Dress code in public schooling in America

The dress code in public schooling has been a controversial issue lately, both in

Massachusetts and nation-wide. I feel some type of dress code would cut down some of

the everyday problems that schools have today. A dress code in public schooling would be

a good idea because it would reduce violence, eliminate the problem of wearing hats or

jackets in school, and make school more of an academic atmosphere, and less of a social

one. In this paper, I will discuss why a dress code would be a good thing for public schools

to have.

A dress code would eliminate many problems including violence that occurs

everyday in school. For example, if a simple shirt and tie with dress pants were worn by

boys, and some type of skirt or dress for girls, baggy clothing would be eliminated which

could hide weapons such as guns or knives. Fights also break out in schools because of the

way students dress.

English: A boy wearing clothes according to a scho...

English: Example of a common dress code for males ...

Dress code as seen at a London Club in the Soho ar...

Negative comments are often made at school by students about their

classmates' clothing which provokes fighting. Obviously, some type of dress code would

stop this.

Studies show that a dress code reduces violence and makes students behave better

because it makes everyone equal, bringing all of the students to the same level: 'A dress

code brings us together, like an athletic team. We're unified, we stand for the same things,'

said Bob Sanders, 57, a teacher at Antioch Christian Academy in Oklahoma City (David

2). Principal of Minneapolis' West Central Academy believes that uniforms help the school

meet five goals: foster greater school pride, enhance self-esteem, improve school

attendance, reduce suspensions and improve school climate (Washington 1).

The number of suspensions in Long Beach, California, which now requires

uniforms for students, dropped 32 percent. Every category of infraction - from...