Hopefully you are not an educator because an attitude like yours is a no starter and a total FAIL. Not all kids are enthused about learning. Tell them they have to wear a friggen uniform and that may be the cherry on the sundae that breaks them.
But I am an educator and I'm the one telling you how ridiculous your positions have been. I've seen myself the difference between pre-dress code and post dress code and not a single person broke their sundae.
I've listen to the proponents of school uniforms claiming they would instill discipline and prevent gang-related violence.
They have. In fact, the reason our school began seriously investigating going to a stricter dress code is because of the success a school about 75 miles south of us had in minimizing gang-related discipline issues.
They say uniforms and some dress codes lessen peer pressure aggravated by socioeconomic divisions.
Also true.
This debate has been raging for over a decade and there is no proof that is the case.
I have two pieces of evidence I've seen firsthand to suggest it is the case.
But what it does do is teach these minds of mush making them all dress like one another is that everyone should be socioeconomically equal.
No it doesn't. That's utterly ridiculous. What it teaches the students is to see each student as an individual, not as a socioeconomic status.
In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969). In this famous decision, the Court ruled 7-2 that public school officials could not censor student expression — the wearing of black armbands, in that case — unless they could reasonably forecast that the student expression would cause substantial disruption or material interference with school activities or would invade the rights of others. The black arm bands were in protest to the Vietnam war. Several school distrists have overcome zealots in their communities trying to implement school uniform by using this case. May they continue to have success.
Yes, the school deliberately tried to censor political speech of certain individuals for the sole intention of censoring political speech and for no educational or safety reasons. That is why they lost.
A uniform/strict dress code is not about that purpose. You cannot anticipate future political expression, but you can show an improved learning environment. As long as your dress code is intended to improve the learning environment and/or safety of students, and as long as it is not directed towards any particular type of individual, courts have generally held dress codes/uniforms are okay.
If you want to teach diversity then you need to allow an atmosphere where it can be experienced.
If you think diversity is related to what you wear to school, then I'm not sure you'll ever be willing to understand why you are wrong.
You have several teachers and former teachers in this thread telling you the benefits and experiences they have had first hand. I cannot give you specifics due to privacy reasons, but I've already mentioned we have had lower discipline issues and better test scores. You're denying all of this for some silly "freedom of expression" nonsense. There are plenty of ways to express yourself besides mass produced designer clothing.
So? Kids get picked on and girls wear sexy clothes. None of that is new.
Ahh...so you're okay with kids being bullied? Interesting...
No nimrod, I don't support kids texting all day in school.
You're infringing on their 1st Amendment right to express themselves. Shame on you!
But I do support students having the right to wear clothing that may express political, religious, and other personal views. How in the hell you managed to take that to texting is beyond me except for the possibility that you had to dig for the ridiculous instead of addressing school apparel.
It's pretty clear the point. But I'll go ahead and set it up...why shouldn't kids be able to text in class, if you believe in their first amendment right to express themselves?
Emotional appeals will get you no where.
That wasn't an emotional appeal, it was a fact. You being okay with kids being bullied, sometimes to the point of death, is very unsettling.
Do you know what it is like for a man to deal with a high school girl breaking the dress code. The teacher is accused of staring and is put on trial while the girl shows it all. When you meet the Mom, you'll understand the girl. Admins checking girls at the front door would stop this.
I've gotten to the point where I don't care. If a girl is wearing something inappropriate, I'll say something if I have to.
I don't expect anything. Kids get picked on for being different. Sometimes it's just teasing, but other times the kid is getting beaten up on a regular basis. Most kids get through it, but every once in a while one of them decides to commit suicide. It happens.
Your cavalier attitude towards bullying and suicide of children is leading to me having absolutely no respect for you.
I've already addressed my views on the need for rules and dress codes. It is up to the adults in charge to make sure those distractions are removed.
Those adults which include administrators who make a damn good wage should start earning their money the good people pay them.
So you agree the people whose job it is to remove distractions should do so, but only as long as you agree with their decision. Got it.
Nimby I understand you are being put in a difficult situation. Being a teacher these days is trying to say the least. But that doesn't justify forcing all students into wearing uniforms. Instead it sounds like most need administrators with a pair to eliminate the problem before the students ever reach your classroom. Students shouldn't be denied their right to expression just because of a minority who have no respect for the rules. I believe this mindset of making new rules and codes to stop a minority of lawbreakers is the same thing our legislators do constantly making new laws to stop the minority that abuse their freedom. In the process they may stop the minority but deny freedom/liberties to many law abiding citizens in the process.
Dress code rules positively affect all of the student body. It's not just about the minority.