Wreak Costly Burdens
A school uniform comes with a hefty price tag. In the public school system, there could be many families who are not financially stable, so money cannot be put towards extra clothing. Some children even have to live off of hand-me-downs from older siblings. If this is the case, trying to afford school uniforms is out of the question. Perhaps the school can provide for the less-privileged families, but there are far too many that the school itself could afford. Opponents argue that in the long run school uniforms will ultimately be the cheaper alternative to purchasing multiple sets of clothing. However, shirts plus pants plus shoes add up quickly, which is why the average cost of school uniforms for parents is $249, according to Statistic Brain, a website that compiles data from the U.S. Department of Education and other educational groups ("School Uniform Statistics," n.d.). If public schools required uniforms, it may be hard on the family budget to buy everyday uniforms, formal uniforms for special occasions, and physical education uniforms for families with not just one, but several children. The cost to replace a uniform is not cheap either. Because there are generally only minimal outerwear options for the colder months, students at public schools would have no choice but to purchase the outrageously expensive blazer, crewneck, or zip-up. Opponents may counter that by wearing school uniforms, the amount of violence and fighting (in terms of bullying) will be reduced. Although 53% of bullying has decreased due to the increase in wearing of uniforms in public schools, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, students will still find ways to judge others (“Dress codes and school uniforms,” 2010). Whether it is someone’s hair color, weight, height, or ethnicity, judging will still occur that uniforms can’t prevent. Bullying is about power, not apparel. Researcher of Bullying Prevention, Philip C. Rodkin, expresses “Children and youth use bullying to…demonstrate to an audience that they can dominate,” (Rodkin, 2011). Eliminating personal clothing will not eliminate bullying in schools because students will always find a way to judge and persecute their peers.
A school uniform comes with a hefty price tag. In the public school system, there could be many families who are not financially stable, so money cannot be put towards extra clothing. Some children even have to live off of hand-me-downs from older siblings. If this is the case, trying to afford school uniforms is out of the question. Perhaps the school can provide for the less-privileged families, but there are far too many that the school itself could afford. Opponents argue that in the long run school uniforms will ultimately be the cheaper alternative to purchasing multiple sets of clothing. However, shirts plus pants plus shoes add up quickly, which is why the average cost of school uniforms for parents is $249, according to Statistic Brain, a website that compiles data from the U.S. Department of Education and other educational groups ("School Uniform Statistics," n.d.). If public schools required uniforms, it may be hard on the family budget to buy everyday uniforms, formal uniforms for special occasions, and physical education uniforms for families with not just one, but several children. The cost to replace a uniform is not cheap either. Because there are generally only minimal outerwear options for the colder months, students at public schools would have no choice but to purchase the outrageously expensive blazer, crewneck, or zip-up. Opponents may counter that by wearing school uniforms, the amount of violence and fighting (in terms of bullying) will be reduced. Although 53% of bullying has decreased due to the increase in wearing of uniforms in public schools, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, students will still find ways to judge others (“Dress codes and school uniforms,” 2010). Whether it is someone’s hair color, weight, height, or ethnicity, judging will still occur that uniforms can’t prevent. Bullying is about power, not apparel. Researcher of Bullying Prevention, Philip C. Rodkin, expresses “Children and youth use bullying to…demonstrate to an audience that they can dominate,” (Rodkin, 2011). Eliminating personal clothing will not eliminate bullying in schools because students will always find a way to judge and persecute their peers.