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School Uniforms
Date: 2021
From: Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection
Publisher: Gale, a Cengage Company
Document Type: Topic overview
Length: 1,883 words
Content Level: (Level 5)
Lexile Measure: 1490L

Full Text:
Though more prevalent at private schools and schools in other countries, school uniforms have become increasingly common at
public schools in the United States. In 1987 three primary schools in Baltimore, Maryland, and one in Washington, DC, became the
first public schools in the country to implement school uniform policies. According to the US Department of Education's National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES), nearly 20 percent of all public schools required students to wear uniforms during the
2017–2018 school year. Uniform policies were more common among charter schools (63.8 percent) than traditional public schools
(16.9 percent). Their prevalence also decreased among higher grades, with 22.9 percent of primary schools, 18.0 percent of middle
schools, 10.4 percent of high schools, and 18.8 percent of combined middle and high schools requiring students to wear uniforms in
2017–2018. School uniform policies were more common among schools in urban areas, schools with racial and ethnic minority
populations exceeding 50 percent, and schools where more than three-quarters of the student population qualified for free or
reduced-price lunch.

School uniforms differ from school dress codes, which set rules about what students can and cannot wear but do not require a
specific set of attire. For example, a dress code may require that skirts and shorts be a certain length, or it may ban potentially
offensive t-shirts, certain types of jewelry, clothes with holes, visible undergarments, or other types of clothing that school
administrators deem inappropriate or distracting. Uniform policies, on the other hand, require students to wear a particular color and
style of clothing and may dictate where the clothing must be purchased. Strict dress codes at some schools may resemble uniform
policies, such as allowing students to wear only solid colors or polo-style shirts.

Proponents of school uniforms contend that the policies make students safer, happier, and less easily distracted from their studies.
Critics of both dress codes and school uniforms argue that such restrictions infringe upon students' freedom of expression. Many
students object to mandatory uniform policies because they believe these policies take away their individuality, promote conformity,
or require them to wear clothing that is unflattering or uncomfortable. Some students have gone as far as staging protests against
wearing uniforms. Further, critics allege, school uniform policies place an additional burden on parents who must acquire the uniforms
for their children. School uniforms may be more expensive than the clothes a family typically buys. Supporters of school uniforms,
however, counter that many school districts aim to compensate for disparities in household incomes by selecting uniforms that cost
less than other clothes for the school year.

Pros and Cons of School Uniform Policies

Pros

Proponents claim that school uniform policies help improve students' academic performance, attendance, and behavior.
Uniforms foster community and school spirit and discourage students from flaunting their class or other differences with their
clothing choices.
Wearing school uniforms prepares students for careers in which they must observe professional dress standards.
Purchasing school uniforms is less stressful and less expensive than purchasing regular clothes.

Cons

Critics of school uniform policies argue that uniforms have not been shown to improve any conditions in schools. Changes
observed by researchers are likely the result of a combination of factors and not the uniforms themselves.
School uniforms restrict students' freedom of expression and promote conformity. The popularity of uniform policies in
schools that primarily serve minority and lower-income students creates school experiences segregated by class and race.
School uniforms can be more expensive than other clothes and must be purchased from a limited number of retailers.
Benefits of School Uniforms
Teachers, school administrators, and other educators have identified several ways school uniforms can improve student life.
Proponents of school uniforms argue that uniform policies foster community and school spirit, improve attendance, and discourage
students from showing off their wealth and spending time and money pursuing fashion trends. They also argue that these policies
prevent students from forming gangs based on how certain types of clothing are worn, or wearing clothing associated with an
established gang. Proponents of school uniforms further maintain that adhering to a school's determination of appropriate dress
prepares students for careers in which they must observe professional standards.

Proponents of mandatory uniform policies frequently cite the positive effects observed in the uniform policy of Long Beach Unified
School District (LBUSD) in Long Beach, California, which became the first major school district to implement such a policy for grades
K–8 in 1994. According to Time magazine, by 1995 school fights had decreased by 51 percent and drug use had decreased by 69
percent at schools within the LBUSD. The school board also reported record highs in attendance rates and a decrease in
suspensions by about 33 percent. Following reports of successes in Long Beach and the vocal support of President Bill Clinton, more
public schools began to adopt uniform policies. Between the 1994–1995 and 1996–1997 academic years, the number of public
school districts in the United States requiring students to wear school uniforms quadrupled. LBUSD boasted a districtwide graduation
rate of 86 percent in 2018, surpassing California's statewide graduation rate, and was recognized by the Learning Policy Institute as a
district "beating the odds" in 2019.

In 2000 the School District of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania required its more than 250 public schools to institute a school uniform
policy, becoming the first major school district to do so for all K–12 students. In 2010 researchers at the University of Houston
analyzed nearly twenty years of data, including demographics, test scores, attendance, and disciplinary records from a large urban
school district in the southwestern United States, unnamed in the report, to review the impact of uniform policies over time. The study
concluded that uniform policies resulted in improvements in academics, attendance, and behavior. As of 2019, no further analyses of
comparable size have been published on US school uniform policies.

Challenging the Claims of School Uniform Policies

In 1998 sociologists David L. Brunsma and Kerry A. Rockquemore published a landmark report in the Journal of Educational
Research that challenged the purported positive effects of mandatory uniform policies. The report measured the effects of uniforms
on attendance, behavior, substance abuse, and academic achievement and concluded that uniforms did not significantly improve any
of these criteria, noting a several-point decrease in the standardized test scores of students required to wear uniforms. The authors
suggested that positive changes attributed to implementing mandatory school uniforms could be a result of broader community efforts
to improve academic environments, asserting that the uniforms themselves were inconsequential to the positive outcomes.

Anthropologist Ann Bodine contested these assertions in a 2003 issue of the Journal of Educational Research, arguing that Brunsma
and Rockquemore's research methods were flawed. The authors defended their approach, however, and their results are often cited
by critics of school uniform policies. Drawing on findings from both the 1998 and 2003 reports, a study by Australian researchers
Chris Baumann and Hana Krskova published in the International Journal of Educational Management in 2016 examined the
relationship between academic performance, school discipline, and uniform policies in schools in twenty-nine countries, including
Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Germany, Singapore, and the United States. The results, the authors concluded, "suggest that
uniforms contribute to better discipline in everyday school operations."

Because school uniforms are significantly more common at schools serving minority populations and low-income students, critics
argue that school uniform policies can create de facto, or in practice, segregated education systems. According to these criticisms,
school uniforms provide distinct visuals that communicate students' socioeconomic status to others and reinforce racial segregation.
A study of twenty-nine elementary schools in New York City's District 30 during the 2016–2017 school year revealed a significant
discrepancy between the percentage of white and affluent students and the percentage of low-income students and students of color
required to wear uniforms to school. Of the district's elementary population, only 43 percent of the white students attended schools
with uniform policies, whereas 67 percent of Asian, 80 percent of Hispanic, 84 percent of black, and 60 percent of multiracial students
attended such schools. Critics contend that school uniform policies perpetuate the idea that minority students must assimilate to white
culture to be successful because school uniforms are typically designed to meet the standards of professionalism dictated by
European culture.

Critical Thinking Questions

How are dress codes different from uniform policies, and what issues might need to be considered when choosing which one
to implement?
What do critics mean when they say uniform policies are de facto segregation, and do you agree with their assessment?
Would you personally prefer to attend a school with a uniform policy or one with no dress code at all? Explain your answer.

Uniform Costs
Proponents of mandatory uniform policies argue that purchasing school uniforms can be less stressful and less expensive than
purchasing regular school clothes. However, the economic benefits of a uniform depend largely on the individual uniform policy.
Some parents argue that the personal cost of school uniforms violates the right to equal public educational opportunities by making
school attendance more cost prohibitive. Some states such as California have put legislation in place that requires public schools with
mandatory uniform policies to offer low-income families financial assistance to purchase the uniforms. No federal law forbids a school
district from requiring its students to purchase uniforms, however, and provisions requiring exemptions for low-income families do not
apply to private schools.

Private schools in particular require children to wear expensive uniforms that can only be purchased through the school or at
specialty shops. Because the number of vendors supplying the mandated uniform is small, parents may be required to order items in
advance, wait in long lines, or travel outside the area to acquire the necessary clothes. Many parents may have to make financial
sacrifices or rely on financial aid to pay the tuition at a private school. In such cases, expensive uniforms can be viewed as a financial
burden that disproportionately affects students from low-income households. Some vendors have gained reputations for filling orders
slowly and providing poor customer service while charging exorbitant prices.

Uniform prices and the number of vendors where uniforms can be purchased vary from school to school. A 2013 study by school
uniform retailer Land's End and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) found that 77 percent of principals
and other school leaders estimated the cost of their students' uniforms to be no more than $150 a year. The same study found that
86 percent of school leaders believed that uniform policies ultimately reduced clothing expenses. The National Retail Federation
(NRF) in 2019 reported that the average family with children in elementary through secondary school planned to spend about $240
on clothes and about $136 on shoes for the 2019–2020 school year. For many families, school uniform policies reduce overall
clothing costs. However, for others, if students must buy school specific clothing (such as blazers with the school emblem on them),
costs may run higher than the typical school clothing budget.

To meet increased demand for school uniforms nationwide, US retailers have improved their offerings in clothing that fits school
requirements. As reported by the Washington Post in August 2019, traditional department stores like Kohl's, fashion retailers like
H&M and Old Navy, and online retailers such as Amazon and Land's End offer uniform options. Some companies tout improved
fabrics or updated styling and provide special store areas for school khakis, polos, and other uniform components.

Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2022 Gale, a Cengage Company

Source Citation (MLA 9th Edition)
"School Uniforms." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2021. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,
link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3010999340/OVIC?u=nm_p_elportal&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=397fd74f. Accessed 10 Aug. 2022.
Gale Document Number: GALE|PC3010999340