School uniforms are one of the most discussed, most debated, and most controversial issues associated with the schools and education systems. Some people no longer view school uniforms as symbol of discipline and necessary for learning in schools. They don’t acclaim school uniforms for their positive benefits in schools. However, on the contrary, some people still feel that school uniforms are necessary for the efficient working of schools. This has created hot debate between exponents of school uniforms and opponents of school uniforms.
The exponents of school uniforms review school uniforms as necessary for schools. They help creating safe and conducive climate of learning in schools. They inculcate the sense of responsibility and discipline among students. The advocators of school uniforms review school uniforms as instrumental in creating safe atmosphere in schools; they help reducing and curbing the activities of gangs, trespassers, and outsiders in schools.
The proponents of school uniforms review school uniforms as necessary because school uniforms make students realize that they are in schools just for learning and studying. School uniforms make students concentrate more on their studies than other activities. To support their argument, the exponents offer the some statistics of US Department of Education, 1996, which say that “school uniforms helped decreasing school crimes by 36%, school violence by 51%, and vandalism by 8%.” They also offer the NAESP’s (National Association of Elementary School Principals) study in 1998, which revealed that 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 however get harsh treatment from their staunch critics. The critics of school uniforms review school uniforms as unnecessary and evil, violating the student’s right to liberty and self expression. According to critics, right to liberty and self expression is constitutionally guaranteed, but school uniforms infringe the student’s right to liberty and self expression, which should not be tolerated.
The critics of school uniforms review school uniforms as the biggest stumbling block in the student’s personality development. According to critics, school uniforms just make students submissive and servile, and the submissive and servile students cannot be the thinkers of tomorrow. The critics of school uniforms review school uniforms as a great financial burden on parents of pupils, who bear costs of school uniforms because of their constantly growing children. The critics of school uniforms feel that school uniforms should be banished for the real benefits of students.