In the most serious examples, street gangs and high school fraternities use colors and specific styles of clothing to proclaim allegiances. On occasion, individuals are even assaulted and violently attacked on or in the vicinity of school grounds merely for wearing the wrong colored clothes (Harvard Crimson, 2008). Mandatory school uniforms would solve all three problems. The principal objection to the idea arises in connection with First Amendment concerns and the constitutional right to free expression. However, as in the case with other aspects of constitutional arguments in the educational environment, privacy and free expression principles on the part of students are, to a large degree, suspended on school property (Friedman, 2005). Free expression issues in school necessarily take a backseat to educational concerns, particularly to the extent they relate to the security of the campus environment and the safety of students. Conclusion: Mandatory school uniforms serve three valuable...
The main objection is flawed in principle, because it relies on inaccurate understanding of
constitutional rights as they pertain to school grounds. Ultimately, mandatory school uniforms offer tremendous benefits with virtually no drawbacks.
References
Friedman, a. (2005) a History of
American Law. New York: Touchstone.
Gerrig, R.J., Zimbardo, R.G. (2005)
Psychology and Life 18th Ed. Hoboken, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Harvard Crimson (2008) Uniformly Effective: Troubled Public Schools Should Consider Uniforms to Improve the
Classroom Environment. Retrieved October 8, 2008, from the Harvard Crimson Online, at http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=524472
Henslin, J.M. (2002) Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. Boston: Allyn and Bacon
Macionis, J.J. (2003) Sociology 9th Ed. Hoboken, NJ: Prentice Hall.
