Uniform essay - Grade: A+ PDF

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Argumentative essay on school uniform. ( reasons why uniforms should be worn and reasons it shouldn't)...

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Linda Okojie Prof Shewaneh ENG 102. 23 September 2019 School Uniform A school uniform is defined as unique clothes worn by pupils at a particular school (OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com). The deliberations on if public school students should wear school uniforms or not might be unacceptable by students and other individuals involved. However, the benefits of school uniforms cannot be denied, as it is a significant aspect of a wellstructured school. School uniforms should be mandatory for public school students because it would help increase students’ academic performance, reduce inappropriate dressing, instill discipline in students, and reduce sexual harassment. The first reason why public-school students should wear school uniforms is that student academic performance will improve. Quite a lot of students are easily distracted by their appearance, and they do not concentrate on their schoolwork. To illustrate, I have two younger siblings who are between the ages of 13 and 16 attending a public school in the DC environs. They take up to two hours looking for the best outfit to get ready for school, which makes me worried because if they spend the same time on their academics, they will perform excellently well in their studies. Besides, wearing school uniforms will help students become well organized with their academic careers, making them perform outstandingly well with their studies. Several students are disorganized because they are in-between, making unrealistic choices for their school outfits, which make them tardy and disordered always. For example, the school bus usually arrives at 7:00 am to pick my younger siblings up to school, but they barely get ready for

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the school bus because they are often disorganized getting prepared for school in time. However, if school uniforms were imposed on public schools, the issues of students running down the hall because they could not organize themselves for school the next day would be reduced as been disorganized affects students’ academic performance Another reason why public-school students should wear school uniforms is that they minimize inappropriate dressing amongst students. Inappropriate dressing put several students under peer pressure. According to the National Association of Elementary School Principals and uniform manufacturer Lands’ End, “86% of school leaders said uniforms make, “a significant, positive impact on peer pressure” (The lobby). Wearing school uniforms will help reduce peer pressure amid students, as they will all be looking the same in their school outfits respectively bringing unity between them. Peer pressure issues would be reduced among students as they focus more on their schoolwork, and dress appropriately instead of putting themselves under unnecessary pressure. Also, uniforms bring a sense of unity among students, and it helps them dress appropriately, representing an organization. According to Jason Wings, the head-teacher at the Neal-Wade Academy,” Uniforms shows that people are part of an organization, and wearing it implies that they are in it together” (Spencer np). School uniforms bring oneness among the student with the way they dress. For example, students who overdress inappropriately to intimidate their peers would no longer be able to do so again because the dress form would have been changed to a more uniformed way that would bring unison between students. Additionally, the compulsion of school uniforms would help reduce sexual harassment in school. Some students are victims of sexual harassment by their classmates because of what they wear to school. According to Russo in New York, says, “Even kids who initially don’t like the idea of school uniforms, feel that they are being treated with more respect” (Viadero np).

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Dressing inaptly to students is a form of fashion, which is not because the way they dress is the way they one is addressed. For example, “Girls dresses contribute to sexualized images by providing opportunities for increasingly young girls to wear clothing designed to highlight female sexuality. Besides, researchers have observed the production and marketing of ‘sexy’ clothing in teenage sizes. These inspirational images provide girls a template on which to construct their behaviors, self-concept, and identities” (Richmond 5). Female students contribute more to sexual harassment on campuses because of how they dress; but with school uniforms, sexual harassment would be reduced because students would no longer wear body-hugging dresses to school, causing unnecessary distractions. Most importantly, wearing school uniforms will help instill discipline in students. The majority of negative issues arising because of bad behaviors demonstrated by public school students would be compact, as unruly students who lack discipline would submit to corrections without hesitation as school uniforms command respects, and sanctions follow immediately for any disobedient student. To illustrate, “the percentage of public-school teachers reporting that they had been physically attacked by a student from their school, in 2015–16 (6 percent) was higher than in all previous survey years (around 4 percent in each survey year) except in 2011– 12, when the percentage was not measurably different from that in 2015–16” (NCES 49). With school uniforms, students would be scared to act in a disorderly manner. Additionally, crimes committed in public schools would be minimal as school uniforms remind the student that they belong to an organization. Majority of the crime committed in public-schools is prompted as a result of students wearing designer outfits to school, and unknowingly to them that they are creating an unhealthy competition between them and their other peers who cannot afford such designers. However, with school uniforms, the rate of public school crime would be reduced, as

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there would not be any form of rivalry among students. The National Center for Education Statistics found that “during the 2013-2014 school year alone, 65 percent of all public schools reported at least one act of violence had been committed, cumulating in approximately 757,000 incidents throughout the country” (Writer np). If uniforms are allowed in public schools, criminal acts by students will decrease because of jealousy amongst students. Besides, much publicschool violence has been expressed because of students forming gangs in school. Some students who are gang members wear the same outfits on specific days of the school duration, thereby creating an atmosphere that scares other students from crossing their paths. For instance, “in 2017, about 4 percent of students ages 12–18 reported that they had been afraid of attack or harm at school during the school year. A lower percentage of students (3 percent) reported that they had been afraid of attack or harmed away from school during the school year” (NCES 50). Crime acts will no longer exist if only uniforms are allowed in public schools. There is ample evidence to conclude that school uniforms are proper. However, I am afraid I have to disagree because I feel it is more important for students to dress to school whichever way they want, as uniforms are expensive to afford by some parents. Several publicschool pupils are from a humble background where their parents cannot provide for their basic needs, and adding school uniforms expenses will create more complicated financial situations. According to Sheelagh Cooper, the Coalition for the Protection of Children, “The costs of sweaters, blazers, and winter pants places an additional burden on already struggling parents, and dozens of children have been sent home from school because their parents cannot afford uniforms” (Bell np). Enacting the school uniform policy, the organization in charge should consider families who are not financially buoyant to afford their children’s needs.

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In sum, if public school students wear school uniforms, it would increase their academic performance, reduce indecent dressing amongst students, reduce sexual harassment in school, and instill a high level of discipline in students. The fact remains that school uniform needs to be accepted by all public-school authorities, parents, and students in general, to promote peace, unity, and create a proper learning environment for the pupils.

WORK CITED

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Bell, Jonathan. “Parents Struggling to Afford School Uniforms: The Royal Gazette: Bermuda Education.” The Royal Gazette, www.royalgazette.com/article/20151117/NEWS05/151119740. Nov 17, 2015

“Https://Scholarship.richmond.edu/Cgi/Viewcontent.cgi?Article=2275&Context=Law-FacultyPublications.” Https://Scholarship.richmond.edu/Cgi/Viewcontent.cgi?Article=2275&Context=LawFaculty-Publications. 2016 Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com.” School-Uniform Noun - Definition, “School-Uniform Noun - Definition, Pictures, Pronunciation and Usage Notes: Oxford Advanced Pictures, Pronunciation and Usage Notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com, www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/school-uniform. Spencer, Chloe. "What's the point of school uniform?" The Guardian. 03 Oct. 2013. Guardian News and Media. 18 Sept. 2019

Writers, Staff. “Keeping Our Students Safe: Preventing Violence in K-12 Schools.” AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org, AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org, 12 Sept. 2019. www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/violence-prevention-schools/. Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com.” School-Uniform Noun - Definition, “School-Uniform Noun - Definition, Pictures, Pronunciation and Usage Notes: Oxford Advanced Pictures, Pronunciation and Usage Notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com, www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/school-uniform. “Uniforms in School.” The Lobby Observer, lobbyobserver.org/14462/opinion/uniforms-inschool/. Dec 2016...