Sudents vs. Thorton School District
Do school uniforms violate a student's right to freedom of expression? Seniors at Thorton County School District recently challenged the schools uniform only dress code by coming to school out of uniform. Those students were expelled from school and were not allowed to graduate with their class for this act. These students were exercising their right to express themselves. Under the First Amendment, as long as you do anything that is not affecting or infringing on someone else's right, one should be able to do that. (www.firstamendmentcenter.org)
Under the schools uniform dress policy students are prohibited from wearing hats or other head apparel as well. It can be said this may interfere with religious beliefs. Thus violating the first amendment to the constitution to “make no law respecting an established religion, or prohibiting the free exercise therof”… If a student is Jewish and wishes to wear his or her yarmulkes to school, should they be expelled for expressing their religion?
The students at Thorton were not given a hearing prior to the expulsion, and many parents believe their children have the right to a hearing. The Constitution of the United States says we as Americans shall not deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of the law. Were the protesting student not deprived of the right to graduate with their class without a hearing for their actions? Thus violating the 14th amendment?
Today many schools have adopted the school uniform for a multitude of reasons. School uniforms are said to prevent gangs from forming on campus, uniforms encourage discipline, they help students resist peer pressure to buy trendy clothes, they can help identify intruders in the school, they diminish economic and social barriers between students, and increase a sense of belonging and school pride.