2. What Is a School Uniform? A school uniform is an outfit worn primarily for school settings. They are common in primary and secondary schools. Uniforms also for the basis of dress code in schools.
3. Styles of School Uniforms School Uniforms are both casual and professional. Private schools usually consist of more professional outfits where public schools are using a more casual outlook. Photo By: Gregor Younger
4. When were uniforms introduced to schools? Parochial and private schools have a long history of using school uniforms to project an atmosphere of uniformity, pride, loyalty, and equality among the student population. Public schools have been using uniforms for years, gaining momentum during the late 1980's and increasing steadily throughout the early 1990's.
5. Controversy of uniforms in Schooland Legislation There has been a lot of commotion about dress codes and school uniforms in the United States. VS. Photo by: Janemcdonald52 Photo By: Jeff Shnaufer
6. Pros of School Uniforms Cost of clothing Less harassment/peer pressure for less privileged children. Gang related issues Students Social standing Students academically succeed
7. Cons of School Uniforms Student’s Individuality Wasteful after graduation Discomfort Photo By: Photo By: Lowry Lou Lidia Ramalho
8. Legal Standards There have been many court cases relating to school uniforms: Newsom v. Albemarle County School Board Bivensv. Albuquerque Public School
9. The Impact of students K-12 School uniforms are not mandatory due many reasons including: Self expression Freedom Set dress codes are already present
10. From The Students USA WEEKEND Student Survey Which do you think should or should not be banned by school dress codes? Banned Not banned Hats 15% 85% Baggy clothes 19% 81% Short skirts 35% 65% Cutoff pants 20% 80% Exposed midriffs 42% 58% Earrings on boys 19% 81% Nose, lip, tongue or eye rings 44% 56% Clothes with gang symbols 75% 25% Do you think public school officials should have the right to tell students what to wear at school? Yes 21% No 79% I think uniforms in public school are: A good idea 17% A bad idea 83%
11. Future Directions for School Uniforms The controversy of having school uniforms in school is still an educational issue. School districts are still allowed to decide what path they want to take when choosing a proper dress code for their students. School districts have much to keep in mind when deciding on school uniforms!
12. References www.education.com www.familyeducation.com Evans, Dennis. "School Uniforms: An ‘Unfashionable’ Dissent." Phi Delta Kappan Oct. 96: 139-140. Paliokas, Kathleen L. and others. "Trying Uniforms on for Size." American School Board Journal v183 n5: 32-35. http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=clothing_dress_codes_uniforms http://www.usaweekend.com/97_issues/970504/970504teen_survey.html www.flickr.com
Editor's Notes
My power point focuses on School Uniforms and how they are an important issue in education.
Private school uniforms usually consist of khaki’s or dress pants, sweaters and polo’s. For girls there also could be knee lengths skirts and for boys ties might be part of the outfit. Public schools are very new to uniforms in school but still try to keep it casual. Jeans or khakis, and solid colored T-shirts and polo’s are what can be found in many public school who use school uniform dress codes.
School uniforms were also introduced to school because people felt that having school uniforms would make the children feel important like they were in some vital organization, and it would also bring some order and discipline to the school and help the school make some profit. The idea appealed to most parents who asked the boards of schools to get children to wear school uniforms and school uniforms spread.
The controversy of having school uniforms really comes down to the pros and cons of having school uniforms and school and what positive attributes will come from having them. In recent years, school districts have been permitted to institute dress codes. President Clinton, in his 1996 State of the Union address, endorsed school uniforms in public schools (Evans, 1996.) The Pennsylvania school code, section 510, states that the board of school directors in any school district may adopt and enforce reasonable rules and regulations as it may seem necessary and proper regarding the management of its school affairs. Paliokas (1996) stated that legal trends suggest that the courts are willing to defer to school authorities regarding dress codes.
School uniforms inhibit student’s individuality. Young people often express their feelings through the clothing that they wear. Some people including parents and teachers feel that uniforms will take away this form of expression. In comparison to civil dress, school uniforms prove to be futile and wasteful once the child is out of school. school uniforms prove to be futile and wasteful once the child is out of school. Another con of school uniforms is that it deprives the children of comfort.This discomfort might reflect upon the academic performance of the child.
Newsom v. Albemarle County School Board was a very interesting case relating to prohibited clothing depicting weapons. The controversy arose after school officials forced student Alan Newsom to stop wearing his National Rifle Association T-shirt, which had of men holding guns andthe message “NRA Sports Shooting Camp.” The school policy prohibited “messages on clothing, jewelry, and personal belongings that relate to … weapons.” In Bivensv. Albuquerque Public Schools, the judge questioned whether sagging pants conveyed any particular message. The message that many people were getting from sagging pants were either gang related signs or just a teen fashion statement. (www.firstamendment.com)
The most important reason schools do not have a standardized dress code or school uniform policy is the resistance schools would receive from parents and students. The resistance would cause many parents taking their children out of the school district which would lower student quotas and that means less money. There will be many parents and students who will state that their freedom of expression rights are being jeopardized. Free expression results in more knowledgeable and competent decisions being made that will make everyone better off. Strike, Haller, & Soltis (1998). People would also argue that part of their freedom is being taken from them by not being able to wear the clothing they wish to wear. Also, strict dress codes have already been enforced in school districts which allows inappropriate clothing to be banned from school premises already.
Every year, USA WEEKEND publishes a survey for students in grades 6 through 12 on a topic of importance. This year they chose the topic of Teens & Freedom. A total of 218,350 teens took the survey. The questions I chose to show related to school uniforms and what teens thought.
From individuality and self expression, to less harassment and students academically succeeding, school districts need to keep in mind what pros and cons come with the controversy of choosing school uniforms for their districts and what is best for their students!
