Are Uniforms Really Beneficial?

RING!! The morning bell rings at school, and all the kids rush in. The teacher starts giving instructions, but a student walks in, late, wearing the fanciest Gucci and Armani clothes. All the kids envy him, yet the school allows the dress code. Now think about a kid who can’t afford that type of clothing. How would he feel like? He wouldn’t want to come to school the next day, maybe because he gets bullied due to his appearance.

Dress codes and uniforms have been a very debatable topic ever since 1969 when the first dress codes and uniform policies were implemented. There has been much misapprehension between dress codes and uniforms. A dress code allows kids to wear anything that follows the norms of the school’s dress codes. On the other hand, a uniform is a school designated clothing that every child has to wear when he or she comes to school. Having a uniform has many benefits.

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Teens say that having a uniform takes away their freedom of wearing whatever they want. But, they never think about the bright side of having a uniform.

Uniforms wouldn’t only create a better learning environment, it also helps increase the school spirit and be more affordable to families.

Uniforms create a better atmosphere in the learning environment. They reduce the levels of bullying and increase the kids’ academic performance. In New York School district, after the Uniform policy was implemented, 80% of girls and 62% of boys said that they preferred having a uniform. They were less concerned about how they looked. As a result, they focused on their studies more. One would predict, their academic performance increased. Bullying is another issue that is very common in today’s society. Bullying is a major issue that children feel depressed, or get affected mentally. Uniform reduces the amount of bullying. Visualize, you were being bullied because of what you were wearing. Visualize, you were being bullied because of what you were wearing. What thoughts would come to your mind? What if, your bully was wearing similar clothing? Both of you will be dressed the same, resulting in not getting picked on. A Research by Schoolwear Association found that 83% of teachers thought that “ a good school uniform… could prevent bullying based on appearance or economic background.” In other words, One parent may not be able to offer the same branded clothes another parent can offer to their children. Uniforms prevent discrimination between luxurious and generic brands. if everyone was wearing a similar dress, there would be no reason for getting bullied on appearance and clothing. Uniforms haven’t only shown their magic in the behavior of kids but have also shown it is helping increase the school spirit.

Uniform increases students' school pride. School spirit is a sense of identity that each kid holds for a school. For example, sports teams have their own team spirit. This is what keeps them motivated. The same thing applies to schools. Uniforms can help keep the school spirit high. If there was no school spirit, there would be no positivity around the school. Negativity around the school will impact the student’s academic performance, such as grades dropping. If there were uniforms, all the students would feel a higher bond of unity. Unity, in other words, helps students feel more connected and closer. Students would feel a sense of pride in their school. A student shows his school spirit by participating and hosting activities that bring a bunch of students together. That develops unity between the people. School Spirit might be one reason students prefer uniforms, but money can be also another factor.

One might think that having a uniform is too expensive. Low-income families might think that buying a uniform is very costly. But, that is a fake myth. In the long run, having a uniform is low-cost for families. According to a NY Post article, "most parents responded that they spent $48 on pants for their children and that $30 was a "reasonable" price for a T-shirt”. This was when they were shopping for general multiple clothes for back-to-school. Using these numbers, an average family spends more than $300 for back-to-school shopping. They bought a variety of tops and bottoms. Now, according to the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), a survey done in 2013, said that an average uniform which consists of 5 tops and bottoms costs around $150. This clearly indicates that there is a 50% saving in purchasing uniforms. According to another research done by NAESP, 86% of parents preferred having a uniform because it made them more budget-friendly. If low-income families can’t afford the money to buy a uniform, they can always go to the Salvation Army, national retailers, churches, or even non-profit agencies, near them. Maybe, buying a uniform is no harm for families, it might be a benefit.

Schools and families have the benefit of having a uniform because they create a better learning environment, raise school spirit for students, and are more affordable clothing then general brands.