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Debate Topic Should schools require students to wear uniform

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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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1-I think that uniforms should not be mandatory. because for me the presentation is not the important thing in school.
2- the uniforms according to fabric are somewhat uncomfortable.

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Maximiliano Muñoz Rodríguez 8th -1/Alejandro Naranjo Ríos 8th -1

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Maximiliano Muñoz Rodríguez 8th -1/Alejandro Naranjo Ríos 8th -1

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Maximiliano Arguments:

-I am agree but the uniform are esencial in the school but all the people are wearing the same clothes in the school and not depending for the social status.

-I AM agree but the uniform are property of the school and it's requires and comfortable.

Alejandro argument:

-I AM desagree but the students can use the uniform but a day in the month can wear normal clothes

-I AM desagree but the boys can play with else

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1. I disagree with the girl since the uniform is better since you don't have to be washing it every day but it's a great idea the clothes can be twice a week

2. I disagree with the girl because the uniform is more comfortable for the sports and the normal clothes no

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David Alzate castaño, Sebastian Cárdenas 

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David Alzate castaño, Sebastian Cárdenas 

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8-1

David Arguments:

1. I am agree Because it would be a way of equality for students

2. But I would also not let use the tastes of each one

Sebastian arguments:

1. I am disagree because I would rather it be in casual clothes

2.And they could also express themselves through clothing.

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1. I agree with wear uniforms because we don't need to wash all clothes every day because we wear different clothes, on the contrary, with uniforms we can use only two different clothes, so we don't dirty as much clothes, so we don't have to wash as much.

2. With uniforms you don't need to worry for what wear, because you have to wear the uniform.

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1-I disagree because there are uniforms that look very strange for my tastes I also do not like its fabric, it is very uncomfortable for me.

2- On the other hand I agree that the physical education uniform is more comfortable and has a better style than the gala .

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1. I was thinking the uniforms are a little bit important because this represents the school, but the normal clothes represent Us. That means it both is important, talking about the opinions/ point of view. Anyways I think wear the uniforme every week of the school is good but Even sometimes we can bring normal clothes because bring normal clothes everyday Will be bored and misses the emotion

2.I support one of the ideas of the vídeo.The money is included in this case, because the uniforms have a cost and the clothes not, if we are talking about what is the cheaper and what money we can safe, are the normal clothes obviously.

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-I think i like to go with clothes that with a uniform because it is more comfortable and we have free expression dress a we like

-With the uniform we identify with a school and the respect

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1) I think the uniform is important for moments... one moment it would be to represent the school with others schools because is as a achievement for the school

2) even I think that he uniform is not necessary every days... because it's bored,  I also think that the clothes can use some days so it doesn't get boring to wear the uniform every day

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-I agree that we go to school with clothes because no school can take away our freedom of expression and our tastes.

-I agree that we wear clothes to school because the way we dress has nothing to do with our academic process and education.

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My ideas:

1. I am in disagree since the uniform makes it impossible for us to see ourselves as we are

2.because the uniform is not comfortable at all and normal clothes are much better and more comfortable

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1. I I think that the uniform is necessary for Know that from the school "Guadalupano la salle" and to be able to identify ourselves.

2. They are suitable for different subjects and facilitate the learning.

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My idea
The good thing about the uniform is that there is a good presentation in the institution.

-the good thing about normal clothes is that students feel much more comfortable

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I agree with the vote without uniform since it is more comfortable.

I disagree because with school clothes we give respect to the institution.

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I disagree with the uniforms because I think that in a school the imagination or creativity of the students should be raised . I think that the uniform should not be used because it would look very monotonous

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- I agree that we go to school with clothes because each person can have their tastes and their way of dressing.
- I agree that we wear clothes to school because it is more comfortable and the students feel better and other than it will not affect our academic performance and behavior.

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according to fabric are somewhat uncomfortable

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Paulina's ideas

1. I am agree, i think the uniforms can be more confortable, i mean, if the school let you wear clothes you can't wear whatever you want, you should be polite or you'll be in trouble.

2. I think with the uniform we can spend less time when you are dressing up you can waste too much time and it doesn't sound like a good idea because you need to hurry or you'll be late.

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Simon's ideas
1. I agree, i think we should weer uniforms becuse it's a good way to represent the school.

2. I think we can pay attetion to the class because the clothes can be a distraction

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1. I disagree because i think which is unnecessary, because is more comfortable the clothes

2. I disagree because I think there are better Distinguish

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change the daily uniform because it is very uncomfortable.
2.which is very organized and elegant

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1-What the first text refers to is that the school is proud that the students have the uniform of that school.
2-In the second, it refers to the fact that students feel more comfortable with clothes than with a uniform, since it is more liberal to wear clothes and that students feel comfortable

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I think that uniforms help students not have to think about their appearance or how the other will dress after a competition, and they are not a distraction for anyone because they are all the same

uniforms also impede free expression and in
some cases the comfort of the person

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1.I agree because the uniform is more organized and elegant

2.I disagree because the clothes are more comfortable