There has been a trend in recent years to institute school dress code policies or the requirement of wearing uniforms in order to achieve a variety of goals including better classroom management and overall student improvement. The debate over uniforms or dress codes is wide, involving parents, students, teachers, and administrators. Do uniforms or dress codes really work?
Dress Codes Versus Uniforms on High School Campuses
Dress codes stipulate a universal “look” while uniforms homogenize student groups. A dress code might call for similar colored trousers and shirts and address other areas of student appearance such as facial hair, the length of hair, and body piercing. Uniforms, however, put every student into a specific, defined outfit: white shirts, khaki slacks or skirts, brown dress shoes, etc.
Dress codes are more appealing because they still allow for some variety and individuality within established boundaries. Button-down shirts or polo shirts allow for personal expression while keeping the overall look of the student body the same. Dress codes, however, may be more difficult to enforce. Dress codes open the door to interpretation.
The Legality and Efficacy of Dress Codes and Uniforms
Courts have sided with school systems adopting uniforms and dress codes if the goal is to further the process of education. In May 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upheld a Nevada policy, stating that the school district’s policy was “consistent with the…goals of creating…productive, distraction-free educational” environments.
The court’s decision reflects a chief goal advanced by schools for uniforms and/or dress codes: creating a less distractive educational environment that enables better classroom management and promotes a higher degree of learning. Additionally, some districts look to uniforms to help eliminate school gang activity, often tied to specific identifying colors worn by gang members.
But do uniforms and dress codes affect other areas of student life? A 1998 study conducted by the University of Notre Dame’s Sociology Department concludes that, “student uniforms have no direct effect on substance use, behavioral problems or attendance.” Mandating uniforms produces no measurable difference in certain areas such as testing, although in one Ohio case students in school uniforms actually scored lower on standardized tests.
Who Makes the Decision and What are the Motives
Schools contemplating uniforms or dress codes must establish clear reasons related to the overall educational process in justifying policies. This includes detailed self-studies, focus-groups, research, and the specific needs of the school or system. To what extent will uniforms or dress codes resolve issues? Is it possible to correlate the lack of a dress code with low scores on standardized tests or are there other reasons for low scores?
Ultimately, all stakeholders should be involved in the decision. If a school system decides to introduce uniforms or a dress code, parental support will become crucial in policing the new policy. If parents are part of the initial exploration process and included in the final decision making phase, such support will be far more evident as the policy is implemented.
Too Much Reliance on Uniforms?
The education system is in a constant state of fluctuation, reforming itself every few decades as it searches for ways to improve standards. Often, the call for reforms, particularly by non-educators, fixates on subjective and emotional solutions: “Bring prayer back in school,” “emphasize patriotism,” “get back to the basic ‘three R’s’” and so forth. Uniforms and dress codes may well be within this realm of fantasy solutions to real educational problems.
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