Public School Problems

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Much concern has been raised about violence in the public schools and about related issues such as the failure of the schools to teach, the growth of class and racial tensions in the schools, and so on. One solution that has been offered for many of these problems is school uniforms, sen in particular as a way of defusing tensions created by envy over the ability of some students to wear designer clothing, such as expensive sneakers, which have led to violence as certain of the have-nots in society have seen a chance to take from the haves. Another reason is that administrators and teachers see the primary purpose of school as learning and believe that clothing differences are only a distraction to students. At the elementary and intermediate school levels, students are not mature enough to understand the reason for clothing differences and for the ability of some students to dress better than others. In addition, anything which reduces tensions and stresses and increases the learning process should be considered and tested, and school uniforms are one such change that can be instituted.

LaFalce notes that when we send children to school, we expect them to learn and play with friends and return home happy. We expect that they will be safe at school: "We do not anticipate that they should worry about being beaten up or shot at for their sneakers or designer jacket, or bullied for their supposedly unfashionable clothes, or robbed of valuable personal effects and jewelr

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eating higher attendance, increased test scores and fewer disciplinary problems" (Thomas PG). The seattle school board early took a mild approach by voting to encourage its nearly 100 elementary and high schools to adopt codes for what students may or may not wear, and while precise definitions were left vague, baggy jeans, overcoats, sportsteam jackets, bandannas, and baseball caps were considered a wrong choice. The approach had its critics from the first, including the American Civil Liberties Union and, of course, thousands of students. One of the arguments school uniforms was that it infringed on student's rights -- yet it should be noted that as adolescents they are not yet afforded all the rights that adults have. Another criticism of the policy weakly linked uniforms to racism, and stated that "most codes single out 'gang' clothing that has emerged from the urban black culture" ("Dressed for Survival" 32). Clearly, this is an empty argument, and, Dresscode supporters retort that doing away with gangrelated clothing will reduce fighting over real or imagined slights between students, while making the classes more businesslike. As one Seattle schoolboard member put it, "Students often act the way they are dre
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2040
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

Public School Problems

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