The ongoing school uniforms debate is all about the issues, such as – School uniforms are good or bad? School uniforms are necessary or unnecessary? School uniforms are beneficial or baneful? It is a debate between the people supporting school uniforms speaking for school uniforms and the people against school uniforms speaking against school uniforms.
The school uniforms debate is actively participated by academicians, school authorities, legislators, and parents, who stand divided on the school uniforms issue. There are numerous voices for school uniforms and there are numerous against school uniforms. The school uniforms debate is fierce and sounds to be unceasing.
The people speaking for school uniforms in school uniforms debate feel that school uniforms are requisite for smooth working of schools and creating climate of learning in schools. According to school uniform advocators, school uniforms helps reducing “ganging” in schools and make it easier to identify trespassers; thus help creating safe atmosphere in schools. The US Department of Education in 1996 articulated that “Crimes in schools decreased by 36%, school violence decreased by 51%, and vandalism decreased by 8%,” just because of school uniforms.
School uniforms promote sense of responsibility, discipline, dignity, and pride, and always make students realize that they are in schools just for learning. According to NAESP’s (National Association of Elementary School Principals) study in 1998, schools with active uniform policies had almost 20% better discipline rate, and 10% better results that the schools with non-active uniform policies. School uniforms help students concentrate more in studies and school assignments. School uniforms help erasing socio-economical barriers and cultural & economic disparities among the students. Former President Clinton’s State of the Union address, “public schools should be able to require their students to wear uniforms,” fired up the school uniforms debate even more in 1996.
The people speaking against school uniforms in school uniforms debate view school uniforms as unnecessary. According to school uniform opposers, school uniforms stand for tyranny of schools and make students servile and submissive; they hinder personality development of students. School uniforms violate the fundamental right, right to liberty and self expression, of students. School uniforms are economic burden on parents, as school uniforms are very expensive. The people against school uniforms in school uniforms debate go to the extent of holding school uniforms evil and unnecessary, which should be banished from schools.