Uniforms are not needed

Essay by MeIAm May 2004

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When one is thinking about mandatory school uniforms, the first and main reason of safety and reducing violence at school comes to mind. But, the truth of the matter is the problem with safety and violence is a big issue, and one that should not be even considered solving by a quickie method such as uniforms. It should not be thought that once a uniform is put on, the problems within our schools will disappear. This essay will prove that there are more effective and efficient ways of dealing with the problem of safety without stifling creativity or diversity and still change our school systems for the better.

Our strength as a nation, community, and schools lie firmly in our differences and our respect for those differences, whether they are religious, cultural or other. The antithesis of diversity is uniformity; i.e. uniforms. The short-term benefits of uniforms have long term dreadful effects that weaken us as a whole.

Uniforms teach children intolerance of those who choose to be different and hold back individuality and creativity. With those lessons comes prejudice and many more other less than desirable traits.

At this point in many children's lives, it is time to experiment expressing themselves and their individuality through many different ways, especially through fashion. Even though the initial thought of a teenager is already in a form of uniform (baggy pants, t-shirt, backwards cap), that kind of uniform is a choice, not an order. It is almost certain that many children with their own creative individuality will rebel and cause a bigger problem then what was started with.

Some believe that school uniforms are the answer to the violence that happens in and around the school. They believe that the differences in clothing cause differences in attitude towards some and this...