Essay on school uniforms Essay Example for Free

Essay on school uniforms Essay Imagine being able to wake up every morning, roll out of bed, put on the same thing you wore the day before, and head off to school. Not only would you be able to do such a thing, but all of your friends were doing it, too! Sound too good to be true? Well, its becoming more common in our society as school uniforms have gone beyond private schools to public schools. Uniforms have a positive effect on students self-esteem, attendance, discipline, and test scores. They have also been proven to decrease the rate of crime and violence in public schools. Most students and even parents will argue that SCHOOL UNIFORMS stifle individualism. The teenage years are a time when adolescents try out different personas, often experimenting with different styles of clothing during this phase. Opponents argue that uniforms take away an individuals freedom of expression. However, the clothes that people wear, or can afford to wear, often define the group by which they are accepted. As a result, many teens are outcast due to the fact that they cannot afford the top-of-the-line, name-brand clothing. This rejection can lead to several problems for the outcast teen: depression, inability to concentrate on schoolwork, or just a general feeling of inferiority. School uniforms put everyone on the same level because no outfit is more stylish or expensive than another. Linda Moore, principal at Will Rogers Middle School in Long Beach, California, states, Uniforms reduce the differences between the haves and have-nots (Ritter, 1). Uniforms allow students to interact with one another without experiencing the socioeconomic barrier that non-uniform schools create. More importantly, children are not judged on how much they spent on clothes or how stylish they look, but rather for their talents and personalities. School uniforms not only break down socioeconomic barriers, but they also increase the safety of the students. In 1996, President Bill Clinton encouraged the use of school uniforms as part of an education program that sought to improve safety and discipline (Hoffman, 1). If students are all wearing the same type of outfit, it becomes much easier to spot outsiders  who may wander onto the campus. In addition, uniforms decrease the number of incidences of students being attacked or beaten for items of clothing such as shoes and jackets. Also, members of gangs frequently have a color or style of clothing used to identify themselves. Unsuspecting students who wear gang colors or gang-related attire might be threatened or intimidated by members of opposing gangs, students wearing expensive or fashionable clothes might become victims of theft, or certain fashion accessories or attire may be used as a means of concealing weapons, or even as weapons (Paliokas, 1). At a school in Long Beach, California, after only the first year that uniforms were implemented, overall school crime decreased 36 percent, fights decreased 51 percent, sex offenses decreased 74 percent, weapons offenses decreased 50 percent, assault and battery offenses decreased 34 percent, and vandalism decreased 18 percent (Manual, 3). Schools with uniform-clad students are also proven to have fewer disciplinary problems and increased attendance than non-uniform schools. Dr. John German, principal of South Shore, located in Seattle, Washington, reports, This year the demeanor in the school has improved 98 percent, truancy and tardies are down, and we have not had one reported incident of theft (Manual,4). Ruffner Middle School, located in Norfolk, Virginia, reports a 47 percent decrease in students leaving class without permission (Manual,5). With the implementation of uniforms, students no longer spend hours deciding what they are going to wear to school. This fear of looking uncool will often cause kids to decide that they do not feel well enough to go to school because they cant find anything to wear. Uniforms allow students to focus more on their academics, and less on what everyone else is wearing. According to Long Beach police chief William Ellis, Students concentrate more on education, not on whos wearing $100 shoes or gang attire (Manual, 3). Elementary Guidance Counselor Sharon Carter of Memphis, Tennessee states, The tone of the school is different. Theres not the competitiveness†¦about whos wearing what (Manual, 5). Many families worry about not having enough money to buy uniforms. Due to the fact that no child can be denied an education because of economic  disadvantage, all schools requiring uniforms must include provisions to assist low-income families. For example, the Long Beach School District solved this problem by setting up a boutique shop, funded by private donors, where needy students can shop (Paliokas, 5). In addition, community and business leaders provide or contribute financial support for uniforms, and students who have graduated often donate their used uniforms to incoming students (Manual, 3). However, uniforms are considerably cheaper to buy than non-uniform clothes, and the students can wear them every day and it isnt considered unusual. Parents can buy a few pairs of pants, shirts, or other variations of a uniform for under $100, while parents of non-uniform-wearing students can spend from several hundred up to $1,000 a year on clothing. Parents find that buying two or three uniforms is ultimately cheaper than buying clothes to follow the fads, and it stops arguments at home in the mornings about what to wear (Oland, 1). Pop culture increasingly sends young girls the message that the smaller and tighter the clothes, the more readily they will be accepted. These outfits, which flaunt navels and bra straps, are not only distracting, but detract from teaching time as teachers argue with students about what is considered acceptable attire. With uniforms, there are only a few acceptable variations of the outfit, no questions asked. A less well-known theory concerning the pros of school uniforms is the halo effect. According to researcher Marc Posner, the halo effect refers to the idea that while uniforms may not change student behavior, the uniforms may change the way teachers and other adults perceive the students who wear them. In a study of the correlation of student clothing and teacher and student perceptions, Dorothy Behling of Bowling Green University found that students and teachers alike believe that uniform-clad students not only behave better, but also do better academically than those who dont wear uniforms. While this may be an illusion, these positive perceptions can help create a self-fulfilling prophecy that teachers and administrators raise their discipline and grading standards to reflect their more positive image of students, who, in turn, behave better. (School Discipline, 1). While research on the effectiveness of uniforms is still ongoing, they have been proven to raise test scores, boost self-esteem, reduce violence and crime, and create a sense of newfound pride in students. They help children to focus on learning and schoolwork, not on what everyone else is wearing or whether or not they fit in. Uniforms are not the solution to all of the problems that teens, teachers, and schools face today, but research and statistics suggest that they may be a step in the right direction.

The Little Big Man in Great Expectations :: Free Great Expectations Essays

The Little Big Man in Great Expectations Many people grow small trying to grow big. This idea appears prominently throughout the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. This critical lens means that as a person tries to better them self, that have to be careful to be true to their values or they will become what they despise. This is a story about a boy who falls in love with a girl from a higher class. It seems as if these two could never really be together. Yet by some turn of events he gets a chance to rise to her status but there are many complications. In the beginning Pip, the main character, is happy and very content with his life. He is kind, caring, polite, generous, and companionate. Then everything changes when he meets Estella. She makes Pip miserable. She taunts and belittles him by making fun of his appearance and calling him "common." All the while, she is leading him on to make him suffer even more. Despite all this Pip, obsesses over Estella. It disturbs him the most to think that he and Estella could never be together as partners. For the first time he is dissatisfied with his life. After a year, Pip leaves to become a blacksmith, at the forge. To make matters worse, Estella leaves town for London so that she can learn to be a lady. With this separation always on his mind, Pip tries to go back to living his normal life; but he can't get the idea out of his head that he is a simpleton and that he is going to lead an insignificant life. Years later through some strange twist of fate, Pip becomes endowed with "great expectations" and is given an opportunity to go to London. Since Pip wanted to win Estella, he decides to make himself a gentleman. He thinks that this choice will make him important or big but that is far from the truth. Pip leaves his home and family where he once was taught about hard work, trust, truth, and love. He realizes later that the things he had learned discredit his idea that being a gentleman makes him more significant.

Darwinian Theory and the ‘Life of Pi’ Essay

Darwinian Theory may be used to explain Yann Martel’s novel ‘Life of Pi. ’ While the novel is an aesthetic portrayal of spirituality, purity, and practicality, it is nonetheless not immune to the issues of scientific validity, materiality, and determinism. In this paper, the author will explore the relationship of Darwinian Theory with the core concepts in the novel. These core concepts are, in general, assumed to be in conflict with the principles of Darwinian Theory. However, this assumption may be relaxed as the author sees fit. Novel Summary Piscine ‘Pi’ Molitor Patel lives in Pondicherry, India – a boy described as ‘curious, jolly, and deep-seated with learning. ’ His father is the owner of the Pondicherry Zoo. His mother is an avid reader of various literary works. Much of the protagonist’s learning experience came from school. Hi school is filled with amazing teachers – many of whom became personal mentors of Pi. Although he grew up as a Hindu, he discovered the Catholic faith at the age of 14 from a priest named Father Martin. However, upon meeting Mr. Kumar, a Muslim, he changes his religious orientation by practicing Islam. Pi openly defies the custom of religious conservatism by advocating liberalism in worship – he regards Catholicism, Islam, and Hinduism as legitimate religions. At the age of 16, Pi’s father decides to abandon Prime Minister’s Gandhi due to some political and ethical issues. The family is forced to move to Toronto, Canada. The animals in the zoo are dispersed to various zoos in the United States. On their way to Canada, the boat unexpectedly sinks. Only Pi survives – stuck with a dying hyena and a zebra. While struggling in the shark-infested water, he saves Richard Parker, a Bengal tiger. In the boat, predatory animals prey on herbivores and the carcasses of dead animals. For seven months, Pi hides on a raft behind the boat. He is able to tame Parker using a whistle. Parker seems to develop affection with Pi – Parker becomes the close partner of Pi. While at sea, Pi learns to eat from the sea. However, because the nutrition derived from the sea is insufficient to feed the two, both Pi and Parker become ill. As the health of both Pi and Parker deteriorate, the former loses his sight. Then, they come across another blind man – a person stranded in his lifeboat on the Pacific. The blind man intends to kill and eat Pi. However, the tiger (Parker) attacks and eats the blind man. Pi, however, sheds tears for the blind man, clearing his sight as a consequence. For a long period of time, the two suffered from the scourges of the seas. Then, they come across an island made of algae and populated with the so-called Meerkats. Pi begins to eat algae and gradually regains his strength. Parker also regains his strength by eating Meerkats. For several weeks both Pi and Parker live on the island. Both are very happy and almost optimistic of life. Eventually, Pi finds several sets of corroded human teeth wrapped in tree leaves. Pi is horrified. Pi realizes that during the night the algae become acidic. The island becomes carnivorous – one indicator of which is the sleeping habit of the Meerkats. Meerkats sleep at night to avoid danger. His discovery sends shivers on his body – a feeling of hopelessness and despair run in his mind. The next day, he leaves the island with Parker. After spending so much time in the ocean, Pi finally lands in Mexico. Parker runs off into the woods. Pi is eventually recovered by villagers who immediately take him to a nearby hospital. The shipping company which owned the ship interviewed Pi. Pi narrates his story to the representatives of the company – his 227-day journey on the boat and the fantastic tales of his experiences with Parker, the Bengal tiger, and of course, the ‘dangerous’ island. The representatives of the company do not believe Pi’s story and therefore ask Pi to relate another story. Pi narrates a second story. In the story, the cook of the boat kills both his mother and a sailor with a broken leg. Pi kills the cook. The company representatives realize that Pi’s second story parallels the first. Pi asks the representatives which story they like the most. The representatives agree they like the first story and the one they will use in their report. Darwinian Theory in the Novel In the first part of the novel, Darwinian Theory seems to be contradictory with the core concepts of the story. The story advocates the concepts of spirituality, freedom of conscience, purity, and spiritual origin of humanity as the main determinants of man’s journey in life. In the beginning, Pi’s life is governed by these principles, as evident by his deep-seated commitment to the precepts of spiritual living. Pi believes that the future of humanity depends on man’s commitment to his spiritual origin. Humanity is above materialism, prejudice, and the natural laws of selection, adaptation, and struggle. Hence, humanity is defined not by the peculiarities of deterministic living but by choice and freedom. If one uses Darwinian Theory, one can clearly see the contradictions. Darwinian Theory suggests: We have seen that man incessantly presents individual differences in all parts of his body and in his mental faculties. These differences or variations seem to be induced by the same general causes, and to obey the same laws as with the lower animals. In both cases similar laws of inheritance prevail. Man tends to increase at a greater rate than his means of subsistence; consequently he is occasionally subjected to a severe struggle for existence, and natural selection will have effected whatever lies within its scope (On the Origin of Species, 147). In short, the future of humanity is governed by the principles of struggle, variation, and adaptation. To deny the material origin of man is to deny his nature. The peculiarities of man’s existence, is therefore, clouded by lies which perpetuate in the human psyche. Darwinian Theory presents man in the most material form – man originated from lower forms through a perpetually long periods of time. In his book ‘The Descent of Man,’ Darwin clearly defined the nature of man. According to Darwin, man is an ubiquitous species selected by nature to perpetuate in the world. His main tool for survival is knowledge or technological advancement. However, this ‘advantage’ is not a departure from natural selection, struggle, or adaptation. Rather, it is part of nature – ungoverned by either choice or freedom – and subservient to the logic of evolution. In short, man is related to other species in one way or another. In the novel, Pi’s ingenuous anticipation of problems and its eventual resolution are presented as natural and instinctual. With this, one is forced to refer again to Darwin’s assertion which states: He who is not content to look, like a savage, at the phenomena of nature as disconnected, cannot any longer believe that man is the work of a separate act of creation. He will be forced to admit that the close resemblance of the embryo of man to that, for instance, of a dog- the construction of his skull, limbs and whole frame on the same plan with that of other mammals, independently of the uses to which the parts may be put- the occasional re-appearance of various structures, for instance of several muscles, which man does not normally possess, but which are common to the Quadrumana- and a crowd of analogous facts- all point in the plainest manner to the conclusion that man is the co-descendant with other mammals of a common progenitor (The Descent of Man, 74). Darwinian Theory begins to manifest itself in the second part of the novel. Pi’s struggles in the boat present three concrete principles of Darwinism: struggle, adaptation, and competition. Pi’s struggles are generally linked with the actions of other forms of living organisms – the zebras, hyena, the snake, and the orangutan. The boat represents a small world where the laws of Darwinism govern everything. According to Darwin, it is impossible for a human being to be separated from the discretion of nature, from the actions of other organisms, and the vagrant reality of materialism (On the Origin of Species, 59). The formal rule of human existence is no more different from the formal rule which governs nature. According to Darwin, struggle is the formal rule of existence: As the missletoe is disseminated by birds, its existence depends on birds; and it may metaphorically be said to struggle with other fruit-bearing plants, in order to tempt birds to devour and disseminate its seeds rather than those of other plants. In these several sense, which pass into each other, I use for convenience sake the general term of struggle for existence. A struggle for existence inevitably follows from the high rate at which organic beings tend to increase †¦ for only struggle can ensure the survival of every living organism (On the Origin of Species, 32-33). In short, Pi’s struggles in the boat are not an isolated form of adaptation but a real manifestation of the laws of nature (which Darwin established in his book ‘On the Origin of Species’). Natural selection is likewise manifested in Pi’s adventures in the island. The sleeping habit of the Meerkats is congruent with the environment of the island. Note that during nighttime, the island becomes ‘carnivorous’ and the algae turns into a colony of acidic organisms. In order for the Meerkats to thrive in the island, they must adapt to their environment. Their adaptation will serve as a medium for natural selection – a species capable of reproducing. As Darwin noted: But in the case of an island, or of a country partly surrounded by barriers, into which new and better adapted forms could not freely enter, we should then have places in the economy of nature which would assuredly be better filled up, if some of the original inhabitants were in some manner modified; for, had the area been open to immigration, these same places would have been seized on by intruders. In such case, every slight modification, which in the course of ages chanced to arise, and which in any way favoured the individuals of any of the species, by better adapting them to their altered conditions, would tend to be preserved; and natural selection would thus have free scope for the work of improvement (On the Origin of Species, 42). Note the similarity of Darwin’s assertions to the plot of the story. The propensity of survival depends first and foremost on the ability of organisms to adapt to their environment. Adaptation serves as a medium for natural selection (as in the case of the Meerkats in the novel). Conclusion The novel can be analyzed through the lens of Darwinism. It is clear that the novel contains elements of Darwinism. However, one should note that this form of interpretation is neither deterministic nor perpetual. Other types of interpretation may be used to analyze the novel (such as realism, deconstructionism, structuralism, etc. ) Works Cited Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: London Publishing House, 1870/1992. Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1882/2001. Martel, Yann. Life of Pi. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 2001.

Federal, State, and Local Levels of Law Enforcement

The different career types of law enforcement career options may have similarities or be quite different depending on whether the work involves federal, state, or local agency. The differences at local state and federal levels includes: benefits, jurisdictions, pay structure, job responsibilities, travel requirements, and career advancement opportunities among others. The similarities include power to make arrests without warrant for some crimes; they all carry firearms and are trained in similar law enforcement skills. Most of them have the same form of military structure. They also all risk their lives to ensure the law is enforced. According to SchebScheb (2011), â€Å"there are different roles played by legislatures, courts, and federal enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels of government†. Local law enforcement agency officials who basically represent cities, townships and villages, are mainly the initial enforcement front for criminal’s laws and traffic laws. The mayors, municipal police officers and chiefs among others, protect citizens and enforce laws although they are limited to their assigned jurisdiction. Local law enforcement may provide crime prevention, community policing programs and other programs to help in protecting its jurisdictions. One of the main role of the State law enforcement is to patrol and enforce the laws on state highways and rural areas. The also back up the sheriffs and local law enforcement areas when called to do so.Show MoreRelatedOrganizational Management and Operations Essay1141 Words   |  5 Pages As of 2008, there are approximately 765,000 personnel employed as sworn officers in local and state law enforcement agencies throughout the United States (BJS, 2011) with an additional 105,000 law enforcement personne l in approximately 65 federal agencies as of 2004 (BJS, 2006). Law Enforcement agencies function at all levels of the government: local, state, and federal with many similarities and differences in their day-to-day operations, each responsible for specificRead MoreThe Levels Of Law Enforcement1190 Words   |  5 Pagesdepartment. In the United States, there are three levels of law enforcement, there is the Federal level, the State level, and the Local level. The levels of law enforcement have various duties but most duties are very similar. Every day in the field is very different. The job can also be extremely stressful, and law enforcement professionals need specific training to succeed. A career in law enforcement is a secure job to have because crime never stops. What is law enforcement? It is a system where membersRead MoreOrganizational Management and Operations Paper1690 Words   |  7 Pagescompare, and contrast the policing function at the local, state, and federal organizational levels of the criminal justice system. A n analysis of the organizational, management, administration, and operational functions at these three organizational levels will be assessed for similarity of leadership and differences. * According to Police Crunch (2012), To be an effective police/law enforcement officer, one must understand where we (law enforcement) has been, where society believes we are andRead MoreLocal State Federal Police1141 Words   |  5 PagesLocal, State, Federal Police Angela Brandon CJA/484 March 25, 2013 Frank Owens Local, State, Federal Police The United States uses police officers on three different levels to deal with citizens that violate the laws. The local, state, and federal agencies operate on different levels. Maintaining order and service functions, purpose of policing is to do investigation of suspected criminal activity and refer criminals to the American court. Police is needed to help maintain peaceRead MorePolicing Functions1089 Words   |  5 PagesMathew Scherer CJA/394 February 10, 2014 Mr. David Kurylowicz Policing Functions Law enforcement in the United States consists of local municipal, county, state, and federal agencies. These agencies make up a very large and very complex enterprise. Throughout the United States, there are almost 18,000 different law enforcement agencies at the local, county, state, and federal levels. Along with the law enforcement agencies also comes private security industry that is made up of over a million peopleRead MoreOrganizational Management and Operations1213 Words   |  5 PagesManagement and Operations The subject to describe is policing organizations at various levels. The author will identify, compare, and contrast the policing function at the local, state, and federal organizational levels (CJA/484 – Criminal Justice Administration Capstone). The author will analyze how the organizational, management, administration, and operational functions at the local, state, and federal levels are similar or different and why (CJA/484 – Criminal Justice Administration Capstone)Read MoreLaw Enforcement Of The United States1589 Words   |  7 PagesMailloux Law enforcement in the United States is an extremely large and complex area comprising of over 23,000 local, state and federal agencies working alongside security service providers, and industry that hires more than one million people. Among the over 90,000 officially declared police personnel, 13% are specifically working for federal agencies, another 13% hired by special or state agencies while 74% work in the local law enforcement agencies. These law enforcement agents are mandatedRead MoreThe Role of Federal Agencies in Fighting Digital Crime774 Words   |  3 PagesSecurity, and other law enforcement agencies have similar challenges when fighting computer crimes and terrorism due to the recent development of computer technologies as well as constant threats. Federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement agencies have different responsibilities that work independently instead of on the same level, which can make it difficult to coordinate and cooperate to fight agai nst computer crimes and terrorist threats. Local law enforcement agencies deal withRead MoreImpact of Terrorism on Law Enforcement1566 Words   |  7 PagesImpact of Terrorism in Law Enforcement The devastating events of 9/11 provided a forewarning to our country concerning the dangers of terrorism. However, it has created a particularly greater impact on the duties and standards expected of law enforcement agencies on all levels (local, state, and national). Law enforcement has begun implementing new tactics in an effort to prevent future terrorist attacks from threatening our national security. One aspect of policing in which terrorism has broughtRead MorePolice Jurisdiction Essay797 Words   |  4 Pagespolice agencies can be followed back to the Early English colonial days. As time continued, so did the improvements of the police agencies of law enforcement today. The first police department was established in 1731 was the Boston Police Department. Within each police agency, they also have their own jurisdiction of federal level, state, local, and private levels. The biggest protector of America is the Department of Homeland Security that includes jurisdiction of the nation. The