Why Uniforms? | Teen Ink

Why Uniforms?

June 15, 2010
By Honeybunn GOLD, Chesterfield, South Carolina
Honeybunn GOLD, Chesterfield, South Carolina
11 articles 1 photo 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
*look inside my quote book*


Florence is a teenage girl who loves to shop until she absolutely drops. She spends her time reading Teen Vogue to keep up with latest fashion trends. Since she has an expensive hobby, she must work very hard for the money to pay for it. Then, at the end of the week, she goes to find the perfect outfit and buys it. Sounds like a normal teenage girl’s story right? Well think again because Florence cannot wear her outfit to school. Not because it reveals any thing, but because her school makes it mandatory for her to wear uniforms. How do you think Florence likes this mandatory rule for her school?
The schools that require students to wear uniforms think uniforms are great because they will make the school look nice and professional. If you sat down and thought about it though, would it really matter? For example, if you take a worn down school and give each student uniforms, would it make the school look professional? No, because people do not look at the individual attending the school. They look at the schools outside appearance and test scores.
Some people argue saying that the test scores will improve because of uniforms. Well, my opinion differs from that because if you compare a creative person to a noncreative person, who will be smarter? The creative person would be smarter because they are able to think into things more. Creativity deals with this topic because when someone goes to buy clothes, they are choosing things they like. They are choosing a style that fits them, which is practicing their creative side with out them knowing it. Now do you think when a person if forced to wear something chosen by someone else, is that making him or her practice creativity?
How about when an Elementary or Middle school turns to uniforms? The students are just little kids, so does it really matter? In elementary school, children are developing their own personality. So when they can’t express themselves by choosing their own clothes, how are they going to know that they are different than the kid beside them? How about middle school? I mean shouldn’t they not be worrying about the latest trend over who discovered America? Well while becoming a young adult, they need to learn to make their own decisions. Well the simplest decision pre-teens and teens start making is picking out their clothes.

Another problem schools face is dress code. Well, even with a uniform code, there are going to be kids that do not like following the rules. That is a fact of life and you cannot change it. By the way, if a school enforces a normal dress code, the school will automatically look professional and look like they know what they are doing.

My last but important reason for a community not to have uniforms in their schools is because if the community is a poor community, how can the parents buy twenty dollars to forty dollars worth of uniforms? How can the children have clothes for school? So if a parent gives a day of groceries for a day’s uniform, how will the family survive? I mean they are choosing food over dress code. Which one would you choose?

If it’s a finance issue, an undeveloped personality, or a un-development of decision making, then uniforms are not necessary for schools. Sure they look nice, but it should be an option for a student to wear them. Just think about how sports work. If you didn’t want to wear the jersey, you wouldn’t try out for the team. Really though, uniforms do not solve problems they just help create them. So why use them?



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This article has 4 comments.


Honeybunn GOLD said...
on Jun. 20 2010 at 9:52 am
Honeybunn GOLD, Chesterfield, South Carolina
11 articles 1 photo 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
*look inside my quote book*

thats really cool how you still make your uniform a unique style. :)

Honeybunn GOLD said...
on Jun. 20 2010 at 9:51 am
Honeybunn GOLD, Chesterfield, South Carolina
11 articles 1 photo 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
*look inside my quote book*

yeah i agree but you see at my old school we had uniforms also. and some of the richer people wouldnt get their uniforms from the school, they would go off and buy "high name brand" lookalikes so either way you cant escape that pressure of the lastest fassion

MarissaS14 said...
on Jun. 20 2010 at 3:49 am
i think your soo right my school has uniforms we have to wear brown, gold, and khaki. but i get over it by adding my own style like bright pink socks, dye-die scarfs, and other stuff.  but no matter what i still like my uniforms, there so cozy!

on Jun. 17 2010 at 6:27 pm
AelitaReloaded PLATINUM, Scottsdale, Arizona
22 articles 0 photos 179 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The pen is mightier than the sword" author unknown (to me)

You make some good points, but I think that uniforms are a good idea in some stiuations.  Students can not be teased ovrer their fashion choices, or if they don't have the money for the latest fashions.