activity (84-5). School uniforms also promote learning. Caruso explains that when all students arewearing the same outfit, they are less concerned about how they look and how they fit inwith their peers; thus they can concentrate on their schoolwork.Although school uniforms have many advantages, the disadvantages includeforcing uniforms among students is a violation of the First Amendment of the UnitedStates of Constitution (Caruso 86). Also, uniforms arent a guarantee to decreaseviolence or gang activity. Other critics of school uniforms say the primary cause ofviolence among students must be investigated and must begin to be remedied. (Mukamel1998). Mukamel also states that instating uniforms in schools is like putting a smallbandage on an enormous wound, instead of attempting to find ways to truly deal with thebleeding. Long Beach, California was the first to institute a mandatory school uniformpolicy. Caruso gives the facts of Long Beach schools: Fighting fell by 51%, weaponspossession by 50%, assault and battery by 34%, [and] vandalism by 18%. Some moreresults come from Whittier Elementary School. Whittier has had a required schooluniforms for 5 years now, and statistics show that the attendance has increased each yearto a high of 96% (Caruso 83-4). School uniforms are very cost-efficient and comforting for parents. Scott Jensenstates that: A recent Knight-Ridder Newspapers story on school uniforms calculated thecost of one typical urban public school teenagers school outfit for one day at $140.Contrast these cost with the $25 average price of a Long Beach Unified School systemuniform. Caruso explains that uniforms would also carry over to the following year,provided they still fit, unlike a students current wardrobe that needs to be constantlyupdated to keep up with changing fashions (85). In my opinion, school uniforms are a good idea in big city schools. In the schoolsaround here though, there are other alternatives to ...
