School Uniforms, Stay Or Leave - 1546 Words

School Uniforms, Stay or Leave? Having school uniforms or dress codes, has both positives and negatives. Some people would like to believe that they help and play a role in students academic performance and behavior at school. However, others counter that, with it does not help, it only creates a bigger problem by enforcing the rules of a school dress code. According to School Uniforms: An Overview, the definition of dress code means, rules designed by school districts or individual schools to prescribe students attire (Chittom). Although, school uniforms may help with discipline, attendance, and academic performance, it can also diminish their freedom of expression. Which conversely affects the student s’ self esteem and†¦show more content†¦For some students, they would prefer school uniforms. Poor children can relax and not worry about how they look, or what brands they should be wearing, or what their classmates think of them, they can now focus on learning instead of getting judged (Forster). Parents are not happy with Clifton’s school board, for making their elementary kids wear uniforms. They say â€Å"it is unnecessary and they want the district to update the existing dress code.† In fact, some parents want to sue if the Clifton school district says yes to uniforms (Murtha). To add, about half of black students and about one in every four Hispanic students are forced to wear uniforms, while about one in every twenty white students have to wear uniforms, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found. The statistics show 50% black students, 26% Hispanic students, and only 6% white students have to wear uniforms in the metro Atlanta area (French). Racial disparities are drawing federal attention, plus the punishment for minor uniform violations are getting out of hand. Pulling children out of class is unfair to the students. In only the first couple weeks of the 2003- 2004 school year hundreds of students were suspended for just having an un-tucked shirt (Wilson). â€Å"The racially disproportionate application of uniform requirements unfairly penalizes minority students, and may violate the federal Civil Rights Act† said Daniel Losen, director of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the University of