Few people can argue that our educational system is in crisis at every level. Teachers and administrators are battling ongoing crises from depleted funding to crumbling school facilities to exploding class sizes to gang violence. Amidst this reigning chaos, many schools are choosing to require students to wear uniforms.
This growing trend has incited debates across the country. Advocates on both sides of the issue raise important issues. Nor should a dramatic change in educational philosophy be altered without vigorous debate. Nevertheless, uniform requirements are the growing trend in education and their benefits are supported by research and by school staff around the country.
History of school uniforms
In order to fully understand the present day debate about school uniforms, it is necessary to understand the history of school uniforms in the United States. It is widely believed that only private and religious schools ever required uniforms or dress codes. This is not true. Up until the middle of the nineteen seventies the majority of public schools had either uniform requirements or dress codes. Young men were required to wear solid colored slacks usually in gray or khaki or matching the school colors. They had to wear dress shirts tucked in with a belt. Young women were required to wear dresses or skirts to the knee with button up blouses or sweaters. Full slips were required as were saddle shoes and flats.
School dress codes were challenged during the mid-seventies not because they limited self-expression but because they were sexist. With the advent of the Women’s Movement, young women across the nation realized that being barred from wearing slacks to school was discrimination. Dresses require more care and prevent common activities like running, jumping and playing on the jungle-gym. By 1980 fewer than 2 percent of public schools maintained any type of dress code. Less than two decades later, public schools began to bring back uniforms and dress codes. The primary difference is that modern dress codes apply equally to all students.
Resistance to required dress codes and uniforms began as soon as schools sought to bring them back. Despite objections, schools are turning to uniforms to address a range of school issues. Since 1994 when Long Beach Unified School District in California became the first urban public school to reinstate uniforms, research shows that there are many benefits to requiring uniforms among public school students.
Article continues below...
.
Cognitive Training Ensures Good Grades
Edublox helps children reach their full potential –
Video: It’s life-changing! Edublox helps overcome learning challenges
Watch Naeleigh’s heart-warming story of overcoming learning challenges. While Edublox’s Development Tutor is improving her cognitive skills like concentration, processing, memory and reasoning, Live Tutor and additional homework exercises provided by Edublox address her reading, spelling and math deficits. Continue Reading
Ashlyn, mom of Naeleigh, US Edublox Online Tutor May 26, 2022
Overcoming reading difficulties: Four children testify
Four children, Kelsey, Tshepo, Liam and Joshua share how struggling to read affected them, as well as how it feels now that they can read. Contact Edublox for help if your child struggles with similar problems.
Continue ReadingKelsey, Tshepo, Liam and Joshua Edublox Online Tutor March 5, 2022
Overcoming dyslexia: Elize tells her family’s experience
Elize tells her family's experience with Edublox. When her youngest daughter (now 25 years old) was in 4th grade, she realized her reading was not on par. The school said she should not worry. Continue Reading
Elize, mom of Marie-Louise Edublox Online Tutor March 5, 2022
Dyslexia & dyscalculia diary and video: “We can see her world getting bigger”
The whole Edublox system has helped Amy so much with reading and math, but it was hard for us to tell if it was helping her with this hidden, agonizing challenge. It certainly is! Continue Reading
Sandy, mom of Amy, US Edublox Online Tutor January 5, 2022
Video: Edublox’s online tutoring delivers demonstrable results
Dennis shares how Edublox is teaching his daughter Veronica to read after other programs had failed. She was diagnosed with apraxia. Apraxia is a neurological condition that makes certain motor movements difficult. It may affect speech and coordination, and may co-occur with learning disorders such as dyslexia and dyscalculia. Continue Reading
Dennis, Veronica's dad, US Edublox Online Tutor October 29, 2021
Dyseidetic dyslexia video: Measurable improvements in reading scores
Hilary shares her thoughts on "The Edublox Experience." Measurable improvements in standardized reading scores, confidence and fun. Continue Reading
Hilary, Rief's mom, US Edublox Online Tutor October 11, 2021
Video: Overcoming dyslexia and developmental delays
Vivienne was adopted from China at age 5. This video is about Susan helping her 11-year-old daughter overcome developmental delays, including dyslexia. They started with the Edublox program 13 weeks ago. This is their story. Continue Reading
Susan, Vivienne's mom, US Edublox Online Tutor August 22, 2021
“Carsten is reading 6 and 7 letter words and the most amazing part is he is spelling them as well!”
Now, after working with Susan and the Edublox program for the last 5 months, Carsten is reading 6 and 7 letter words and the most amazing part is he is spelling them as well! AMAZING! I never would have thought he would be spelling words that large so quickly. I asked his school teacher about what she has seen and she told me she’s seen a big difference... Continue Reading
Lisel Nielsen, Utah, US Edublox Online Tutor March 12, 2020
Video: Student with severe dyslexia improves from the 1st to the 55th percentile!
Meet Maddie, a 10-year-old who was diagnosed with severe dyslexia, moderate dyscalculia, ADHD and low IQ (low 80s). People who had evaluated her said that they had never seen dyslexia as severe as this before. Her parents had been told by more than one professional that Maddie would probably never read... Continue Reading
Kimberly, US Edublox Online Tutor May 23, 2019
“His ability to decipher words is phenomenal”
Kenny’s ability to spell now is stunning all of us. His ability to decipher words is phenomenal.... Kenny has learned that reading can be enjoyed and how to enjoy it... He is reading now on an above grade level average and scored above grade level on his State tests. Continue Reading
Donna, USA Edublox Online Tutor November 15, 2018
.
Diversity can be destructive
Budget cuts force school districts to consolidate populations and close schools. Therefore a single school is required to service a larger and larger area thereby increasing the diversity of the school’s population. Diversity can be a positive influence, but it can also be a destructive influence. Affluent students frequently react to poorer students with condescension. Poorer students react to their well-to-do peers with envy and spite. Rival gangs separated by miles of city blocks outside of school are flung together for six hours a day in a shared high school. In this environment school uniforms are a tremendous leveler. Although social status and gang affiliation are not completely concealed by a uniform, these factors are drastically muted. Furthermore, studies have shown that wearing a shared uniform advances school spirit and school identity. Instead of seeing themselves as ‘uptown’ girls, ‘skid row’ boys or members of a gang, students begin to identify themselves as “Jefferson Vikings” or “East High Mustangs”.
Everyone enjoys recognition and will pursue it through any avenue possible. This is especially true for high school students. When it is impossible to attain recognition through fashionable clothes or trendy accessories, students will turn to more constructive channels. They will focus on academic achievement, athletic excellence and extra-curricular activities. As a result students learn to value achievement over surface appearance.
Effect on mind set
One of the most persuasive arguments in favor of school uniforms has to do with the effect they have on a student’s mind set. The physical distinction between the school uniform and play clothes promotes a mental distinction between school time and play time. This is similar to how adults have work clothes and non-work clothes. By donning clothing reserved for school, the student triggers the mind that it is time to study and work. After school, when the student changes into after-school clothes the mind relaxes and changes gears. It knows that now it is time for recreation.
This learned association of certain types of clothing for different situations benefits students when they become adults. They learn to associate certain clothing with certain occasions. They understand that there is a difference between the clothes one wears casually and clothes one wears to court, to a wedding, to a funeral and to other important occasions.
What about the cost?
Critics of school uniform policies have two primary objections. The first objection centers on cost. Many parents feel that the added expense of having to purchase a separate set of clothes just for school is an unnecessary burden especially for low income families. To answer that problem many schools offer discounted or free uniforms to families that demonstrate financial need. Furthermore, durability is an important element when evaluating cost. Uniforms are made from stain resistant material and constructed to withstand repeated washings. When durability is taken into consideration uniforms are much more cost effective than more stylish clothing.
Do school uniforms oppress self-expression?
Another argument made by opponents of school uniforms focuses on the idea that uniforms oppress self-expression. However, there are many avenues of self-expression. Clothing is just one. The right to self-expression must be balanced with societal concerns. Outside of academia a person’s right to express themselves through their apparel is circumscribed continually. Nearly all jobs require some form of dress code whether it is a uniform and a hairnet or a business suit and a power tie. Health clubs and public pools require members to wear appropriate apparel. Signs announcing “No shirt, no shoes, no service” limit the self-expression of everyone from convenience store customers to library patrons. School uniforms are no more oppressive than these other clothing restrictions which are part of everyday life.
The debate over school uniforms is likely to be a factor in education discussions for years to come. The issue deserves careful scrutiny in order to avoid the mistakes of the past. The opponents to school uniform policies raise important points. Their objections deserve to be thoroughly addressed. Nevertheless, experience has proven that school uniforms have a constructive and beneficial role to play in American education.
.