Push for School Uniforms I was one not one of those kids in high school.

I wore silk slacks, tropical shirts, ferragamo shoes and I dripped gold. No, I wasnt a drug dealer or the son of some Tony Soprano like father, I was a pool-player, a gambler, and I wanted everyone to know it; I dressed to fit my lifestyle. But it had little impact on my grades, the all night sessions at the pool and card table did however. Now nearing my mid-thirties I have begun to rethink my whole idea of education, its importance and the effect it has had on my life. I believe the American public education system is failing. Just from my own experience, the students enrolled at the community college I attend are poorly prepared and under-equipped to deal with the faceless, cold nature of job seeking and cut-throat competition of business that this new recession and un-employment laden economy present. In the flawed and bloated public education system, revamping the entire education system is often advocated by many experts and educators. But this is clearly not feasible, economically or politically. So what then can be done? America needs a way to immediately rally our public school system. Although many naysayers complain that uniforms are nothing more than a quick-fix solution, mandatory school uniforms for public schools K-12 are a viable and effective answer. As students from all over the world compete with each other to attend the U.S. higher education system, school uniforms mitigate immediate in school problems such as violence, gang activity, socio-economic distinctions, and disciplinary issues while improving academic achievement. The debate over school uniforms in America has its roots in the late 19th century; as far back as 1920s public schools have examined the difficulties, mostly cultural with the adoption of a uniformed dress code. Originally established in the 16th century by British charity schools

they are now synonymous with exclusive private and religious schools. Although there is significant dissention about the efficacy of uniforms a small percentage of schools are adopting this policy. According to the National Center for Education Statistics: Between the 1999 2000 and 200910 school years, the percentages of public schools requiring that students wear uniforms increased (from 12 to 19 percent). In 200910, the percentage of high schools (10 percent) that reported requiring students to wear uniforms was lower than the percentages of middle schools (19 percent) and primary schools (22 percent) with such a requirement. However, these schools are adopting uniforms on an independent and as needed basis often against the serious opposition of some groups and students families. Among the public at large there is little support for school uniforms thanks in large part to 1st amendment concerns. The involvement of the American Civil Liberties Union in opposing uniforms presents a formidable obstacle and raises more questions than answers. Whether minors have the same right to free expression as adults and can public schools mandate their students attire without infringing on students and parental rights are just a couple examples of the many ongoing arguments. Two notable Supreme Court cases have been used as the justification by community action groups and the ACLU in opposing school uniforms. The oldest and most famous being Tinkey v. Des Moines Public School District from 1968. In this case two high school students were suspended for wearing black arm bands to protest the Vietnam War. The U.S. Supreme Court found in favor of the students, creating a precedent for a minors right to free speech. The second and more vaguely interpreted ruling come from 2000, in Troxel v. Granville pertaining to parents rights to visitation. SCUSA found that schools have no legal standing to impinge in any

way on any fit parents right to the custody, care or control of a child. Although the associations are weak it gives opponents a toehold in this debate. As more and more schools implement and experiment with uniforms more research is being conducted and it supports the hypothesis that uniforms do affect academic achievement. Most research in the past has been of a quantitative and ambiguous nature but recent qualitative research may prove more important and accurate to this debate. David Brunsma, Professor of Sociology at Virginia Tech would disagree. Brunsma is the author of the one of the most oft-cited papers of opponents of school uniforms. He is a prolific author, with esteemed credentials. In The Effects of School Uniforms on Attendance, Behavior Problems, Substance Use, and Academic Achievement he and his co-author Kerry Rockquemore have set the movement for school uniforms back at least a decade. Brunsma studied 10th graders in a public high school, comparing their data to that of an earlier U.S. Department of Education study on 8th graders. Using purely quantitative data he concludes that there is no correlation between higher academic achievement, reduced violence, gang activity or drug use among school children in uniformed schools. He actually asserts the opposite in some instances. He writes that students in uniforms believed it was okay to cut class, destroy property, fight on school grounds. The author also stresses that school uniform at the public education level violate a students 1st amendment rights. In effect by creating various vectors and adjusting for multiple variables, such as race, class, pro and anti-school attitudes he has created a mathematical picture of what he wishes to portray. Hidden in his numbers however, statistics that should not go unnoticed are: that academic achievement was significantly improved and there was an increase in pro-school peer groups. Brunsmas conclusion that there is no advantage to school uniforms is contradictory to the authors own mathematical data. He states although

the two events may be verified empirically there is no correlation between school uniforms and improved test scores or behavior versus non-uniformed students. A different reading could conclude that this means that even though teenagers are still getting into trouble and experimenting with drugs, they are showing better scores and are more invested in their own education and in their fellow students Ann Bodine, author of multiple articles and papers on school uniforms is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Texas, San Antonio and she reached a similar conclusion about David Brunsmas opus. Her refutation of Brunsma and Rockquemore in School Uniforms, Academic Achievement and Uses of Research is thorough and scalding. By analyzing the same data set Bodine came to see just the opposite results of Brunsma and Rockquemore. She claims it is apparent that Brunsma used modifiers in a manipulative way to produce erroneous results (68). Recognizing that Brunsma and Rockquemores paper has been used many times to the detriment of uniform proponents she goes on to offer that In many cases, the claim that uniforms negatively affect academic achievement is simply repeated by persons who are not able to disentangle an erroneous claim presented as the result of an authoritative-appearing statistical analysis (70). Although focused mainly on refuting Brunsmas claim Bodine does recognize the lack of qualitative data and its possible importance to the issue and that the idea that uniforms affect test scores has not figured prominently in current research(67). In contrast to Bodine and Brunsmas quantitative analysis of the issue, Marsha Boutelle, staff writer for California Schools magazine chronicles the problems created with the improper implementation of a school uniform policy. Long Beach California was the first school district to mandate school uniforms in public school in the U.S. in 1994 and like most guinea pigs it has

had some negative side-effects. Mostly these have come from the strong anti-uniformist segment of the districts population. California legislators have allowed parents to opt out of conformity for various reasons while students still attend the same school. Calling the legislation of California Education Code 35183 exasperating is no exaggeration (34). In short these exemptions are negating any benefit of school uniforms by essentially making them optional. In Sacramento although only 1% officially opt-out of wearing the uniforms, 30% have not signed a waiver and do not abide by the dress code and that the vigor with which schools enforce apparel policies differ from school to school (35). Boutelle also cites the influence of pop-culture having a never before seen effect on childrens clothing. One school administrator she interviewed for her article stands firmly behind the trend advocating that school uniforms level the playing field for low income children whose parents do not have the money to buy expensive and popular clothing styles. It also allows teachers more freedom to teach when the faculty does not have to worry if the student is a wearing gang related clothing or logoed t-shirts which may have some unknown meaning. She uses California mostly as an example of what not to do. The author does advocate for school uniforms, however, and also refutes Brunsmas theory: It is not known how much time Brunsma has spent standing in a crowded hallway when classes let out. But elementary principals who do that regularly have a store of personal experience that contradict Brunsmas academic argument. In interviews with teachers and administrators Boutelle argues that a school uniform does not impinge on any students freedoms but rather gives that student more academic and artistic direction with their freedom. One school principal said that it allows students to distinguish themselves with deeds, not their duds (37).

Yasmine Klonheim-Kalksteins graduate school paper titled A Uniform Look is an idealistic and perhaps nave view of the argument. But as she will be entering the field of education it can give us a glimpse of where our future educators and education policy makers see for the system. Using the U.S. Department of Educations Manual on School Uniforms as one of the main culprits for allowing Californias flawed opt-out policy. She does accurately grasp that gang violence in schools was the initial catalyst that started the uniform movement in the U.S. Some of her statistics about the Long Beach experiment seem overly optimistic. Her claims of plus 90% drops in crime, suspensions, and sex offenses seem improbable. Here again another author validates the qualitative over quantitative approach, stating research is not conclusive but testimonials are hard to ignore. Angela Walmsley, an American educator, raised in the non-uniform U.S. public system had reservations about the question until she went to England to teach in their long-standing uniformed public schools. Her paper What the United Kingdom Can Teach the United States About School Uniforms is a more practical hands on approach to many of the objections raised by opponents in the U.S. Refuting claims that school uniforms are too expensive. She advocates the British adaptation of generic uniforms and an in school hand-me-down closet for impoverished pupils as a way to neutralize school uniform costs. In the view of cultural context she sees the British children as going to work in their uniforms. Giving them a sense of purpose and preparing them for adulthood. She too advises not to discredit qualitative data on school uniforms and their impact on education as a whole. In deeper context and dealing specifically with recent findings, qualitative and quantitative, John Huss Ph.D. assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Services at Northern Kentucky University examines what teachers have to say about school

uniforms. Huss interviewed six elementary school teachers who teach different grades at a middle class urban school. The teachers all had five or more years of experience and had taught at least one year in the school prior to implementation of school uniforms. His findings strongly support the integration of uniforms. The teachers believed that it enhanced the learning environment, and that school uniforms strongly improved student behavior. One teacher said school climate has as much to do with learning, productive work, and self-concept as anything else in the educational program. The teachers all agreed that students conducted themselves in a more businesslike way and uniforms increased the level of respect, caring, trust demonstrated throughout the school. Huss goes on to report that one teacher said it blurred the economic distinctions between students while another noticed fewer artificial rankings or cliques and yet another said students were less cocky toward adults. Huss goes on to state that although many quantitative studies are available with findings both for and against uniforms there is a lack of qualitative data on the matter. During the course of my research I interviewed two teachers, one administrator and one school facility manager. The only teacher opposed to school uniforms was Emily S. who teaches English at a non-uniformed high school. Emily strongly asserts that high school students must be allowed to wear the clothing of their choice insisting that at this age they are being formed into adults and must prepare themselves to move onto colleges and universities where personal appearance and individuality are vital to success. Interestingly all three of the employees at the public, uniformed k-12 school interviewed were strongly in favor of uniforms now, but all had serious misgivings at the start of their employment. Dez K. a Vice-Principal in the 8-12 grade high school section of American Preparatory academy told me students in uniforms where less likely to be ostracized by other students for economic status and that the students who came to

his office were much more respectful of teachers and faculty than at non-uniformed schools he had worked at. Megan G. an 8th grade Latin teacher was very strongly against uniforms in the beginning, she told me that she had attended private uniformed schools and had hated it. However, after just a short time teaching at American Prep she wouldnt have it any other way. She says her students behave better in class, are not nearly as clique-ish, have a more businesslike attitude toward their school and studies. Kevin S. the facilities manager in charge of all buildings on campus told me that students behavior in the hallways and in interacting with grounds staff and maintenance workers is much improved and more respectful than other public schools he has managed. He sees less destruction of school property and somewhat reduced incidents of graffiti. Kevin told me he does not ever want to work at a non-uniformed school again. In conclusion, although the authors of my research material all come from different geographical areas and inherent bias can be construed in some of the language, school uniforms seem a viable, economical and comparatively easy way to improve the American public school system. What at first glance was implemented as a quick-fix for low income and inner city schools can have an immediate impact on student behavior and a long term improvement of students academic achievement. The opponents of school uniforms cannot be ignored and freedom of expression is an important part of American culture. We must show students and parents that by wearing uniforms, students rights are not stifled but their creativity and learning potential are unhindered without the social pressures of fashion. And that a safer school, more conducive to learning will enhance the students ability to express themselves.

References Bodine, Ann. School Uniforms, Academic Achievement, and Uses of Research. Journal of Educational Research Nov/Dec. 97.2 (2003): 67-71. Web. 13 Oct 2013. Boutelle, Marsha. Uniforms Are they a Good Fit? California Schools Feb. 2008: 34-37. Web. 13 Oct 2013. Brunsma, David L., and Kerry A. Rockquemore. Effect of Student Uniforms on Attendance, Behavior Problems, Substance Use, and Academic Achievement. Journal of Educational Research Sep/Oct. 92.1 (1998): 53-62. Web. 13 Oct 2013. Huss, John A. The Role of School Uniforms in Creating an Academically Motivating Climate: Do Uniforms Influence Teacher Expectations? Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research Vol. 1 (2007): 31-39. Web. 13 Oct 2013. Konheim-Kalkstein, Yasmine L. A Uniform Look. American School Board Journal Aug. (2006): 25-27. Web. 13 Oct 2013. Legal Information Institute. Troxel v. Granville. And Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District. Cornell University Law School. Web. 20 Oct 2013. National Center for Education Statistics. Fast Facts. Institute of Education Sciences. Web. 20 Oct 2013. Walmsley, Angela. What the United Kingdom Can Teach the United States About School Uniforms. Kappan March 92.6 (2011): 63-66. Web. 13 Oct 2013.