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Do Uniforms Make Schools Better?

Yes and no, say the experts. The heated debate over school uniforms shows no signs of cooling off.
By Marian Wilde, GreatSchools Staff
 

For the past decade, schools, parents and students have clashed over the issue of regulating student attire. In 2007, cases involving an anti-Bush T-shirt in Vermont, an anti-gay T-shirt in San Diego and Tigger socks in Napa, California, made their way through the courts, causing many to wonder whether this debate will ever be resolved.

Meanwhile, researchers are divided over how much of an impact - if any - dress policies have upon student learning. A 2004 book makes the case that uniforms do not improve school safety or academic discipline. A 2005 study, on the other hand, indicates that in some Ohio high schools uniforms may have improved graduation and attendance rates, although no improvements were observed in academic performance.

Why Do Some Public Schools Have Uniforms?

In the 1980s, public schools were often compared unfavorably to Catholic schools. Noting the perceived benefit that uniforms conferred upon Catholic schools, some public schools decided to adopt a school uniform policy.

President Clinton provided momentum to the school uniform movement when he said in his 1996 State of the Union speech, "If it means teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms."

The Pros and Cons of School Uniforms

According to proponents, school uniforms:

  • Help prevent gangs from forming on campus
  • Encourage discipline
  • Help students resist peer pressure to buy trendy clothes
  • Help identify intruders in the school
  • Diminish economic and social barriers between students
  • Increase a sense of belonging and school pride
  • Improve attendance

Opponents contend that school uniforms:

  • Violate a student's right to freedom of expression
  • Are simply a Band-Aid on the issue of school violence
  • Make students a target for bullies from other schools
  • Are a financial burden for poor families
  • Are an unfair additional expense for parents who pay taxes for a free public education
  • Are difficult to enforce in public schools
 
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Comments from GreatSchools.org readers

02/8/2010:
"To the poster who commented about everyone being the same as everyone else: Get this: You are unique; just like everyone else. You'll think differently when you are older and wiser. "
02/4/2010:
"great"
02/4/2010:
"this helped alot with my 3 pg essay thanks!!!!!!!"
02/3/2010:
"ok look uniforms are good in a way because we dont have so many problems in schools but we dont have and individualality?we cant express our selves. maybe if we did a colord shirt and blue jeans things would be so bad i mean if we have on our uniform why the heak do we have to tuck it in i mean come on thats takkie!!!!!!"
02/3/2010:
"nice webesite"
02/2/2010:
"I dont believe in the idea. I think its wrong to take students identity since thats all were trying to do. We'd just be like everyone else, no difference. I think its wrong to say you have to be like everyone else. Also, just think of it, 'Hello do you have your uniform today? No, well to bad no education for you.' Just wrong."
02/2/2010:
"i think it a great idear.to incourage dicipline "
02/2/2010:
"i am against uniforms because they dont improve anything in my town!the attendence,suspention,and discipline rates are the same."
02/1/2010:
"im pretty sure id be able to indentify my kid in a situation like a natural disaster even if every kid was wearing the same thing"
01/28/2010:
"This website is boring because same info as other websites!!!!!!!! "
01/27/2010:
"I'm in between. It's good because I saw a 6th grader wearing fishnets, a spiked collar, combat boots, and a black tanktop, with pink highlights and she just gets laughed at all the time (well she doesn't know she is.)"
01/26/2010:
"thanks you helped me a lot with my homework!!!"
01/25/2010:
"I am totally AGAINST school uniforms! One reason, of many, is Safety of the Students. For example: During a natural disaster (God Forbid) Earthquake, Tornado, etc,... How would a Parent I.D. their child? By the clothes that they were wearing, when they left home. What if a Senior decided to attack a 9th -or- 10th grade student. How would the victim describe the attacker? Let's see, Khaki Pants - Navy Blue Shirt - Brown Shoes. You get the picture. This was, is, and will ALWAYS BE a VERY BAD idea."
01/25/2010:
"I think that uniforms r great for schools!!"
01/20/2010:
"school uniforms help people not to be bullied and if intrueders come in yhe could have guns and wepons. also having children wear school uniforms can make it easyir for authorities to identify intruders!!!!!!!"
01/19/2010:
"i think school uniforms are TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! students get bullied and some people can't even aford them and have to wear the same uniform for 3 years!!!! And i don't even know why they invented uniforms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
01/19/2010:
"School Uniforms have there pros and cons. Cons are well they do not let you express yourself. Students might revault be waering inaaportiate makeup or jewelry. Pro are that students may not get picked on, but that is also a con. Students need to learn and deal with thoose problems, and that will help them in the real world!"
01/19/2010:
"I think schools shouldn't have uniforms."
01/19/2010:
"some are proud of their school uniforms, for most it hardly matters because their school hardly matters to them. dress has nothing to do with school. would you dress up to a library? "
01/15/2010:
"School uniforms are great! i vote a yes to school uniforms"
01/12/2010:
"Uniforms don't express the value in each and every kid!"
01/11/2010:
"Why not just take the gang members out of the school and put them in a much better learning place like BOOTCAMP!!!!?????"
01/11/2010:
"I liked and really appreciated the ideas! thanks "
01/6/2010:
"Uniforms are a good way to get bullied!"
01/6/2010:
"Uniforms make us kids very unhappy, i am allergic to some of the items used in uniforms. I still have to where them!"
12/17/2009:
"I personally think that kids should NOT wear uniforms. Why?? you ask, Well kids need to express themselves in various ways. Here are some. The colors like very bright or even dark i`m not suggesting gangs and stuff like that but just really uniforms do not Matter no kids want to wear them. Wearing uniforms make kids want to rebel. They would wear whatever they want. Goodbye."
12/17/2009:
"School uniforms are what children act out. We should express our self we are old enough to make our own decesions. Yes there are some good point to uniforms but its a no no!"
12/9/2009:
"i think school uniforms should not be in the school policy due to the fact thats students have the right to wear what they want to make them feel comfortable. maybe that will help them learn better, if they wear what makes them feel happy.certain studnets have thier own personality that they love. the clothes that they wear relate to their backgroung.i think studnet from each country and state should have a say in what they should wear for school. and im out !!!!"
12/9/2009:
"I also wear a uniform to my school since the 4th grade now im in eighth grade and i learned how to deal but now teachers at my school forced it and are giving out IR's (incident reports which are detentions) for students who dont tuck in their shirts or who jackets. Uniforms are alright i just get annoyed when its taken to the next level."
12/7/2009:
"I think school uniforms are a great idea. There is just too much pressure and teasing that is circulated around what you're wearing. Some kids don't have the money to buy whatever's trendy at the moment. I hate when I hear someone being teased because of that or when you see you're being scrutinized head to toe! Everybody is just as important as everybody else! And uniforms send that needed message. Too many kids ego are getting bigger than what their heads can hold! Also, school is not meant to express yourself, its meant to learn- you're there to LEARN!-not express yourself, you can do that AFTER school. It's not like they're making you wear those uniforms for the rest of your life! Just goes to show how some of us just need to grow up and DEAL! And focus on what's really important. And there is- in EVERY public school w/out uniforms- teasing that is on clothing. You just may not be apart of it or don't pay attention because you have clothes from the latest fads, so it doe! sn't bother you, but this isn't just about you-its about everyones education-so grow up all of you saying you need to 'express' yourselves. Like I said before, school isn't there for that reason- and there's plenty other oppurtunities to express yourself w/out school. If you can only express yourself through clothes in the first place or your style, that's pretty sad! Your personality is what you should use! And you can't put a uniform on that! So stop worrying! Geez!"
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