The debate over school uniforms is not going to be contested between President Bush and Senator Kerry this year, but, for our children, this debate is as important as any topic in the presidential race right now. The staff of Project D.E.E.P. (the Dorchester Educational Enrichment Program) was able to witness this debate first-hand when they asked their students to write essays arguing for one side of the school uniform issue. Should uniforms be enforced in schools today, or not?

Children everywhere might not have an answer to the many questions confronting our presidential candidates right now, but they surely have an answer ready for that question. You would be hard-pressed to find a student who does not have an opinion on school uniforms, and for this reason the students of Project D.E.E.P. all seemed to produce passionate essays on the subject. The majority chose to do away with uniforms, but it was surprising in how many took the other side of the argument.

And it was surprising in how convincing the students were. Many of the essays were well-organized and compelling, but three of them were judged to be the most persuasive and well-written. They are as follows.

- John S. Hanlon, Executive Director

Project D.E.E.P.

Mandatory Uniforms Won't Solve Anything

Forcing children to wear school uniforms is wrong. Uniforms do not solve the schools' social problems. What happened to freedom of choice? If you cannot wear preferred clothing, then you are sacrificing your individuality. Can you fully express yourself if you are made to look like everyone else? Some argue that it saves parents money to buy uniforms, but this is not always true.

America's constitution was created to secure the freedom of choice. Freedom of choice is the freedom to choose what you wish to do. Although the constitution does not specifically mention freedom to choose your own clothes, some would argue that it still means all situations of freedom of choice. That includes which clothes you want to wear. Therefore, you should choose what you want to wear to school every morning. You should not be wearing the same dull uniform day after day. Are we raising a society of robots?

Everyone has his or her own individuality. People choose to show that in many ways. One is by wearing clothes that they like. Everybody likes different things, so everybody's clothes are different. This is how some people express themselves. Haircuts, earrings and other jewelry also show expression, but a person's clothes say much about them. Forcing students to wear uniforms takes away their individuality. It is like trying to change the person that you are.

How much does it cost to buy a uniform? It costs more than the uniform alone. If children have to wear a uniform to school, they will still need clothes to change into after school. This means they need twice as many clothes. Schools may sell their uniforms for a lower price than stores sell casual clothes for, but do not be fooled. You need more than one uniform. This is because if one gets dirty you need to use another. This adds up to be a big financial burden. So not having uniforms can save a great deal of money.

We live in America. Too many people have died trying to protect our freedom. If school administrators take away the freedom of choice in school clothing, what right will they take away next?

By Michael Tomasini

Grade 5 - The Richard J. Murphy School

Grades, Not Fashion, Should Have Our Full Attention

There should be a uniform policy throughout the school system. This policy would include public, private and parochial schools. This policy should specifically state what can and cannot be worn in school. By having a uniform policy children will have more time to concentrate on what should be important in school.

The uniform policy should be as follows: a pair of khaki pants, black or brown leather shoes (with no labels), a plain brown or black belt, and a specific uniform shirt. The uniform should be purchased from a specific company so that there is no confusion on what is to be worn.

In schools today too many people worry about looking fashionable. It has become a competition. Instead of who is the smartest, it has become a question of who looks the best. Your grades do not matter anymore. Are you wearing Air Jordans or are you wearing Reeboks? Is there a designer label on your jeans? That surely will get you an A with your friends!

How many students have been jumped at school or after school because they were wearing designer jeans? Even worse, how many were stabbed for wearing a leather jacket? How many parents can afford to give their children these expensive things? Why is it so important to look better than anyone else? The most important thing is that you are neat and clean.

At school the most important thing should be the business of education. Children go to school to learn. School is not for comparing what you are wearing. If everyone is wearing the same thing, then students can be more focused on their education. There is no competition in terms of what you are wearing. The competition should be in the academic department.

By Tim Langis

Grade 8 - South Boston Harbor Academy

Uniforms Strangle Self-Expression

From the sharp 8:00 bell that awakens sleepy students, to the welcome chime at 3:00 that signals freedom, students are stuck in a long school day. They have no choice in this matter, but are forced to go to school about seven hours a day, five days a week. Although students may enjoy some parts of school, many of them would definitely rather be somewhere else. But a search for answers to discipline and violence problems brings educators to a decision to impose one more hassle upon students - uniforms. In a poll at a popular website, youdebate.com, more than sixty percent of voters say that school uniforms do not improve our schools. And it is true - uniforms in schools are a very bad idea.

School uniforms restrain self-expression in a stage of life where self-image and finding oneself is extremely important. While students can express themselves through personality, art and other activities, the way children dress is an important outlet of expression. Restricting what children are allowed to wear is as inhibiting as saying that they must wear their hair a certain way - why not shave it all off? During World War II, prisoners in concentration camps were forced to shave their heads and wear uniforms - is this a mentality that our country wants to imprint upon our school system? Students express themselves through what they wear. What children decide to wear - whether that be all pink, baggy cargoes, dark black, or designer dresses - helps them to show what they feel inside. It helps them meet other people who feel the same way and have the same interests. Whether a student wants to stand out or fit in, he can state it clearly by the style and color of clothing he wears relative to everyone else's. Feelings can be shown through bright, happy colors, or dismal, depressed shades. And students can choose clothing that looks good on them as individuals. While parents may complain that they do not want their children wearing clothing considered skimpy or unmodest, uniforms should not be the answer. Parents have a whole other level of control they can exercise over their children's manner of dressing - a control that kids can still be partly involved in, and that can fit each different child. When parents let the school do the work of dressing their children, parents set an example for children of taking the easy way out and foisting the problem onto someone else's shoulders.

While there is a necessity for a response to a lack of safety in children's lives, uniforms are not a working solution. Unless all visiting parents and faculty were made to wear uniforms, a criminal could easily fit right in - posing as a substitute or a parent bringing a forgotten lunch. Students would not watch out for strange people because they probably do not know every teacher, substitute, janitor, parent and touring person, especially in bigger schools. Although visitor badges can be enforced, a person might easily "miss" the office to obtain one or simply "forget" it. Also, uniforms can most likely be obtained from a school store or nearby market; visitor badges can be easily reproduced. Besides, while uniforms may work at school, a child walking home wearing one will be an easily recognizable and predictable target for a pedophile or kidnapper. Finally, any uniform that was meant to ensure that students could not carry weapons would have to be skin tight, even on boys. So while school violence still needs a solution, there is no research or thoroughly thought-through reason supporting uniforms as the answer.

Enforcing uniforms tells children that authority is allowed to abuse its power and constrain students' rights of choice, freedom and expression. Students learn from their uniforms that who they are as individuals are not important, and that they need to fit a mold which the school has made for them. Students do not choose to wear uniforms - they are forced to. And no longer do they have the option of choosing clothes in the morning. By losing freedom of choice, it does not make the day easier but adjusts children to conformity and lets others make decisions for them. In fact, uniforms mold children into subservient, mindless robots. Is this what America wants for its children?

When considering uniformity, these are the questions to ask ourselves. Do we want our children to think that expressing themselves does not matter; that they should keep their feelings bottled up inside? Do you want to waste time and money on a safety feature that simply does not work? If your answer is yes, maybe you would like the district to decide what your child should eat for breakfast every morning, or mandate what television shows he can watch. You need to take control of your own life and your children's, whether they be future or present, while we still have what remains of the right to choose.

By Brooke Rice

Grade 8 - Milton Academy