The Uniform Debate
WHS students during the Friday the 13th Fire Drill. Looking like wolves have always looked. Casual.
In the past few years, there has been many rumors about uniforms going around the school. The dress code we currently have has not been very clear to the students and staff.
Our principal met with staff members to discuss the idea of uniforms. If other opinions matter as much then they should be asked to people who are going to answer truthfully. Not to someone who will respond with fear just so they can agree with the upper person, and not put their jobs in risk. When asked for opinions, school staff shouldn’t survey where students can only speak what’s written there or have a limit of what one can say in a text box.
Uniforms certainly do not boost spirit; In other words it decreases it. Everyone would be wearing the same thing and the only thing representing Westside is the logo on a shirt. Students wouldn’t be able to wear or customize shirts from a sport, extracurricular, or club. With uniforms, students wouldn’t able to show something they are proud of being in. Students don’t sit at a table to talk about what brand or types of clothes that others are wearing. Students choose their friends by who they are, not by the type of clothes they wear. Students should be able to come to school feeling comfortable and feeling good about themselves, as if school wasn’t already pressuring enough. “I want to come to school comfortable in my own leggings”, stated Jaelyn Stewart, Westside HS student. Putting permanent uniforms would lower the school spirit and will be more irritating for students that come to school.
Safety is one of the main focuses in the Westside dress code. It is the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk of injury. Uniforms do not make students feel protected because if danger was to come to this school, it wouldn’t be caused by an exposed shoulder or ripped jeans. The staff claims for the student dress code to be for their safety, but most of the dress code is towards exposing skin, and mainly towards girls. People say uniforms would decrease the peer pressure into buying brand” clothes, but students would always find something to bully someone about. Uniforms or no uniforms, peer pressure would not change and neither would safety.
As we know, there has been a large amount of students getting punishments because they’re out of dress code. Punishments such as going to the dean’s office and ISS (In School Suspension) wastes student’s time from academic learning. More than half of the students that get called out are girls because the dress code is concentrated more on girls showing skin than guys. “I shouldn’t be kicked out of class from learning because of my body being shown.” said Jaelyn Stewart. The dress code mostly has rules limiting how much skin a student shows.
If uniforms were brought into Westside, it would be a huge problem. Not only would students rebel, complain, but they also wouldn’t feel comfortable or be able to express themselves. Staff think uniforms are a great idea, but since uniforms are mostly concentrated on students, students’ opinions matter too.
Karolina Benitez is a sophomore at Westside High School. This is her first year on the Howler News staff. She is enrolled in photography and photojournalism. She...
Diana Carreon is a sophomore at Westside High School. She is currently taking photography, photojournalism and is a member of the Howler News staff.
On...
Kitzia Diago is a sophomore in Westside High School. This is her first year in photography, photo journalism and on the Howler News staff . She likes...
Kk • Nov 16, 2016 at 7:44 pm
Honestly, I’m a high school student and I agree with Trump, half of y’all copy and paste a lot. Kids like us want to dress our own way. Yes,there should be regulations,but we should have the right to express ourself in how we dress. Now, no there shouldn’t be nude or inappropriate clothing wear, I’m a firm believer on that.
But if you want kids to enjoy school more, take away dress code. Everyone will calm down and not act like wild animals running around in the hallways like we have now. No kids or teens as myself will REBEL against teachers with dress-code. Everyone hates on TRUMP!
He is a fantastic President and I wouldn’t have asked for better.
#teamtrump
Hannah Stevens • Feb 9, 2016 at 8:13 pm
I realized that this was not written by Ms. Roberts, but, nonetheless, I fully agree with you.
Hannah Stevens • Feb 9, 2016 at 8:11 pm
I very much agree with you, Ms. Roberts. Being a kid of dance and theater, the most concerning factor for me is that I won’t be able to represent who I am and what I do, to restate your words. I’ve been to several meetings, and in each it felt like many of the parents’ and students’ voices weren’t heard. Yes, we should be the ones deciding whether we get uniforms, or in the very least what the uniforms look like. Sadly, that isn’t the case. I definitely have seen many people make the point you made about uniforms not increasing security from within nor making students feel more secure, yet the school proceeds to force the idea upon us. Overall, I am very glad that there is at least one teacher who isn’t entirely pro-uniforms.
Kristin Porter • Feb 8, 2016 at 1:32 pm
The current rumors surrounding dress code and future uniforms has been brought to my attention, and has influenced me to share my opinion. In the past few years, Westside students reportedly have had many problems with the prompted dress code and have been refraining from following it. The current rules implemented are very simple, but teenage rebellion is at an all-time high. To be honest, uniforms will not only improve academic performance, but will bring a sense of security in the school environment. As my geometry teacher, Mr. Schroeder has stated, “If students feel confident in what they are wearing, statistically, students do better.” The main concern and what causes the most outrage is the fact students believe that by implementing uniforms, it takes away from the creativity and forces them to be a certain way. Also, having uniforms eliminates the exhausting time it takes each day to fit the dress code requirements, but also shown your personality. Creativity can shine through the academic level, if uniforms are the dress code. The constant “interruptions” in class to address the students clothing prevents them from learning more. This mistake can be corrected, if uniforms are put into place. I strongly believe that uniforms should be enforced the next few school years.
From a fellow Westside student,
Donald trump • Feb 22, 2016 at 3:28 pm
bruh you copy and paste this on every uniform article you’re just another teacher that wants uniforms you ain’t fooling nobody
taayy • Feb 7, 2016 at 7:30 pm
I think we should have uniforms I am in 8th grade going to 9th but I do think the school uniforms should represent each school colors. So every school can have the students wear uniforms is fine to me but at least the uniforms at each school should represent the colors but I feel like the law should be passed
Raven Dugas • Feb 5, 2016 at 2:00 pm
High schools often ask us to express ourselves to be unique. Next year when everyone has on uniforms we will all look the same. Many teenagers express themselves through the clothing, why take that away from us? I’ve attended both meetings and the primary reason for the uniforms is “safety.” Uniforms won’t stop fights, nor will it make the campus safer. Instead of making students wear uniforms, use that money to hire more police officers. Walking in the halls all day i RARELY see a police officer. Also, uniforms wouldn’t increase academic success, if a student doesn’t want to learn, a polo shirt with a Westside logo is not going to change that. Uniforms will only decrease school pride. We should use that money to help fund clubs and organizations that need the help. If you’re going to enforce uniforms at least engage with the students more. TELL US MORE INFORMATION! We go here, we should at least be able to know some information. It’s frustrating attending a school and you don’t even know what’s going on. It’s not fair to us. Another reason for the uniforms is leveling the playing field. Yes, kids do get teased because of what they wear; however, that IS NOT the primary topic of most arguments. Most of us are mature enough to know that kids struggle. That being said, a lot of Westside’s population is at an economic advantage, is Westside really prepared to provide uniforms to all those students that can’t afford it? In conclusion, I will NEVER agree with uniforms; however, if I HAVE to wear them I should be able to have an opinion on what they look like. In Ms.Stewart’s principal message she says, and i quote: “Our remarkable staff, involved parents and committed students come together to make Westside a wonderful place to be challenged intellectually, grow socially, and develop as independent thinkers and problem solvers.” Let us solve our OWN problems, let us grow independently because in college we won’t be wearing uniforms. Prepare for the future, leave uniforms in the past, that’s for middle and elementary schools.
saul hernandez • Feb 4, 2016 at 9:43 am
are we in middle school?
Donald Trump • Feb 5, 2016 at 1:57 pm
UNIFORMS ARE STUPIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD. PERIOD…….
Miguel Andrade • Jan 28, 2016 at 8:28 am
I agree, students should be able to be heard too. Uniforms limit self expression.The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees that all individuals have the right to express themselves freely. Clothing choices are “a crucial form of self-expression,” according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, which also stated that “allowing students to choose their clothing is an empowering message from the schools that a student is a maturing person who is entitled to the most basic self-determination.” When students have to wear the same outfits, rather than being allowed to select clothes that suit their body types, they can suffer embarrassment at school. Child and teen development specialist Robyn Silverman told NBC News’ Today that students, especially girls, tend to compare how each other looks in their uniforms: “As a body image expert, I hear from students all the time that they feel it allows for a lot of comparison… So if you have a body that’s a plus-size body, a curvier body, a very tall body, a very short body, those girls often feel that they don’t look their best.”
Nobody • Jan 30, 2016 at 5:13 pm
PREACH
No One • Feb 5, 2016 at 9:30 am
I think they’re forgetting a major factor here. Not everyone who goes to this school lives in million dollar houses and drives Ferraris.(Unlike the ones who make the decisions) Most kids already own clothes and some get them from their older siblings. I don’t think anyone’s older siblings have blue polo shirts with the west side logo on them. NOT EVERYONE CAN AFFORD TO BUY A WHOLE NEW SET OF CLOTHES! I think a lot of people who dont have money are embarrassed about it but you cant force someone to buy new clothes with money they dont have! What are you going to do when someone cant afford the uniforms and doesn’t come to school dressed like your other robots? Suspend them? If you’re going to enforce something like this on us then looks like you’re going to have to provide them for the less fortunate. Wouldn’t you like to say that to all your friends at the country club? “Oh i helped the less fortunate wear clothes that they didnt even want im such a good person” Makes me sick. You do realize that everyone agreed to the principal because if they said no they would be ridiculed and pulled down on the social ladder that is this schools decision making process.
TM • Feb 5, 2016 at 1:48 pm
This couldn’t be any more true
Donald Trump • Feb 5, 2016 at 1:58 pm
AGREE