School Uniform Policy - Essay Example

School uniform policy 1 It is a requirement that schools review and document school dress requirements in consultation with other stakeholders as well as developing strategies for wearing of school uniforms. 1.2 In this school, a uniform will consist of a limited range of clothing that entails both the headwear and footwear. This will be the first time that students in this institution will be wearing stipulated dress codes. This will identify students as unique members of this school and differentiate them from those of other schools. 1.3 Students will dress officially during school hours, while on both school and academic trips as well as when other school activities when out of school. The school management carefully selected the uniform to contribute to the health and safety of students when involved in the school activities. 1.4 Among the standards based on by the management when making this decision included making sure that it meets the school’s expectations and standards of the entire school community. 1.5 The decision is consistent with both the work and health safety requirements by the government ministry. This includes anti-discrimination and equality opportunity legislation acts. Other government stipulated requirements are safety safe footwear and eye protection as well as hats. 1.6 The policy takes into account the diverse nature of the school’s student population bearing in mind the fact they come from various cultural setups. Other factors considered are personal, economic, social, and cultural factors influencing students and their families. It is important to remember that the school population carries students from different religious backgrounds and this was important when the school board reached the decision to implement the new school uniform policy unanimously. 1.7 The school will also abide by the government legislation policy that school uniforms of reviewing the dress code policy every five years with consultation from other stakeholders. 2. Policy implementation requirements 2.1 The school management expects support from other school community members such as parents to make sure there is positive reinforcement and encouraging responsible behaviour that will see students internalise the new policy. 2.2 The school reminds other stakeholders that each of them have roles in setting and implementing desired standards for the school in line with the institution’s vision and mission. Teachers and the subordinate staffs have a responsibility of modelling appropriate behaviour for students therefore; the management requires them to dress professionally. 2.3 Parents and students are required to desist from taking advantage of the government policy that stops the school management neither from expelling nor suspending students nor in uniform wrongly. This is because the school will take other punitive measures available both in the school rules and in government legislation to deal with both students and parents who fail or deliberately refuse to comply with the new school uniform policy. The school will take appropriate action against those who deliberately decide to do otherwise. 2.4 The school management also reiterates that it will not stop enrolling any student for lack of school the required dress code. 2.5 The school policy puts into consideration that not all parents and guardians have equal or similar financial abilities. Therefore, the quality of the uniform is cost effective and economically affordable to all parents within the school. Furthermore, the school gives a window period of one term for parents, guardians and other sponsors to acquire the proper dress code for their children or beneficiaries. Arguments in support of the policy Introduction A school is primarily a learning environment. This means that anything that aids learning is acceptable and not anything that hinders is acceptable. Most of schools are advocating for school uniforms among their students. Education is a pillar of American society as well as the rest of the world. The society provides an opportunity to all children to access education irrespective of religion, race, citizenship, or gender. The United Nations gives this right to all children across the globe. The US national government for instance, signed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act into law to make sure that no child remained behind in their pursuit of education. Among the aims of No Child Left Behind, policy is to enhance accountability in the reforms within schools. This means that students ought to reach a particular benchmark on academic proficiency tests. The program also includes alternatives to put schools and academic zones that do not perform well in academic proficiency tests and others evaluation measures on the list of those not making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Measures of evaluation include checking the degree of disability, gender, poverty levels, ethnicity, and limited English proficiency. The government officials have measures to implement if the performances of the school or schools run low for various consecutive years. This is the reason most schools are looking for the best options that will improve their performance in the proficiency tests. The need to introduce school uniforms as a new policy is one of the factors of school success identified by the management of the school. School uniforms range from formal to informal. Various schools make their decisions over dress codes basing on different reasons. While others rely on Christian perspectives, others follow the Catholic pattern where boys dress in nice trousers and white shirts whereas girls put on jumpers and white shirts. In this perspective however, it is necessary to consider what is casual but smart and more acceptable to the school community and students. School uniforms decrease violence and increase academic achievements among students no wonder the debate receives outstanding success among teachers, parents, students, researchers, education officials, and the government. Those who think from the Christian perspective believe that God implemented a dress code from the onset of humanity during the days of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden replacing their aprons made of twigs with skin coats. This, according to them demonstrates the value of appropriate dressing. It is therefore, important that both teachers and parents should take the lead in guiding students towards proper dressing. Other scholars believe that students who dress nicely have internal confidence, a factor that students need. Better appearance greatly influences people around. Leadership plays a bigger role on matters that regard successful implementation of a school uniform policy. Administrators and other policy makers in school need to have strategies to improve the performance of schools. The best approach to attaining desired structure required for school improvements could be found in successful school uniform policies. Research shows that effective school leadership with the capacity to distinguish practical interventions determines the most sensible solution for improving performance among their students in proficiency tests. Value of school uniforms Schools and other academic stakeholders stand to benefit from improvements in discipline after implementing a school uniform policy. In this case, both private and public learning institutions stand to benefit. The school uniform policy promotes security in schools because it is safe attire for students. It protects children from external violence. I the past the US government successfully used the manual for school uniforms policy to combat growing violence in schools. It is good to remember that gangs have specific signature colours, an issue that will make it difficult in schools. Implementing the school uniform policy will cut down on the rate of violent crimes and protect children from beatings due to their clothes that could be of an appropriate colour. In addition, these school uniforms will have a school and of particular colour to make sure that, the learning environment is safe for students. When the students are under attack, it is simple to isolate thugs from students by observing their dress code. The significance of this is that the school will have one colour shirt for all students and one colour short or trouser for all boys. Various other scholars support the concept of school uniforms as they hold that it provides control over student’s organizations. This policy hits hard on students who belong to different gang members. Most would defy the uniform policy and in the process, it is easy to identify. Such students use the baggy clothes they wear to hide weapons. In addition to discipline, school uniforms also bring other benefits including class management. Principles of both private and public learning institutions agree that their schools were characterised by mayhem before implementing a dress code policy because students competed in dressing such clothes as sneaker. However, after introducing school uniforms it cut down on distractions and helped students focus on their studies as opposed to attire. This also streamlines the teacher’s role of determining the student’s dress code as either too short or inappropriate. Consistent enforcement of rules aids the structure that must accompany a dress code policy (Brunsma, 2006, p. 19). Among them is the assertive discipline. This is essential because it helps teachers to organize classroom management programs to give an excellent system. Students can only understand what the teacher is explaining if their discipline in the classroom. Little discipline technique by the teacher means that he or she can have little efficiency while imparting knowledge. Academics School uniforms play a critical role in developing an academically motivating environment. One of the related aspects is that a school uniform increases the teacher’s expectations from the student. Students stop fights that result from jealousy of their clothes to focus on their learning. Teachers in schools that implemented school uniform policies reported improvements in their student’s performances and behaviour. The school put emphasis on internal portion of the students and not external appearances. Uniformity When students wear uniforms, they feel more professional and in the process, they behave accordingly. Fashion inclinations and status symbol attires distract the student’s attention in the classroom. Dressing students in regulation dress codes helps in shaping the student’s concentration putting more emphasis on learning. Easy work for parents School uniforms eliminate the debate in the house for what a child should where on his or her way to school in the morning. This in turn makes it easier for parents and children when they wake up and prepare for school. Members of the family including house helps know what the child is supposed to wear. An even playing field School uniforms eliminate teasing and bullying because all children dress evenly. Dynamism in the current market brings high-fashion trends, which is currently a definitive status sign of teenagers and children. A school uniform creates evenness and in the process reduces the opportunity for discrimination based on the attire. School spirit/culture Modern learning institutions have a particular regime of appearance. This refers to the artistic of school. The aesthetics include classrooms matching the design of the outer structure of the buildings, use of technology such as virtual learning tools in the classroom, implementing the school dress code policy, mathematical designs such as geometric shapes, maps, objects, and people. When the school population is dressed in the same way, it makes them develop a stringer team mentality. Students feel that they are real comrades with all-for-one and one- for-all. Cost effectiveness School uniforms are a cause for simple economics. It is economically effective to a pair of school uniform that buys an entire wardrobe for a child. The design for school uniforms makes it easier for parents to wash clothes repeatedly, which is easier for parents than buying various clothes. Weekend style/leisure A lot of money that parents save by buying school uniforms can be used for getting fashionable clothes for their kids. These clothing will be appropriate for use during the weekends. This eliminates shame for some students. Work Cited Brunsma, David. School uniform policies in schools. Principal, 85(3), 50?53, 2006, Print. Read More