School uniforms | Teen Ink

School uniforms

August 27, 2009
By Anonymous

Parents always talk about how If schools had uniforms, everything would be so much eisier. You wouldn't get caught up on looks and would learn the skills you need. I disagree with this, I think that school uniforms would put a restriction on our creativity. We dress the way we do for a certain reason.
Clothes give us expression and the ability to use color and patterns. The first impression we get of people is usually clothes, facial expression and language. If we all wear the same thing we don't get to really see what people are like on the inside. Usually girly girls wear pink and frilly things. Skaters wear baggy pants and goth usually wear black. Clothes don't distract us form learning the studies we need to, it simply lets us inspire our imaginations and lights up our worlds.
putting school uniforms into order would probably make us rebell against it and we would only be able to express our creativity in things like art and music. Because of the current economic situation most art and music programs are being cut from schools because there is simply not eneough money to support them.



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This article has 240 comments.


on Jul. 2 2011 at 5:09 pm
K.M.S.Shear BRONZE, Cherokee, Iowa
2 articles 0 photos 57 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Some people think writing is a waist of their time. For me it’s a way to draw an image of myself through the painting of words."

i agree with you

on Jul. 2 2011 at 4:30 pm
WritingSpasms, Los Angeles, California
0 articles 0 photos 121 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Devils run when a good man goes to war.&quot;<br /> - River Song from Doctor Who (Ep. A Good Man Goes to War)

And yes, skirt length has changed. The highest we can go is three inches above the knee, but I've seen some senior girls go WAY higher. :P

on Jul. 2 2011 at 4:28 pm
WritingSpasms, Los Angeles, California
0 articles 0 photos 121 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Devils run when a good man goes to war.&quot;<br /> - River Song from Doctor Who (Ep. A Good Man Goes to War)

In my K-8 school, it was easy to get by with some "touch-ups" as long as you stayed out of the view of specific teachers. Those specific teachers end up giving you demerits/detention while the others don't say anything.

I'd also like to point out that my sister went to the same high school I'm attending. Back then the nuns were VERY strict. Like to the point where they'd carry a ruler around and measure the distance between the hem of the skirt and the knee. More than ten years later, they've relaxed. In the high school I'm attending, they're really relaxed as long as you follow the dress code. And the dress code isn't that bad. We can bring our own bracelets, necklaces, hoodies, scarves, and gloves from home. That's enough to show my personality.


on Jul. 2 2011 at 2:18 pm
radicalhonesty GOLD, Alpharetta, Georgia
12 articles 2 photos 65 comments

Favorite Quote:
There is no situation, facet, or aspect of life that cannot be improved with pizza. -Daria

Also, when you talk about the different groups such as goths and skaters, that is why we need uniforms. People automatically see a person's clothing and decide whether or not they want to be friends with them. Uniforms make kids more approachable and you get to really know a kid by their personality, not how they dress.

on Jul. 2 2011 at 2:12 pm
radicalhonesty GOLD, Alpharetta, Georgia
12 articles 2 photos 65 comments

Favorite Quote:
There is no situation, facet, or aspect of life that cannot be improved with pizza. -Daria

oops, sorry I meant my comment to be seperate, not a reply

on Jul. 2 2011 at 2:11 pm
radicalhonesty GOLD, Alpharetta, Georgia
12 articles 2 photos 65 comments

Favorite Quote:
There is no situation, facet, or aspect of life that cannot be improved with pizza. -Daria

I disagree. First, you put stereotypes on people like skaters, goths, and girly girls. Second, what do you mean by "expressing ourselves"? We can express ourselves in many other ways, by the schoolwork we do, our talents, and our friends. Clothes just show who is rich and who is not. Also, uniforms create a setting that says we're here to learn. School is not a social club. Sure, you get compliments on your clothes, but hwo does that make the kids who can't afford nice clothes feel? And if you want to be taken seriously, edit and revise. :D

on May. 21 2011 at 4:35 pm
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Not all those who wander are lost&quot; --JRR Tolkien<br /> <br /> &quot;When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears.&quot; --Jose&#039; Bergamin

I agree, I usually dress different from everyone(not overboard) I hate to completely fade in with the rest of the crowd.:)

OneHotMeS4L said...
on May. 19 2011 at 7:23 am
OneHotMeS4L, Cinci, Ohio
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments
Actually I have to disagree. However, I did agree with you in the near past. I hated even the idea of uniforms. But its so much easier, You can wear tons of accesory and it gives you more time for your hair & make up creativity. For guys, Well its the shoes and the ties that count.
Plus, Those out of dress days almost everyone participates!! (:

on May. 15 2011 at 4:53 am
BVBlover BRONZE, Glasgow, Other
4 articles 0 photos 9 comments
I think that while uniform can be repetitive it can also keep you safe because if someone from outside the school they will stick out like a sore thumb as i actually learned when i suggested this in a pupil council meeting and i actually feel that this is correct in some manner but wrong in others so i would have have my opinions but have respect for the fact that it does keep us safe.

on May. 6 2011 at 7:33 pm
Thalia_Carson_I BRONZE, Columbus, Georgia
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
You can try talking to them. Just a theory I have, but then again, I wear a uniform to school.

on May. 6 2011 at 7:30 pm
Thalia_Carson_I BRONZE, Columbus, Georgia
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
I disagree. If you believe clothes "express yourself" then you must not have very much to say. When you buy any piece of clothing it is because it has been marketed to you in some fashion or another (pun intended). What this means is, a group of adults reduced you to a statistic based on your age and race, then they decided what clothes you might want to buy in the near future. When you wear a uniform, you have the opportunity to look past the trendy shoes and that cute new skirt and see an actual person(did you know they breathe?). What I find amazing is all the kids I have ever known to wear uniforms are the brightest and most creative people I have ever met. They are able to express themselves with words and interact with people so much better because they are never fazed by the designer label, you simply must have.

on Apr. 29 2011 at 4:46 pm
ClaraRose SILVER, Glasgow, Other
7 articles 0 photos 108 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;It&#039;s not what we are born, but what we grow to be.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;you think that because I am Poor, Obscure, Plain and little, that I am Soulless and Heartless. I have just as much soul as you and full as much heart&quot;

Im just saying what i fell to be correct, britain has been a great nation for over over a thousand years, america has been going for what 2 hundred, 3 hundred years, i wasnt saying america wasnt great, but if you saw the royal wedding today,Im sure even you can not deny, that britain does it better than anyone and thats my opinion, Plus Britain is a really tiny island compared to America and yet we ruled most of the world, that didnt happen by accident, so stop arguing about which country is better and accept that we are both great. 
P.s i think you should introduce uniforms

on Apr. 29 2011 at 4:29 pm
Emma.H.96 DIAMOND, Kalamazoo, Michigan
65 articles 0 photos 67 comments

Favorite Quote:
You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should&#039;ve behaved better. -Anne Lamott, from Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.

I understand what you were saying about uniforms but when you start getting into which country is better it isnt a matter of what kind of clothing disipline you have. And I like how you said britain was the greatest nation in the world...was being the key word here, now america is the only super power left after the cold war, please dont post garbage such as that americans should learn from britain because we learned from you, altered your ideas to fit the real world are the greatest nation in the world as of now and ever since the 1950. :)

on Apr. 28 2011 at 6:24 am
Mystisha BRONZE, Mumbai, Other
4 articles 1 photo 13 comments
I have spent my 12yrs wearing uniforms during my schooling..And i think it isn't bad at all...Because of uniforms there isn't discrimination on what kind of clothes a student wears..i mean every student cant manage to wear a dashing superb dress or cloth everyday..can he?..Just think about it..the peson who's your best friend right now would have been your enemy or someone whom you would never wanna talk to just beacuse he/she dosn't have the right or nice fashion sense..but if you really wanna wear casuals in school then in my opinion There should be one day in every week on which you can wear casuals and the other days normal school uniform..how about that?

evybby said...
on Apr. 27 2011 at 11:33 pm
evybby, San Elizario, Texas
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot; Pain is weakness leaving the body&quot;

Sorry but i completely disagree with you. At my school we dont require to wear a uniform,  but i believe it would be so helpful. Since in today's society teens are caught up on looks, therefore creating a distraction that interferes in students ability to focus on whats really important like their studies.  Not only will uniforms create equality among all students, but it will help those individuals who have problems economically to fit in with everyone else. I don't know but i believe uniforms will help students and parents aswell.

SandyLee said...
on Apr. 27 2011 at 6:24 pm
SandyLee, New Orleans, Louisiana
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments
That's harsh! Suspended for socks? My God!

SandyLee said...
on Apr. 27 2011 at 6:22 pm
SandyLee, New Orleans, Louisiana
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments
It's a controversial topic. See, our school has no uniforms, but the thing is that we do have dress code. And all that would be all good if it wasn't for the fact that students break it every chance they get. Shoulders covered? Oh, does this practically invisible scarf thingie count? And how about this sweater that has a million holes? Skirts to knees? Ok, do frills count? And how 'bout this invisible cloth? Translucent material? No overly open shirts? Hey, how about this one with all the holes? They're JUST holes! Freedom of expression is important, but it's just as important for people to understand school is the "job" of a student, and it doesn't involve putting on a show.

on Apr. 27 2011 at 4:04 pm
ClaraRose SILVER, Glasgow, Other
7 articles 0 photos 108 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;It&#039;s not what we are born, but what we grow to be.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;you think that because I am Poor, Obscure, Plain and little, that I am Soulless and Heartless. I have just as much soul as you and full as much heart&quot;

Im from Glasgow, a state school and everyone has to wear a uniform, everyone in britain has to were a uniform. My uniform is white shrt, red tie, black skirt/trousers ect... But people can alter it to suit them, Uniform gives us the disipline that made britain the greates nation on earth at one stage. Britain has a reputaion, glasgow especially for being a rough, tough area, its not that we a re rough but are diciplined, americans could learn from britain and learn that for people to treat each other like equals uniform is key

on Apr. 27 2011 at 3:15 pm
Emma.H.96 DIAMOND, Kalamazoo, Michigan
65 articles 0 photos 67 comments

Favorite Quote:
You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should&#039;ve behaved better. -Anne Lamott, from Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.

what do u mean?

 


mikey1234556 said...
on Apr. 27 2011 at 8:29 am
your right ma i felt goood to wear regular clothes in high school