Have you ever noticed that when a student walks into a school they suddenly lose their freedom of speech? Well in most schools around the nation, students have limited rights in their schools, as they have rules covering what they can wear, what they can say, and what they can eat. These are all personal choices that are limited by the government in an attempt to increase learning and limit individuality in our schools.

We were given the freedom of speech as our god given right and it is intolerable that schools have the power to take it away from us. Others might object and say that it’s not okay to talk during school because it interrupts learning but research has shown that interactive learning with the students is increased their learning and comprehension. In an interview with Stanford Professor Linda Hammond, she stated that collaborating in the classroom is much better for a students learning rather than busy work. Students should be allowed to speak their mind and express their opinion on issues they feel are important. If students are told to keep to themselves in class, then how are they expected to express themselves in the real world if they can’t do it in the classroom?

If we are supposed to be individuals then how is it that we can’t even express ourselves through our clothes at school? Dress codes and uniforms may be good for the professional workplace but at school they are unneeded, people need to remember that students are young and creative and they don’t want to have to all wear the same thing.
An opposing viewpoint might say that uniforms are good for everybody because they allow the less fortunate to have the same clothes as the privileged kids. This is true but uniforms don’t promote individuality and they do not allow students to express who they really are through the way they dress.

In schools the food choice is limited and usually the food served in the cafeterias is not very appetizing to the students. In 2010 the Washoe County School District banned lunch room food from containing sugars; meanwhile it has been shown that a little bit of sugar is healthy for our bodies. Children should be able to decide what they want to eat and should not have regulations over their food decisions. Many might argue that children are not responsible enough to make healthy food decisions and this is a good point but many students are responsible and they should have the choice to eat what they want. Going off campus to eat lunch should be allowed in all schools because students should have the choice to eat what they want and if they don’t like the food at school then they should be able to go get food elsewhere.

If schools investigate these issues then they might find that they can create a better learning environment for students, which promotes creativity, along with expressing oneself, and enjoying the foods that they find appetizing. In the end we are all born with rights and we should be able to make our own decisions as we grow up without schools demanding us to live our lives the way they want us to. So I challenge principals across the nation to take a look at these issues and attempt to change at least one thing about there school that will allow students to have a more enjoyable learning environment.






Bibliography
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Barron, Brigid. "Powerful Learning: Studies Show Deep Understanding Derives from Collaborative Methods | Edutopia." K-12 Education & Learning Innovations with Proven Strategies That Work | Edutopia. Oct. 2008. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. <http://www.edutopia.org/inquiry-project-learning-research>.

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Mount, Steve. "The United States Constitution - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net." Index Page - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net. June 2010. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. <http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1>.

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Fletcher, A.M. "IJPA - Good Nutrition - Facts About Sugar, Fruit Spreads and Your Health." International Jelly and Preserve Association Introduction. Feb. 2001. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.jelly.org/myths.html>.