educational value, and the decision about what to use in the classroom should be based on professional judgments and standards, not individual preferences."

In the 1982 Supreme Court ruling on Board of Education v. Pico, Justice William Brennan wrote that taking books off of library shelves could violate students' First Amendment rights, adding that "Local school boards may not remove books from school libraries simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books."
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Con 2

Many frequently challenged books help people get a better idea of the world and their place in it.

Robie H. Harris, author of frequently challenged children's books including It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing up, Sex, and Sexual Health, stated, "I think these books look at the topics, the concerns, the worry, the fascination that kids have today... It's the world in which they're living."

Many books that have long been considered to be required reading to become educated about literature and American history are frequently challenged, such as: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.

46 of the Radcliffe Publishing Group's "Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century" are frequently challenged. Banning these books would deprive students of essential cultural and historical knowledge, as well as differing points of view.
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Con 3

Books are a portal to different life experiences and reading encourages empathy and social-emotional development.

One study found that reading J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, which is frequently challenged for religious concerns about witchcraft, "improved attitudes" about immigrants, homosexuals, and refugees.

Another study found that reading narrative fiction helped readers understand their peers and raised social abilities.

A study published in Basic and Applied Social Psychology found that people who read a story about a Muslim woman were less likely to make broad judgments based on race.

Neil Gaiman, author of the frequently challenged novel Neverwhere, among other books, stated that fiction "build[s] empathy... You get to feel things, visit places and worlds you would never otherwise know. You learn that everyone else out there is a me, as well. You're being someone else, and when you return to your own world, you're going to be slightly changed. Empathy is a tool for building people into groups, for allowing us to function as more than self-obsessed individuals."
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Discussion Questions

1. Should parents or other adults be able to ban books from schools or libraries? Why or why not?

2. Have you read any of the Top 10 Challenged Books of 2021 (see the graphic below)? Should those books be banned or restricted? Explain your answers.

3. Is book banning censorship? Why or why not?

Take Action
1. Evaluate the perspective of parents who would like to remove a book from a school library.

2. Consider " 11 Banned Books through Time " at Encyclopaedia Britannica.

3. Explore the American Library Association's resources and efforts against banning books, including the 13 most challenged books of 2022.

4. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the "other side of the issue" now helps you better argue your position.

5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives.
Sources

28.

Miranda Mazariegos and Meghan Collins Sullivan, "Efforts to Ban Books Jumped an 'Unprecedented' Four-Fold in 2021, Ala Report Says," npr.org Apr. 4, 2022

29.

American Library Association, "Voters Oppose Book Bans in Libraries," ala.org (accessed Apr. 4, 2022)

30.

American Library Association, "Banned Books: Free Downloads," ala.org (accessed Aug. 2, 2022)

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Banned Books Pros and Cons - Top 3 Arguments For and Against

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Proponents say parents have the right to choose what kids read. Opponents say that right doesn't extend to everyone's children.

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History of College Education
The American debate over whether a college education is worth it began when the colonists arrived from Europe and founded "New College" (later renamed Harvard University) in 1636. In spring 2023, there were over 17 million college students in the United States, and over 43 million borrowers owe a collective $1.75 trillion in total student debt.

Colonial America produced nine colleges that still operate: Harvard University (1636), the College of William & Mary (1693), Yale University (1701), Princeton University (1746), Columbia University (1754), Brown University (1764), Dartmouth College (1769), Rutgers University (1766), and the University of Pennsylvania (1740 or 1749). These universities were funded by the colony or England and usually catered to a specific religious denomination such as Congregational or Presbyterian (Puritan). Primary and secondary school systems were not yet established so "college students" were sometimes boys as young as fourteen or fifteen years old and were admitted to receive preparatory education with the assumption that they would matriculate to college-level courses

Pro & Con Arguments

Pro 1

Jobs increasingly require college degrees and college allows students to explore careers and earn better job placements.

Colleges offer career services, internships, job shadowing, job fairs, and volunteer opportunities in addition to a wide variety of courses that may provide a career direction. Over 80% of college students complete internships before graduation, giving them valuable employment experience before entering the job market. Colleges provide networking value.

Meanwhile, college graduates have more and better employment opportunities. 85.2% of college freshmen said they attended college to "be able to get a better job." The unemployment rate for Americans over 25 with a bachelor's degree was 1.9% in Dec. 2019, compared to 2.7% for those with some college or associate's degrees, 3.7% for high school graduates, and 5.2% for high school drop-outs. Underemployment, meaning insufficient work, is lower for college grads (6.2%) as compared to high school-only graduates (12.9%) and people without a high school diploma (18.7%). 58% of college graduates and people with some college or associate's degrees reported being "very satisfied" with their jobs compared to 50% of high school graduates and 40% of people without a high school diploma.

Thus, college graduates make more money. The average college graduate makes $570,000 more than the average high school graduate over a lifetime. Career earnings for college graduates are 71% to 136% higher than those of high school graduates. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York calculated a 14% rate of return on a bachelor's degree, which constitutes a good investment. College graduates earn an average of $78,000, a 75% wage premium over the average $45,000 annual earnings for workers with only a high school diploma. 85% of Forbes' America's 400 Richest People list were college grads.

All of that means a college education has a high return as an investment. Return on investment (ROI) is calculated by dividing the gain from an investment (here the money earned as a result of a college degree) by the cost of the investment (the money spent on a college degree). A college degree has a return of 15% per year as an investment, larger than the stock market (6.8%) and housing (0.4%). Completing some college, but not earning a degree, resulted in a 9.1% return on investment. If a student spent $17,860 (the average cost of tuition and room and board in 2012-2013 for four years at a public university), that student could expect a 15% return of $2,679 each year. According to a 2011 Pew Research survey, 86% of college graduates believed college was a good personal investment.
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Pro 2

Because they learn interpersonal and other skills in college, graduates are more productive as members of society.

Students have the opportunity to interact with other students and faculty, to join student organizations and clubs, and to take part in discussions and debates. According to Arthur Chickering's "Seven Vectors" student development theory, "developing mature interpersonal relationships" is one of the seven stages students progress through as they attend college. Students ranked "interpersonal skills" as the most important skill used in their daily lives in a survey of 11,000 college students. Vivek Wadhwa, technology entrepreneur and scholar, states, "American children party [in college]. But you know something, by partying, they learn social skills. They learn how to interact with each other...They develop skills which make them innovative. Americans are the most innovative people in the world because of the education system." [ 7] [ 16] [ 18]

Students live, go to classes, and socialize with other students from around the world and learn from professors with a variety of expertise. The community of people on a college campus means students are likely to make diverse friends and business connections, and, potentially, find a spouse or mate. Access to a variety of people allows college students to learn about different cultures, religions, and personalities they may have not been exposed to in their hometowns, which broadens their knowledge and perspective. 70.7% of college freshmen in 2015 said they expected to socialize with someone of another racial or ethnic group while in college, while 59.1% said college would help improve their understanding of other countries and cultures.

College graduates attract higher-paying employers to their communities. A 1% increase in college graduates in a community increases the wages of workers without a high school diploma by 1.9% and the wages of high school graduates by 1.6%.
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Pro 3

College graduates and their children are healthier and live longer.

83% of college graduates reported being in excellent health, while 73% of high school graduates reported the same. A University of Southern California study found that adults over 65 with college degrees spent more years with "good cognition" and fewer years suffering from dementia than adults who did not complete high school. In 2008, 20% of all adults were smokers, while 9% of college graduates were smokers. 63% of 25 to 34 year old college graduates reported exercising vigorously at least once a week compared to 37% of high school graduates. College degrees were linked to lower blood pressure in a 30-year peer-reviewed study and lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) by a Carnegie Mellon Psychology department study. In 2008, 23% of college graduates aged 35 to 44 years old were obese compared to 37% of high school graduates. College graduates, on average, live six years longer than high school graduates.

A medical journal study from 1970 to 2009 shows college graduates had lower infant mortality rates than high school graduates. Mothers with only a high school education are 31% more likely to give birth to a low-birth-weight baby than a woman with a college degree. Children aged 2 to 5 years old in households headed by college graduates have a 6% obesity rate compared to 14% for children in households headed by high school graduates. 18% more children aged 3 to 5 years old with mothers who have a bachelor's degree could recognize all letters compared to children of high school graduates. In 2010, 59% of children in elementary and middle school with at least one college graduate for a parent participated in after-school activities like sports, arts, and scouting compared to 27% for high school graduate parents.
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Con 1

College is not a guarantee of a job or better life.

College degrees also do not guarantee learning or job preparation. Many students graduate from college with little understanding of math, reading, civics, or economics. In 2011, 35% of students enrolled in college reported they studied 5 hours or less per week and there was a 50% decline in the number of hours a student studied and prepared for classes compared to a few decades ago. 36% of students demonstrated no significant improvement on Collegiate Learning Assessments after 4 years of college. In 2013 56% of employers thought half or fewer of college graduates had the skills and knowledge to advance within their companies. 30% of college graduates felt college did not prepare them well for employment, specifically in terms of technical and quantitative reasoning skills. A Pew Research survey found that 57% of Americans felt higher education did not provide students with good value compared to the money spent.

Under- or un-employement also translates into fewer workplace benefits. In 2013, 68.9% of employed new college graduates did not receive health insurance through their employers and, in 2011, 27.2% received retirement coverage (down from 41.5% in 2000).

The total cost of going to college means more than tuition, fees, and books; it also includes an opportunity cost which equals at least four years of missed wages and advancements from a full-time job-about $49,000 for a 4-year degree and $20,000 for a 2-year degree.
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Con 2

Student loan debt is crippling for college graduates, their families, and society.

In spring 2023, there were over 17 million college students in the United States, and over 43 million borrowers owe a collective $1.75 trillion in total student debt. 45% of people with student loan debt say college was not worth it. 10% of students graduate with over $40,000 in debt and about 1% have $100,000 in debt. In Feb. 2018, undergraduate college graduates had an average of $37,172 in loan debt. According to the US Congress Joint Economic Committee, approximately 60% of college graduates have student loan debt balances equal to 60% of their annual income. Missing late for loan payments leads to lower credit scores and additional fees, worsening the debt problem.

Finally, student debt could cause another financial crisis. As of 2012 student loan debt was over $1 trillion dollars, and more than 850,000 student loans were in default. According to the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, student loans are "beginning to have the same effect" on the economy that the housing bubble and crash created. Former Secretary of Education William Bennett, PhD, agrees that the student loan debt crisis "is a vicious cycle of bad lending policies eerily similar to the causes of the subprime mortgage crisis." On Feb. 3, 2012, an advisory council to the Federal Reserve also warned that the growth in student debt "has parallels to the housing crisis." As of Jan. 2013, the rate of default on student loans hit 15.1%-a nearly 22% increase since 2007.
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Con 3

Many people would be better served learning a trade or pursuing work right out of high school.
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Did You Know?

1. 19.9 million students were enrolled in colleges and universities in 2019, compared to 13.5 million in 1990, 7.9 million in 1970, and 2.7 million in 1949.

2. The underemployment rate was 34% for all college graduates and 41.1% for recent grads in 2019.

3. One in three college graduates had a job that only required a high school diploma or less, including more than 16,000 parking lot attendants, 83,000 bartenders, and 115,000 janitors with bachelor's degrees.

4. College graduates earn an average of $78,000, a 75% wage premium over the average $45,000 annual earnings for workers with only a high school diploma.

5. The unemployment rate for Americans over 25 with a bachelor's degree was 1.9% in Dec. 2019, compared to 2.7% for those with some college or associate's degrees, 3.7% for high school graduates, and 5.2% for high school drop-outs.

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Proponents of college education say college graduates make more money. Opponents say student loan debt is crippling for college graduates.

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In the United States, Daylight Saving Time (DST) began on Sunday, Mar. 12, 2023 at 2am with clocks "springing forward" one hour, and will end on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, when clocks will "fall back" to Standard Time. In 2024, DST will begin on Mar. 10 and end on Nov. 3.

DST was implemented in the United States nationally on Mar. 31, 1918 as a wartime effort to save an hour's worth of fuel (gas or oil) each day to light lamps and coal to heat homes. It was repealed nationwide in 1919, and then maintained by some individual localities (such as New York City) in what Time Magazine called "a chaos of clocks" until 1966 when the Uniform Time Act made DST consistent nationwide.

DST has been "permanently" implemented nationwide twice, once during World War II and once in the 1970s. As the war ended, only 17% wanted to keep "war time" (DST) year round. In the winter of 1973-1974, DST was used to conserve fuel during the energy crisis. 53% opposed keeping DST, probably because in some parts of the country (primarily western edges of time zones) wouldn't see the sun rise until after 9am.

63 countries used Daylight Saving Time in 2022, while 10 countries used DST in some jurisdictions and not others (like the United States), and 174 countries did not use DS. In the United States, 48 states participate in Daylight Saving Time. Arizona, Hawaii, some Amish communities, and the American territories (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands) do not observe DST.

55% of Americans said they are not disrupted by the time change, 28% report a minor disruption, and 13% said the change is a major disruption. A 2020 poll found 40% of Americans would prefer to stay in Standard Time all year and 31% would prefer to stay in Daylight Saving Time all year, eliminating the time change. 28% of Americans would keep the time change twice a year. However, a 2022 Monmouth University poll found 61% of Americans would stop changing time twice a year, of whom 44% would keep DST and 13% would stay on standard time all year. 35% would keep the time changes.

On Mar. 15, 2022, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved a bill that would make DST permanent as of Nov. 20, 2023 if approved by the House and signed by President Biden. The delay is meant to give airlines and other transportation providers time to adjust to the change as they set schedules months ahead of time. However, no action has been taken in the U.S. House of Representatives to advance the bill.

Should the United States Keep Daylight Saving Time?
Did You Know?
1. Benjamin Franklin is often credited with the idea of DST because, in a satirical letter to the authors of The Journal of Paris, he suggested the French wake earlier to take advantage of "using sunshine instead of candles."

2. DST as we know it was proposed by a New Zealand entomologist, George Vernon Hudson, who wanted longer hours for insect study.

3. The first locality to enact DST was Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay, Ontario), Canada, in 1908. The first country to enact DST was Germany on Apr. 30, 1916, although the Germans dropped the time change at war's end.

4. American farmers were opposed to DST because, regardless of what the clock said, their cows weren't ready to be milked until later in the day during DST.

5. A resort in Madagascar created its own DST, which runs an hour ahead of the rest of the country, so the lemurs would "naturally join us in the Oasis garden... for the '5 O'clock tea.'"

6. Some ancient civilizations are known to have used practices similar to DST. Roman water clocks, for example, used different scales for different times of the year.
Discussion Questions
1. Should the United States keep Daylight Saving Time? Why or why not?

2. Do you feel the effects of springing forward and/or falling back? What effects and how do they impact your day?

3. Compare and contrast the economic benefits and disadvantages of Daylight Saving Time. Is DST good or bad for the economy overall? Explain your answer.
Take Action
1. Consider which states have enacted laws promoting full-time Daylight Saving Time with the National Conference of State Legislatures.

2. Explore the benefits and disadvantages of Daylight Saving Time with National Geographic.

3. Evaluate the objectives of the Save Standard Time campaign.

4. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the "other side of the issue" now helps you better argue your position.

5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing U.S. national senators and representatives.
Sources

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Daylight Saving Time Pros and Cons - Top Advantages and Disadvantages

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Should the U.S. end DST? Proponents say longer daylight hours promote safety. Opponents say the time change is bad for your health.

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Internet & “Stupidity” - Pros & Cons - ProCon.org

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Proponents say the internet is reprogramming our brains. Opponents say technophobia fuels debates about the internet making us stupid.

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Halloween takes place on Oct. 31 regardless of the day of the week. In 2021, Halloween is on a Sunday. In 2020, Halloween fell on a Saturday, though the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic led many jurisdictions to adapt or cancel traditional activities.

According to tradition, children in the United States dress up in costumes and go door-to-door in their neighborhoods saying "trick or treat" to receive candy.

Some would like to see Halloween held on a Saturday every year for safety reasons, and petitioned President Trump via change.org. However, others point out that the federal government doesn't have the ability to make that change because Halloween isn't a federal holiday.

About 172 million Americans celebrated Halloween in 2019. The top costumes for kids were princess, superhero, Batman, a Star Wars character, and a witch. Almost 17% of Americans buy costumes for their pets, with the top choices being pumpkins, hot dogs, and bumblebees. Americans spent an estimated $8.8 billion, or $86.27 per person, in 2019 on Halloween goods such as candy to hand out, decorations, costumes, and pumpkins.

Fewer Americans celebrated Halloween in 2020 (148 million), likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures, however those who did celebrate spent more individually on their festivities at $92.12 per person, or about $8.0 billion total. Top kids' costumes were princess, Spiderman, superhero, ghost, and Batman.

In 2021, experts expect consumers to spend a record $10.14 billion as more people plan to hand out candy or attend parties than in 2020.

Should Halloween Be Moved Permanently to Saturday?

Pro 1

Celebrating Halloween on a Saturday would make the holiday safer for children.

A study found an 83% increase in fatal crashes involving children and a 55% increase in pedestrian fatal crashes when Halloween falls on a weeknight. There's been an increase of at least 21 fatal crashes every time the holiday fell on a Friday since 1994. Safe Kids Worldwide stated, "Twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween than any other day of the year."

82% of parents don't add high visibility aids such as reflective tape or glow sticks to their kids' costumes, and 63% of trick-or-treaters don't carry flashlights, according to the Halloween & Costume Association, an organization that created a petition to move Halloween to Saturdays signed by over 150,000 people.

Moving Halloween to a Saturday would allow trick-or-treating to begin in the daylight hours, reducing risk of fatal crashes and eliminating the need for costume safety alterations and flashlights. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said fatal crashes can occur on Halloween when trick-or-treaters dart out into the street unexpectedly. Communities could create safer walking conditions on a Saturday Halloween by blocking off selected roads, which wouldn't be practical on weeknights when people are returning home from work.
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Pro 2

Celebrating Halloween on a Saturday would be more fun and less stressful for everyone.
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Pro 3

A Saturday Halloween would minimize the holiday's negative impact on schools and learning.

School day Halloween celebrations, which may have sweet treats and loud music, raise potential issues for students with serious food allergies, kids on the autism spectrum, and those with anxiety. Students and even teachers sometimes cause disruptions by wearing costumes that are inappropriate, racist, or just plain too scary.
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Con 1

Moving Halloween to Saturday would put kids on the streets on the most dangerous night of the week.

Halloween is already a dangerous holiday, with about 43% more pedestrians dying on the holiday than other autumn nights. Moving the holiday to Saturdays, the most dangerous day of the week, could further increase injuries and deaths because people would start drinking alcohol earlier in the day, and consume more overall than they would on a weeknight.

Drivers ages 15 to 25 are responsible for nearly a third of all child pedestrian fatal accidents on Halloween. Moving the holiday to the weekend every year would likely increase the fatalities because of later curfews and a lack of school and other responsibilities the following day.

Saturdays have the most fatal car crashes of any day, with a total of 5,873 during 2017 (over 500 more than the second-highest crash day). In 2017, there were an additional 799,000 nonfatal traffic accidents on Saturdays. 53% more road deaths occur on Saturdays than on Tuesdays, the safest day of the week.
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Con 2

Moving Halloween would ignore the holiday's ancient and religious traditions.

The origins of Halloween have religious and cultural importance, tracing back 2,000 years to the pagan festival Samhain (pronounced "sow-in"), in which the ancient Celts celebrated the end of summer from sunset on Oct. 31 to sunset on Nov. 1. They believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth, blurring the boundary between the living and dead. Around 43 AD, the Romans, who were then ruling the Celtic territory, combined their Feralia festival honoring the dead with the Samhain activities.
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Con 3

Moving Halloween to Saturday would allow kids more time to be mischievous.

Amarjeet Sidhu, a seventh grader at the time of this quote, stated, "I think that Halloween should always be celebrated on the 31st. If it is celebrated on Saturdays, kids would go out late at night and put graffiti on signs, smash pumpkins and egg houses. I know this from experience. It won't feel right if Halloween is not on Oct. 31."
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Discussion Questions
1. Should Halloween be moved to Saturday? Why or why not?

2. Would moving Halloween to Saturday make the holiday safer or more unsafe? Explain your answer.

3. Would moving Halloween to Saturday be disrespectful? Why or why not?
Take Action
1. Consider "24 years of proof" that Halloween should be on Saturday from Sara Routhier and Daniel Walker from Autoinsurance.org.

2. Explore the history of Halloween at Encyclopaedia Britannica.

3. Investigate the history of Samhain, the precursor to Halloween and a reason cited to keep Halloween on the 31st, at The Peak.

4. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the "other side of the issue" now helps you better argue your position.

5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives.
Sources

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Saturday Halloween - Top 3 Pros and Cons - ProCon.org

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Halloween takes place on Oct. 31 regardless of the day of the week. In 2019, Halloween falls on a Thursday. According to tradition, children in the United States dress up in costumes and go door-to-door in their neighborhoods saying "trick or treat" to receive candy. [...]Read More...

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Americans eat an average of 58 pounds of beef, 96 pounds of chicken, and 52 pounds of pork, per person, per year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Vegetarians, about 5% of the US adult population, do not eat meat (including poultry and seafood). The percentage of Americans who identify as vegetarian has remained steady for two decades. 11% of those who identify as liberal follow a vegetarian diet, compared to 2% of conservatives.

Many proponents of vegetarianism say that eating meat harms health, wastes resources, and creates pollution. They often argue that killing animals for food is cruel and unethical since non-animal food sources are plentiful.

Many opponents of a vegetarian diet say that meat consumption is healthful and humane, and that producing vegetables causes many of the same environmental problems as producing meat. They also argue that humans have been eating and enjoying meat for 2.3 million years. Read more background...

Pro & Con Arguments

Pro 1

It is cruel and unethical to kill animals for food when vegetarian options are available, especially because raising animals in confinement for slaughter is cruel, and many animals in the United States are not slaughtered humanely.

Animals are sentient beings that have emotions and social connections. Scientific studies show that cattle, pigs, chickens, and all warm-blooded animals can experience stress, pain, and fear. In 2017, the United States slaughtered a total of 170.5 million animals for food, including 33.7 million cows, 9.2 million chickens, 124.5 million pigs, and 2.4 million sheep. These animals should not have to die painfully and fearfully to satisfy an unnecessary dietary preference.
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Pro 2

A vegetarian diet is more healthful than a carnivorous diet.

According to the USDA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, meat is not an essential part of a healthy diet. Studies have linked heme iron found in red meat with an increased risk of colorectal, stomach, and esophageal cancers. Vegetarian sources of iron like leafy greens and beans contain non-heme iron.

A vegetarian diet reduces overuse of antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics in CAFOs causes antibiotic resistant bacteria to develop, which may endanger human health.
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Pro 3

A vegetarian diet is better for the environment.
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Pro 4

Eating fish is not more ethical, environmentally sound, or healthful than eating other animal protein sources.
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Pro 5

A vegetarian diet lowers risk of diseases.

A vegetarian diet reduces the chances of developing kidney stones and gallstones. Diets high in animal protein cause the body to excrete calcium, oxalate, and uric acid-the main components of kidney stones and gallstones.
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Pro 7

Human anatomy has evolved to support a primarily vegetarian diet.

Carnivores have large mouths with pointed teeth, short intestines (three to six times body length), and their livers can detoxify the excess vitamin A absorbed from meat. Human teeth are short and flat, we have long intestines (10-11 times body length), and our livers cannot detoxify excess vitamin A.
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Con 1

Eating meat is natural, not cruel or unethical.
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Con 2

Vegetarian diets are not necessarily better for the environment.

Almost 100 million acres of farmland in the Corn Belt (about a third of the total farmland in the area) has lost all topsoil due to erosion, reducing corn and soybean yields by 6%, which is an almost $6 billion loss for farmers. The erosion also pollutes nearby waterways.

Vegetarian diets can cause the death of animals too. According to a 2003 study by Steven Davis at Oregon State University, about six animals per acre, or 52-77% of the animals (such as birds, mice, and rabbits) that live in agricultural crop fields, are killed during harvest.

Further, it is not necessary to become vegetarian to lower our environmental footprint. Some vegetarians eat an unhealthy diet, drive SUVs, and consume eggs and dairy products produced at factory farms (CAFOs). Some meat eaters use solar panels, ride bikes, grow their own vegetables, and eat free-range organic meat. All of a person's actions make a difference-not just a single act such as eating meat.
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Con 3

Eating meat is part of a healthful diet.

Meat is the most convenient protein source available. In one serving, meat provides all the essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein), as well as essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, and B vitamins. Most plant foods do not provide adequate levels of all the essential amino acids in a single serving.
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Con 4

A diet that includes meat does not raise risk of disease.

Lean red meat, eaten in moderation, can be a healthful part of a balanced diet. According to researchers at the British Nutrition Foundation, "there is no evidence" that moderate consumption of unprocessed lean red meat has any negative health effects.
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Con 5

A diet that includes fish provides the body with essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Fish are a powerful source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA which are important for brain function, lowering triglycerides, and reducing the risk of death from heart attacks and strokes.

Although the omega-3 fatty acid ALA can be found in plant oils, the ALA must first be converted by the body into the essential EPA and DHA. The process is inefficient and may not provide the same cardiovascular benefits as eating fish.
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Con 6

Vegetarians do not live longer.

This myth stems from the fact that vegetarians tend to be more health conscious overall, eating a more balanced diet, exercising more, and smoking less than the general population.

When a study from the German Cancer Research Center compared health conscious meat eaters with vegetarians, there was no difference in overall mortality rates.
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Con 7

Humans are omnivores and have evolved to consume even more meat.

Evidence shows our taste buds evolved to crave meat's savory flavor.
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Proponents of vegetarianism say it is cruel and unethical to kill animals for food. Opponents say humans are natural omnivores.