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Dress Codes in Learning
"Others argue that those not wearing uniforms are so distracted, it hurts their academic performance."
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By Omari Williams
In today's society, people use clothes as a way to express themselves as individuals. However, at schools that enforce uniforms students are denied the basic freedom of dressing the way they want to. Some favor this approach, thinking dress codes help students focus on academics and not fashion. Youth Radio's Omari Williams tells us why he thinks school uniforms are unnecessary.
Getting ready for school in the morning, many students think about their finished homework assignments, their classes for the day, and what clothes to wear. But some students just have to make sure their outfit is clean. These students simply wear school uniforms.
Some suggest that while wearing uniforms avoids the focus on clothes – it can stifle students’ creativity. Others argue that those not wearing uniforms are so distracted, it hurts their academic performance.
I question whether wearing a uniform improves learning. I’m not so sure someone who wears a uniform earns higher grades.
I attended a school that required uniforms, but my current school doesn’t have them. I saw no advantage to wearing a uniform and don’t feel my education is now being hurt wearing my own clothes. When I did have to wear a certain outfit, my friends and I just resented being forced into conformity. Though now it takes me a couple extra minutes to get dressed each morning, my brain sure appreciates it.
Now that I am choosing what I wear each day, I still sometimes feel as though I am still wearing a uniform. When I go to school and hang out with my friends I realize we are dressing alike - we have the same clothing labels and the same shoes. Are we really free from conformity or are we all in uniforms within our respective cliques?
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