In President Bill Clinton's state of the union address on January 23, 1996 he issued the following challenge to public schools across the nation:I challenge all our schools to teach character education: to teach good values and good citizenship. And if that means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require the students to wear uniforms. (Silva)With this quote in mind, I challenge the public schools and President Bill Clintonto show me concrete data that proves that uniforms will decrease or eliminate violence and killings at school. In my research, the data is simply not out there to support this idea. First off, all of ...view middle of the document...
I believe, like the advocates for student rights, that there will always be the "haves" and the "have-nots" regarding this point. If blue pants and white shirts are required, the "haves" will wear designer names like Tommy Hilfiger and Abercrombie and the "have-nots" will wear off brands from Wal-Mart and Target. Another area that will lead to additional distinction will be the accessories students choose to wear such as Dr. Martin shoes and elaborate jewelry.The final point that I would like to make is regarding student's self-esteem. Not all individuals will feel comfortable wearing the same style of clothing. Since all of us are built differently, the clothing manufacturers have designed stylish clothing in various degrees to make one feel comfortable in what they are wearing. I am fortunate to have a well proportioned figure; this would not be a concern of mine. However, many of my friends are not as fortunate and may feel that the mandated clothing doesn't flatter their figure, thus causing depression. Research states that uniforms increase self-esteem. Speaking from an interview I did with my step-sister, Brittani Shull, I know this is not a true fact. Brittani attended a private, Pentecostal school for 3 years...