Why We Should Not Have Dress Codes In Schools Essay

Imagine going to school where you get to wear whatever you want. There are students wearing all types of clothing. Imagine a school where students get to express themselves and their individuality. Imagine a school with no dress code. This is the world we would live in if there was no dress code in schools. Schools should not enforce strict dress codes because they encourage bullying, cost more money, and dress codes encourage uniformity instead of individuality. A reason why dress codes should not be enforced is because they have shown evidence of increasing violence and bullying in schools. Tony Volk, PhD, Associate Professor at Brock University, stated, “Overall, there is no evidence in bullying literature that supports a reduction in

Families already have to pay for regular clothes for their kids, so why should they have to spend more money on a school uniform. The researchers at Procon.org state, “Parents already pay taxes, and they still need to buy regular clothes for their children to wear when they’re out of school and for dress-down days. The Children’s Commission on Poverty (UK) found that over “95% of parents on low incomes reported difficulties in meeting school-related costs,” including uniforms, despite their children attending tuition-free schools. [94] Anderson, IN, parents Laura and Scott Bell their children’s school over its uniform policy, saying the $641 for their children’s uniforms broke the guarantee of a free public education. [10] In York County, PA, a local NBC affiliate reported that some children were missing class because their families couldn’t afford to purchase the required uniforms” (Procon.org). Forcing parents to have to pay for clothes, so their kid can go to school is cruel. In areas where families can't afford such uniforms, their kids can't go to school. Parents already have to spend money on clothes for when their kids aren't in school, and with a uniform they will have to spend more money on clothes. Without a dress code, these kids can go to school and not have to spend money on a dress code. Kids should be able to go to school no matter what clothes they

However, if a student wears something that is slightly against the dress code, they will get sent away from class and be forced to change clothes. This causes students to miss more classes and cause more of a distraction than someone who is showing their shoulders in class. This further proves that students do not need a dress code, because not only are the students limited on how they can express themselves and also have to worry about getting bullied more. They now have to worry about missing out on class time because they are wearing something the school calls “inappropriate”. How will the student achieve a higher level of education if they constantly have to worry about if their shorts are long enough or if their shoulders are too exposed. Dress codes do not encourage academic success, but instead discourage