October 26, 2016

Mr./Mrs. President

White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW,

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mrs/Mrs. President:

Since 2010, nearly one in five public schools require their students to wear uniforms. Uniform popularity has increased greatly but some say uniforms aren't the right answer to solving everyday problems. I am a 13 year old student from a charter school in California, I have had uniforms throughout my whole education. I believe schools all over the world should adopt uniform policies. I also believe school uniforms build a level of unity and respect that nothing else can offer. To begin with, I want to introduce my ideas for uniforms.

When I wake up in the mornings all I think about is the day ahead of me. Nothing about, “What am I going to wear today?” Or , “What will people think of me if I wear gray shorts instead of tan shorts?” In the mornings I simply, take a shower, eat breakfast, and prepare my notes for class. Uniforms are easy in the mornings and clear your head leaving your focus from clothes to more important things like education. According to, www.schooluniforms.procon.org parents dont have to spend their mornings constantly finding an appropiate outfit for there child. In fact, 90% of school leaders say uniforms, “eliminates wardrobe battles with kids.” Less wardrobe battles results in a decrease of late students. Tracey Marinelli, a superintendent of the Lyndhurst School District in New Jersey followed up on this statement, she said, “The uniform policy reduces the amount of late students.” Without worrying about clothes, students can get to school much faster in the mornings. Yes some people may say that students still have to worry about if their uniforms are clean or not. However, the uniform policy gives students a big bulk of similar clothes which makes it easier to grab and go rather than finding one pair of jeans.

“We are all humans until race disconnected us, religion seperated us, politics divided us and wealth classified us.” Equality has been such a wavy subject throughout history. Waves that are composed of race, waves that are composed of religion, waves that are composed of speech and fear. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous, I have a dream speech on August 28 1963. He took a stance for the inequality between black and white Americans. He built a sense of equality between two races as school uniforms build a sense of equality between students. A 2013 survey suggests that 86% of school leaders say uniforms reduce peer pressure and 64% of these leaders say that uniforms reduce bullying. Who doesn't want that? Peer pressure is so big at this age, students are trying to prove themselves to each other by what they do and wear. Uniforms build a wall between what students do and what students wear. Uniforms protect the sensitive side of what people wear. Arminta Jacobson, the founder and director for the center for parent education at the University of North Texas, says that uniforms, “create the same leveling field.” Students don't have anything to say to each other about what they wear because they are all wearing similar clothes.

A school can be represented as a team or structure. A structure that is composed of essential beams and bricks. Without one piece the whole structure collapses. A school needs to unite together and support each other like a structure. Studies have shown that students were more positive and excited to be a part of their community when uniforms were introduced. As a soccer player, whenever I put on my jersey I am excited and proud to be a soccer player. Every player has a number on the back of their jersey, this number symbolizes teamwork and makes you feel you are welcome to the team. Who doesn't like to feel welcome?

Wrapping it up, Mr/Mrs president, I think school uniforms are an essential part to a student's education. However, I believe that schools should introduce a new system. To please both followers and unfollowers of uniforms, I think schools should enforce uniforms on a everyday basis except one day of the week. Yes, uniforms lower the abilities of students expressing themselves individually but with this system it will please both sides of the argument. If there are school games students should be able to wear their jerseys to show school spirit. Mr/Mrs president, I want you to introduce the uniform policy to schools and explain their powerful effect on education and school environments. Thank you for your time as you have read this letter.

Sincerely,

Jacob S.