Should Schools Require Uniforms?
Recently my daughter and her friends dressed up like princesses for school so they could pretend at recess they were the real deal. I have to say I was impressed these little girls coordinated the effort to gussy-up in their Sunday Best and relieved my daughter didn’t don a flamboyant Halloween costume instead. It was darn adorable, seeing my daughter wear her frilliest dress with a layered skirt beneath for extra poofy-ness. She topped off the ensemble with her fanciest hairband and boarded the school bus, her orange coach not quite Cinderella’s style.
After school she had gymnastics and it was a bit of a, uh, royal effort to de-flounce and prep to sweat. I laughed as layers and lace flew everywhere in the locker room before we finally found the leo and leggings. Little lady by day, killer gymnast by night. Gotta love it.
After class, I caught up with a fellow gymnastics mom whom I hadn’t seen in awhile. She commented on my daughter’s frothy get-up (did I mention the pink leopard-print ankle socks and black Mary Janes?) and I explained the fun she and her friends had at recess that day. The mom looked wistful when she said her daughter wears a uniform to school. She went on to say the uniform guidelines were so strict, the size of hair ornaments had to be a certain size or smaller. Not that she wanted her slight, willowy daughter in a fascinator, but there was a note of frustration in her voice that creative clothing expression was reduced to the nearest centimeter.
The dichotomy of her daughter’s situation and that of mine got me thinking. Here my daughter was able to, within reasonable limits, dress up for school, playing the part of Princess Recess and her gymnastics buddy had to worry about the size of a barrette. Now I am not saying one “school” of thought is better than the other but I found myself contemplating school dress code versus school uniform policy. Advocates and critics land on both sides of this issue and I was interested in exploring further the debate that trots the line dividing creative expression and the limitation of it. But first, let’s find our common ground. We all can agree any “fashion statement” that brandishes foul language or degrades and humiliates another person or group of people should be forbidden. In addition, any type of gear that can cause physical harm should likewise be banned from school (for example, “heelys,” the shoes with the wheels in the soles, are now off limits in our school. Isn’t it crazy that the gurus in kid fashion have come up with a fad that can be physically unsafe, to the wearers and the non-wearers alike? Unbelievable.)
So there are some basic rules we can all get behind regarding the attire our kids wear to school but when it comes down to how far-reaching the remaining rules become, well, opinions vary. So let’s next take a look at the potential “pros” of a school uniform policy:
1) Less school violence and crime, especially as it relates to students stealing coveted brand name and “fad” clothing and gear, and therefore:
2) Improved safety and discipline so students have a better environment in which to learn.
3) A leveling of the social playground. If students are wearing a prescribed set of clothing, no one can wear their financial wealth and/or consumerism on their backs (literally), or the converse, feel bad about the “lesser” labels they are wearing. Eliminate the fashion comparisons and kids can better focus on reading, writing and arithmetic.
4) A serious academic tone is established. An interesting example of this dates back to England in the 17- and 1800’s. Schools, even the most exclusive ones, were overrun with the chaotic behavior of their students. Enter the school uniform and order was established. This policy is ubiquitous in the English school system to this day.
5) Improved student attendance. Students won’t perseverate over their wardrobes, looking for the “right thing” to wear if they have no choice but to wear a school-mandated uniform.
Now let’s examine some of the “cons” of a school uniform policy:
1) Decreased self-expression. Kids should be able to explore their individuality and demonstrate such in their attire and gear, as long as their choices are not to the detriment of others (see above) and in violation of school policy.
2) Comfort. Some children cannot tolerate certain fabrics and may even be allergic to some natural fibers. If distracted by clothing that is uncomfortable, children cannot concentrate in the classroom.
3) Cost.
And if I may add a couple of my own thoughts:
1) Wardrobe uniformity in the school setting may level the fashion playing field but kids will always find alternative ways to ridicule others and create a social climbing ladder.
2) School uniforms may create the deception that all students are “from the same mold.” Could this misconception sweep behavioral and academic problems under the carpet, preventing children from getting the support they need for successful academic careers?
[Of note, in my reading on the pros and cons of school uniforms I found an interesting pattern in the text: the “experts” as described “feel,”, “argue,” and “believe.” None of the stated “experts” were said to “show” or “demonstrate” in actual research the opinions they put forth.]So we briefly crossed “The Pond” to England on this issue so now let’s return to our own backyard. Here in the United States we think of uniformed schoolchildren attending parochial or exclusive private schools. However, more and more public districts are adopting uniform policies, many of these schools in urban areas. The goal? To reduce violence and crime and establish a safe, productive learning environment. In March of 1996, U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley distributed the Manual on School Uniforms to our nation’s schools, promoting this concept and providing guidelines to schools on how to transition to school uniforms. Interestingly, the hard science backing the rationale promoted in the Manual is lacking. In other words, it is not clearly established that school uniforms reduce crime and help facilitate safety in school settings. As I looked for research on the school uniform topic, I found a study from Notre Dame University (D. Brunsma and K. Rockquemore, 1998) which found a negative effect in academic performance in schools with a uniform policy, and no effect on student attendance, behavioral problems and substance abuse. In addition, I found a study entitled Dressed for Success: Do School Uniforms Improve Student Behavior, Attendance, and Achievement? (Gentile and Imberman, 2009). Here are their findings:
1) In general, wearing school uniforms has some positive impact on behavior, attendance and academic achievement during the middle and high school years and less impact regarding the same parameters in elementary school-aged children.
2) A small improvement in language test scores was seen and attendance did increase in schools with a school uniform policy. Both findings were especially prominent amongst female students, suggesting this group spent less time on appearance and clothing selection.
3) However, an increase in disciplinary measures was seen amongst male students. The type of infraction was not explored in the study but the authors speculated that these violations could have been related to the breach of the dress code. Another possibility for increased visits to the principal’s office could be that schools with uniform policies may have stricter rules in general, with more “room” for the breaking of those rules.
Gentile and Imberman also discussed similar research done in other school systems and the fallacies over methods used by those studies’ researchers. The primary criticism was biased subject groups, meaning if school uniform policies at these schools were adopted in response to high crime, violence and behavioral issues, difficulties with the same may ensue at a higher rate despite the uniform policy. This can unfairly skew results. And keep in mind also that Gentile and Imberman’s study was conducted in one large, urban school system. Their findings do not necessarily apply to smaller and more rural school in other parts of the country.
In short, the current research cannot recommend for or against a school uniform policy. The answer is not an easy one and it is a challenging topic to research in an unbiased, broad-reaching scientific format. Perhaps what is important is that we as parents become informed of our schools’ clothing policies and guide our kids’ choices in wardrobe in a way that supports those rules. That’s the straightforward part. The challenge comes in helping our kids make wise decisions within the guidelines, those which safeguard their dignity, the dignity of others and are age-appropriate.
Sources/links:
Brunsma, D. and Rockquemore, K. 1998. Effects of School Uniforms on Attendance, Behavior Problems, Substance Abuse and Academic Achievement. The Journal of Educational Research September/October 1998 Vol. 92 (no. 1).
Gentile, E. and Imberman, S.A. 2009. Dressed for Success: Do School Uniforms Improve Student Behavior, Attendence, and Achievement?
[link: http://www.uh.edu/econpapers/RePEc/hou/wpaper/2009-03.pdf]Creating Safe and Drug-Free Schools: An Action Guide – September 1996. Retrieved March 19, 2013 from http://www2.ed.gov/offices/OSDFS/actguid/uniforms.html
Pros and Cons of School Uniforms. (n.d.) Retrieved March 19, 2013 from http://kids.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Pros_and_Cons_of_School_Uniforms
