“Every school will have a dress code, but some of that will be left up to what those teachers and those school leaders think is appropriate.”
-Suzanne Freeman
Dress code or uniform can be referred to some particular standards stated by institutions or organizations. Such codes facilitate people and relevant individuals with a set of predetermined guidance that asserts the adequacy of what wearing and where. Dress codes and uniforms are subject to vary from institutes to institute. The issue of implicating uniforms in public schools is catching heat since past decade. The verdicts of general courts sustain dress coding and affirm their significance in developing pedagogical harmony and logic. However, there are several cons exist with their substantiality that can counterattack the efficacy of implementing dress code within the premises of public high schools. The following paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages argumentatively.
Several schools stress the need to employ the rule of the dress code because they consider it a device to develop synchronization among students and to eradicate distractions. According to a research school and educational intuitions’ officials are liable to offer students with a secure and protective environment. And for this purpose dress code becomes a uniformed source to eliminate pressure and reduce distraction. (Smith, 2012) Moreover, the standards of dress codes are transformed by the unique need of the twenty-first century and to meet the contemporary challenges. Many schools claim to update their dress codes by balancing the constitutional requirements as well as safety and self-expression of students. (Glickman, 2016) However, they admit the difficulties to create balance in its entirety because every individual has different preference levels and therefore it is not realistic to cater the need of all, through one uniform dress code. Dress codes are believed to mitigate distractions and divergence from students’ lives because by wearing the uniform they do to need to worry about their apparel.
The school of thoughts which support the implementation of dress code assert that dress codes develop a sense of belonging amongst students and they show good result. According to a research study students of elementary schools of both urban and rural areas depicted enhanced and improved academic performances for the first year after implicating the school uniform dress code. On the other hand, another study demonstrated that after implementation of dress code urban public high schools observed increasing rate of attendances. (Dulin, 2016) Several educationalists agree upon the fact (or factoid) that dress code policies cause tremendous and considerable outcomes when applied as a substantial fragment of the more significant part of overall educational planning and strategy. It is believed that dress code are crucial to develop societal sense among pupils as it carves a strong sense of belonging among fellow students as well as school and in turn, everyone feels responsible for carrying out mutual goals coherently. It is also noted that school uniforms and students’ achievement feature a definite correlation. Evidently, dress codes build a bridge to fill the societal gaps and smoothes the path of students’ disparity through implementing similar attire. Furthermore, it is also apparent that sharing similar dress code boosts self-esteem and self-assurance among students. And through wearing a shared dress code students will not have to seek the acceptance of their fellows for their attire and therefore they feel comfortable around each other. Alongside other factors; dress code plays a significant role in enhancing educational atmosphere-based rating because students feel more adoption to the schools’ environment. (Ward, 1999)
The people who support the idea of dress code believe that dress code provide safety and protection to the students of the public high school. According to experts and specifically, professionals of physical activities emphasize the appropriateness and adequacy of dresses and other gears to conduct specific operations. Wearing and maintaining dress code through the notion of uniform prepares students to stay ready for physical education, and it also helps them to get ready for their future obligations. Take the instance of outfit that is used as physical activities’ dress code; it protects against prospect injuries including tripping etcetera. Such dress code makes the activities safer and may comprise of proper fitting knickers and sneakers and in some cases protecting pads. Moreover, similarly wearing same clothes can reduce the brand consciousness amongst young students, and they will feel the atmosphere of equality with their fellows more profoundly. (Marquis, 2013) This eradication of brand consciousness can also mitigate the rate of crime from youngsters.
Evidently, students nurture jealousy and inferiority complex by seeing superior apparels of their fellows that in turn evokes an urge to steal and other similar criminal offenses. Students might get involved in violent conduct to overcome their complexes. Such offenses then cause gang activities, and gradually, school and educational institutions turned into fashion shows. Students start to compete with each other in newest styles and innovative accessories. And when they feel incapable of competing, they start dueling over it, and some squabbles can even cause severe injuries. Competitions for looks and fashion and appearance begin with simple taunting and eventually take the form of quarrels, stealing and sometimes students even conduct the brutal act of murder. Such consequences spoil several lives. And the major problem is that such fights not only occur amongst enrolled students but also among non-enrolled youngsters. (Caruso, 1996) Most of the families cannot afford to buy stylish and trendy clothing and accessories and therefore their children start to opt the path of thieves to cater their needs. In many public high schools, principles and administrative officials banned extra-curricular accessories, and dress coed helps to maintain the standards in such cases.
Regardless of endless efficacies of implementing dressing codes within the premises of public high schools; no one can deny the cons of such practices. Yes, it is true that dress code improves the sense of belonging amongst students, but it snatches their sense of self-expression from them. Every individual has different believes, norms, persona, and preferences that a single and similar uniform dress code cannot cater. Dress codes are a subject of utter controversy within many districts and many public high schools; because it entices a massive amount of racism, conformity, and classicism. The gender-based issue plays a critical role in the determination of a uniform dress code. Wearing a men-like and straightforward dress makes girls out of practice of wearing ladies-like dresses even on some specific and special occasions. A research study highlights the case study of a schoolgirl named Ceara. Ceara tries out a draped outfit on the farewell party but she never comes in front of her fellows in such costume, and that makes her utmost uncomfortable. Consequently, the problem ruined her entire party and she missed the chance to become the part of her year flipped book as well. (Smith, 2012) Similarly, boys too are not very happy with the dressing codes, and they complained about the girls’ attire as compared to their uniforms. Such comparison often creates a problem for public schools’ officials, and they feel flabbergasted about the solution. Furthermore, the cost of making and maintaining a presentable uniform is not feasible for every family.
Dress code implies a need for regular wearing that reduces the age of fabric and other interrelated accessories. Not all the parents can afford to buy several pairs of similar uniform and therefore wearing a well-used outfit in the form of class fellows develops inferiority complexes in students. And the dress code is subject to be changed according to seasonal conditions. In summers shirts should be short sleeved, and pants turned into shorts. Moreover, in winters students are supposed to wear sweaters and other winter accessories according to the predetermined color scheme. Not every student has enough resources to buy wearable winter coats and sweaters etcetera, and that is why many students compromised on available material and suffer. Religion and traditional norms are too imperative and considerable in this regard. Not all girls can wear skirts because many of students might be Muslims and cannot reveal their heads and legs.
By analyzing above provided arguments, it becomes evident that implementing dressing codes within public high schools has myriad of advantages with several drawbacks. Every year public high schools adopt different forms of schooling dress codes and uniforms. Regardless of arguments constitutional policies support the dressing code strategy and consider it as a practical tool to develop harmony among educational institutions and their internal environment. Courts and general verdicts prefer safety and security and stress that dress code provides required standards to retain protection and safety measures within schools’ premises. On the other hand public high schools endeavor to maintain and sustain order and safety by developing a learning-friendly environment. A news report about National School Board states that approximately one thousand and five hundred of guns are recorded to be regularly brought to America’s eighty-five thousand schools. For this reason, many district schools posed strict dress code policies. And some schools even asked the students to keep their belts visible so they could not be able to hide any ammunition in their dress.
And for the same reason, authorities believe that dress code is an efficient way to control and monitor violent activities and can maintain peace and consistency among students. This point might be valid, but further research studies show little or no correlation between school attendance, performance and achievements. Furthermore, the dress code is creating differences between genders and spreading racism and classism as well as conformity. Girls feel uncomfortable while wearing party dresses or robes in front of their class fellows because they used to wear simple and gents-like uniforms throughout their academic years. Girls who are not allowed to wear short skirts etcetera have to comply with schools’ policies compulsively, but they feel uncomfortable and unshielded all the time that creates a great distraction in their studies. And the cost factor is the greatest of all because it is an apparent aspect and can develop severe complications to the psyche of young minds. They have to encounter different levels of sufferings in due course of arranging the alternative uniform and accessories according to seasonal varieties. The intensity of drawbacks asserts that dress code implies more disadvantages instead of advantages. And therefore, authorities of public high schools, as well as the general court, should revise the policies regarding dress codes and schools’ uniforms to provide ease and convenience to the students.
Work Cited
Caruso, P. (1996). Individuality vs. conformity: The issue behind school uniforms. NASSP
Bulletin, 80(581), 83-88. doi:10.1177/019263659608058121
Dulin, C. D. (2016). Impact of school uniforms on student discipline and the learning climate: A
comparative case study of two middle schools with uniform dress codes and two middle
schools without uniform dress codes
Glickman, D. J. (2016). Fashioning children: Gender restrictive dress codes as an entry point for
the trans school to prison pipeline. American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy,
and the Law, 24(2), 263.
Smith, N. (2012). CHALK TALKS- eliminating gender stereotypes in public school dress codes:
The necessity of respecting personal preference. Journal of Law and Education, 41(1), 251.
Ward, E. P. (1999) Mandatory uniform dress code implementation and the impact on attendance,
achievement, and perceptions of classroom environment
What are the advantages and disadvantages of physical education uniforms and should they be
required? (2011). Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 82(8), 11-56.
doi:10.1080/07303084.2011.10598668
