School Uniforms: Overview

Introduction

Although school uniforms are common in private schools, many public schools in the United States have experimented with requiring uniforms as well. Advocates for school uniforms suggest that uniforms instill a sense of school pride and create an environment conducive to learning, and at the same time help to reduce violence, substance abuse, and other behavioral problems. Those opposed to school uniforms assert that uniforms stifle individuality and do not improve the educational and behavioral environment of schools.

The scientific research surrounding school uniforms has been debated among educators. Some point to studies showing that school uniforms are actually harmful to academic achievement and students' initiative, but others find in the same studies evidence that uniforms are beneficial and significantly reduce behavioral problems in the classroom. Additional questions regarding freedom of expression under the First Amendment have also arisen, but the courts have generally ruled in favor of schools having the right to establish uniform requirements. Critics have also cited instances in which dress codes and school uniform policies may have been aimed at restricting the choices of certain groups of students in particular, including students of color and students who identify as LGBTQ+.

Understanding the Discussion

Dress codes: Rules designed by school districts or individual schools to prescribe students' attire.

Experiential data: Information based on the personal experiences of individuals or groups.

Parochial schools: Private schools affiliated with local churches.

Private schools: Schools that are not open to the general public and often require payment for the enrollment of each student. Private schools are free to limit their enrollment based on individually determined criteria.

Public schools: Schools that are openly available to the general public at minimal or no cost and do not have entrance requirements except residency within the school's district.

Scientific research: Research conducted using the scientific method for gathering knowledge, which includes theory, experiment, observation, and hypothesis.

History

Historically, the use of school uniforms in the United States was limited to private parochial schools. Uniforms were made mandatory for all students in the belief that they would create an environment conducive to learning and religious involvement and produce an atmosphere of pride, academic achievement, loyalty, unity, and equality among the student population. In contrast, public schools in the United States did not traditionally require uniforms. With public schools being open to all students, some parents and administrators argued—and continue to argue—against uniforms on the grounds that they stifle individuality and are prohibitively expensive for many families.

One of the best-known examples of the use of school uniforms in public schools was the case of California's Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD). In the fall of 1994, the LBUSD became the first large, urban public school district in the United States to require school uniforms for all elementary and middle school students. Since that time, other urban public school districts in Florida, Maryland, California, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere have implemented similar school uniform policies.

In 1996, advocates of school uniforms received a boost when President Bill Clinton endorsed the use of school uniforms during his State of the Union address. Clinton's endorsement was directly related to concerns regarding violence in public schools; yet, it preceded the deadly school shootings of the late 1990s by several years. In conjunction with President Clinton's statements, the Department of Education issued the "Manual on School Uniforms," a guide to the implementation of uniform dress in schools, to sixteen thousand school districts nationwide. The manual included reports from schools that had already implemented school uniform policies, claiming reductions in suspensions, fights, substance abuse, weapons in school, and battery against teachers. Also in the manual were recommendations that school administrations work together with parents, teachers, and students in choosing the style, price, and availability of uniforms. It also urged that school uniforms be made mandatory for all students in the student body and that a uniform program begin with students in primary grades so that it would become standard as those students progressed through the higher grades.

In 1998, the Journal of Educational Research published an article by David L. Brunsma, a researcher at the University of Missouri, detailing his scientific examination of the effects of school uniforms on tenth graders in the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988. He concluded that there was no direct correlation between the use of school uniforms and any improvements in the areas of substance abuse, behavioral problems, or school attendance. He also concluded that the use of school uniforms actually impaired student academic achievement.

In 2003, Ann Bodine wrote a response to Brunsma's findings in her report, "School Uniforms, Academic Achievement, and the Uses of Research," also published in the Journal of Educational Research. Bodine's findings suggested that the 1988 study that Brunsma cited actually supports the benefits of school uniforms. With the findings inconclusive, those for and against school uniforms continued to debate the issue, primarily with experiential data.

School Uniforms Today

Even though many countries around the world have used uniforms in all types of schools for decades, the trend is still relatively new and far from universal in the United States. Debates about their effectiveness notwithstanding, many US public schools have continued to adopt the trend during the first part of the twenty-first century. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 18.8 percent of public schools had mandatory uniform programs during the 2019–20 school year. While this was not a significant increase over the percentage of schools with uniforms in the late 2010s, it was a marked increase from decades earlier; in the 1999–2000 school year, only 12 percent of US public schools required students to wear uniforms. By that time, large retail and catalog clothing stores such as Target, Amazon, and Walmart had begun offering a selection of school uniforms.

Many public schools that do not exercise a school uniform policy instead maintain formal dress-code policies for students. Schools often describe their dress codes as designed to encourage modesty and respect, reduce the presence of potentially offensive messages, and produce a positive learning environment. Dress codes often prohibit bare midriffs, strapless garments, exposed undergarments, excessively baggy clothing, and clothing containing advertisements or depictions of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco products, as well as offensive language or violent imagery. Some dress codes also include personal grooming requirements, regulating hair, makeup, jewelry, and accessories. A 2021–2 survey conducted by the Government Accountability Office found that 93 percent of school districts had some type of dress code; statistics collected by the National Center for Education Statistics found that 44 percent of schools had a "strict" dress code in 2020.

Opponents of school uniforms may or may not be opposed to school dress codes. Some argue that dress codes are just as confining to a student's individuality as uniforms, while others suggest that school dress codes are a reasonable attempt at maintaining order in the school environment. Controversy surrounding dress codes increased during the 2010s and 2020s, with opponents becoming more vocal about the implications of dress codes on larger public debates about race, sexuality, and gender identity. Critics asserted that dress codes were aimed primarily at girls and that implementing dress codes enforced the message that girls' bodies should be covered, which can lead to feelings of shame. Opponents also called attention to issues of systemic racism and discrimination, citing studies that show that many dress codes specifically target students of color. A 2018 report by the National Women's Law Center explained that many school dress codes "target girls, and especially Black girls, by regulating skirt length and headwraps." The report further stated: "The rules aren't applied equally, either. Students report that Black girls, and especially curvier students, are disproportionately targeted." Moreover, some dress codes that ban hats and head coverings discriminate against those who wear religious head coverings such as hijabs.

Advocates of school uniforms cite many benefits, including the financial benefit they offer to parents. Because the style for uniforms at a given school generally remains the same from year to year and prices are set in advance, parents can plan for and manage school clothing costs more effectively. Also, students do not face peer pressure to adhere to the latest clothing styles. Supporters also maintain that wearing uniforms could help to reduce gang-related violence in schools by eliminating the colors and clothing that gangs use to identify themselves and thereby reducing the potential for conflict among rival groups. A frequent counterargument says that creative expression through personal choice creates a healthier learning environment and that parents who do not have to provide uniforms can find less expensive alternatives elsewhere.

Still, debate continues. As Karen Walker, professor of education at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania, wrote, "Hard evidence that proves the wearing of uniforms provides a direct link to better academic achievement is not conclusive, however, there is evidence that supports there are fewer discipline problems/referrals and violence as well as higher attendance rates since the implementation of a uniform policy. What appears to have been overlooked in the data analysis is the effect of other programs that are often being implemented at the same time as the uniform policy and may also have a direct impact on the discipline and attendance issues." Still, despite arguments in favor of school uniforms, many observers noted racial disparities in where uniforms and strict dress codes were enforced. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2020, schools were the student body was less than 25 percent students of color were the least likely to have uniforms.

These essays and any opinions, information or representations contained therein are the creation of the particular author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of EBSCO Information Services.

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