The following appeared as part of a letter to the editor of a local newspaper:

“Bayview High School is considering whether to require all of its students to wear uniforms while at school. Students attending Acorn Valley Academy, a private school in town, earn higher grades on average and are more likely to go on to college. Moreover, Acorn Valley reports few instances of tardiness, absenteeism, or discipline problems. Since Acorn Valley requires its students to wear uniforms, Bayview High School would do well to follow suit and require its students to wear uniforms as well.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

Blanket policies like the one proposed in the letter are not the answer. First, if a student is successful enough to graduate from a private high school, he or she will have the wherewithal to choose whether or not to attend a private school. More importantly, however, uniform policies can hinder the ability of students to learn, particularly in a world where information is growing at an exponential rate. If a student’s uniform does not fit or is inappropriate, he or she may be tempted to switch or ‘borrow’ another student’s uniform. This will only further distract them from learning. In addition, since students will be confined to wearing uniforms, they will not have the variety in their outfit choices that other students their age might enjoy. If making uniform requirements mandatory forces students to wear clothes that they do not want, they may feel oppressed or depressed, making them less engaged with their studies

Finally, private and boarding schools exist for a variety of economic, social, and philosophical reasons. Some families believe that these schools are better suited for the students in their care. Others may be financially constrained, and a private education would be out of reach for them. Some parents may choose a school based on the principles espoused by the school, such as a Christian school, a Jewish school, or a Montessori school. Uniforms are an unnecessarily restrictive policy that will alienate some of these students. For example, if a child is not comfortable with his or her gender, a strict uniform policy may prevent him or her from wearing clothes that identify with that gender. In addition, some students may be uncomfortable with their racial or ethnic backgrounds or their sexual orientation, and a strict uniform policy could make them feel unwelcome

The letter makes several assumptions that are flawed. One is that the students at Acorn Valley Academy are more successful than students at Bayview High School. No one can really know this since the two schools are different. The wealthier students who go to Acorn Valley may be able to afford to attend private schools or pay for tutors. In addition, the students at Acorn Valley may be better behaved than those at Bayview High School. There is no research to back up this assumption. Another flawed assumption is that students will perform better in school if they are required to wear uniforms. Research indicates that students perform better when they are comfortable. Students who are required to wear uniforms may feel oppressed, depressed, or distracted. In addition, uniform policies may prevent students from wearing clothes that are comfortable. For these reasons, requiring students to wear uniforms may not be the answer.

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