I have 3 brothers, two older one younger. As a result I have seen different generations, including mine, progress through adolescence. Late adolescence is where a child’s personality, style, habits and opinions begin to flourish. When I look back through high school photo’s I can’t help but notice the “good” fashion ,and the fashion that I will never be able to explain. I remember spending my paychecks on brand names clothing and new styles that my parents refused to buy. My friends and I always felt the need to have someone else’s name on our clothing. When I was in school, style was considered having brand names, or the newest fashion style. Wardrobe selection became a very important task, as everyone wanted to fit in. Some girls would push the limits with short skirts, a size too small shirts and makeup that usually was applied once we were at school. This was a way to make a “statement” and also attract the eyes of the opposite sex. Some kids dressed in clothes that displayed messages, such as all black because they were “gothic” or slogans that promoted marijuana use. All these “styles” were just a distraction from the purpose of children attending school. The school system was designed for education plain and simple. I think that removing any distraction possible from this goal is beneficial to our youth. School uniforms are a very divided subject, but they are a great way to remove the pressures and distraction from one area of school. It also removes biased judgments that are created about children based on their clothing. The economy has put financial constraints on many families and clothing is an added expense. This would reduce the amount of clothing that children need at this age and help reduce costs to families. I think that all schools should implement uniforms. Children can find ways to express themselves in many other ways, besides fashion at school.
I agree with your post. Most private schools have uniforms, and this helps them to get better education. For instance, the daughter of my friends is in high school and she always demanding her parents to buy clothes for $100-$200 when her parents never wear something more expensive then $30-$40 themselves. My daughter is only 7 years old, but I am afraid very soon she is going to be busy by choosing her clothes than with her school. But on the other hand, I know that in private schools where uniform is mandatory, students spend their money on bags or shoes and judge each other on the bag brands.
ReplyDeleteI think clothing is a form of personal expression. How a person dresses seems to tell you a little about them. By changing to school uniforms, it takes some individuality out of the school. Should teachers also be required to wear the same uniforms to minimize the distractions they create? I remember some teachers wearing some very revealing pieces of clothing during high school. What is next, everyone has the same exact matching school supplies? I remember how exciting it was in elementary school to pick out the cool folders, pencils, pencil holders, etc. Are different school supplies going to be the next “distraction” in school?
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