This Week the Trend

School uniform arguments have been going on for quite a long time. Both sides have argued back and forth, and while I do agree that they do increase focus in some students and seemingly put students at an equal level, I must say that I believe in what I would say are far more important things than those things.

Specifically, I am talking about expression of individualism. While there are certainly other ways besides clothing and fashion to express the unique traits of an individual, such as through writing, art, and sports, school uniforms do not allow complete individualism. Instead of being able to stand out from the sea of students in an additionally visual way, students are forced to conform to what everyone else is doing. Some people have even found that uniforms tend to inhibit creative thought. This result conflicts with the working world's wishes for the next generation of working adults. This world of work expects people who are able to come up with new ideas and think outside the box, but how can students learn to do so without the ability to fully express themselves? And while some might argue that curriculums could be made to stimulate outside-the-box and creative thinking, would public school districts really be willing to change curriculums that have been around for so long? Would public schools be able to handle such a drastic change in focus on the learning process? I do not know what you might think about it, but I know that I believe that it would be very difficult for the schools to make that change any time soon.

Some lesser arguments against uniforms have been reports of insubordination due to resentment from being told what to wear. Teenagers tend to be rebellious thinkers, so being told that they have to wear something that might go against their comfort zone and their fashion sense would set them off and make them more likely to rebel against teachers and other forms of authority. Also, the argument has been made that clothing is clothing and it really has nothing to do with learning.

So, there are a few ways of looking at this issue. I have stated my opinions, and now it's time for you to make your own.