Self Expression

So we go to school everyday, and get an education. We listen to annoying teachers, at times, and endure the stress of parent pleasing; but is that enough? Of course not, because along with the rules placed upon us we also have dress codes. We can’t wear whatever we slap on in the dim mornings if the shirts are against school code. Well not everything is banned and we don’t have uniforms at our school, but there is enough to be irksome.

“There is much discussion over the mandatory use of school uniforms and many parents are opposed to school uniforms in the private school because it limits self-expression and individuality. Yet, teachers and educators and many school psychologists say that it prevents cliques and means less problems with fights on campus and problems in schools.”* This has been proven, but the uniforms can also cause insecurity for students. Some feel the need to be heavily clothed to feel safe, while others hate confining materials, but there are very few who WANT to wear them. Fights may go down but cliques never go away; there will always be ‘the jocks’ and ‘the preps’.

Self-expression through dress is often how students show their individuality and how they feel about themselves. This can include: tattoos, ‘piercings’, overly colorful, or very drab. There are either dress codes prohibiting such things, or codes for what can and can’t be there. At our school the chain length is 8 inches, no immodest clothing, no shorts less than 6 inches from the knees, and no profane shirts. At the local prestigious school, which Mickey attends, there is the requirement that he wear a dress shirt, dress pants, dress shoes, jacket and neck tie.

Why is there such a difference? Well the two schools differ in their acceptance of students. Public is for everyone, so they need to accommodate to other’s needs and personalities. While in the private school they only let in those who pass the test and can pay, so they are allowed to force the students into certain wear. Is this fair? It could or couldn’t be but that is up for you to decide.