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Your Views: School uniform idea has merit
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Students from Chestatee High School wrote letters to the editor to The Times on a number of subjects as part of a social studies class project.

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For years uniforms have been thought of as a reserve for parochial private schools. But as the public school environment becomes more violent, public schools have been taking on the uniformed policy.

School uniforms provide relief from stress, worry and the time that comes every morning when a student steps into their closet. Every student knows that their clothing choice determines what clique and social circle they're in. But what students fail to realize is the impressions do not end with the student body but melt over into the faculty's impression as well.

Giving students the freedom to wear what they want opens the door to endless possibilities of inappropriate attire, display of gang paraphernalia, offensive logos — the possibilities are endless.

While some would argue that taking away freedom to dress them would take away creativity, but the fact is that students find ways to express themselves without using clothing, be it makeup, accessories or hairstyles. Creativity isn't at risk.

I think school uniforms would be a terrific policy for all Hall County high school students, enabling them to focus and preparing them for excellence. Uniforms are not the terror most think them to be, but instead the solution to their problems.

Arianna McCarthy