The idea of uniforms in public schools is one that comes up periodically and always causes gives rise to much debate among students, parents, teachers and school administrators. Opinions differ markedly, with some of the opinion that requiring uniforms is stifling individuality and is an imposition on parents with limited financial means, while others see it as a leveler, removing socioeconomic differences between students, and generally improving behavior (Anderson). The differences boil down to two fundamental points of view: that school uniforms infringe on students' First Amendment Rights, and that school uniforms decrease violence and increase performance.
My thesis is that uniforms are a good idea in public schools because they are far less distracting than the kinds of clothing students wear today. They allow students to focus on their work and not be distracted by girls in short skirts barely covering their underwear and spaghetti strap tops, and boys in heavy metal T-shirts with violent slogans, and baggy pants almost dropping off their hips and showing their underwear. Uniforms promote a sense of belonging and togetherness, of cooperation with fellow students. They show that everyone is alike, that they are all in the same boat, all pursuing the same goals. This reduces tension and competitiveness and encourages the students to concentrate on their studies.
Research so far has shown no clear link between how students dress and their behavior, but "anecdotal evidence - and certainly many people's perceptions - generally support some type of dress code in elementary, middle and high schools" (Anderson). For students in elementary and middle school, uniforms are seen as "a concrete and visible means of restoring order to the classroom" by both teachers and parents. Older students often object to school uniforms, as do some parents and civil libertarians, who see them as restricting freedom of expression and im...