Pros and Cons of School Uniforms The debate over the pros and cons of school uniforms is an acrimonious debate between faculty, parents, and students. For many years they have debated whether or not students should wear uniforms or everyday clothes to school. School uniforms come in basic colors and were designed in a conservative manner. School uniforms can be both effective and ineffective towards the student’s education.
School uniforms were first introduced in England in 1222. The United States initiated wearing school uniforms in the early 1900’s. Uniforms are typically associated with the upper class and are typically used in private and preparatory schools. In 1987, Maryland and Washington, D.C. volunteered to be the first to mandate school uniforms in public schools. “School officials at this time noticed changes in the student’s attitudes as well as a decline of disciplinary issues after the uniform policy was introduced” (Markoff, 2016). According to a New York Times report most students and parents supported the idea of school uniforms.
The idea of students wearing uniforms has been supported by many, including Bill Clinton. He told Congress during his State of Union speech in 1996 how he supported the idea of using school uniforms to bring “discipline and learning back in our schools” (Clinton, 1996). The President told the Federal Education Department he wanted to legally enforce a uniform policy. Due to an incident in 1986, a student from a local public