The document discusses student dress codes and grooming policies in schools. It provides pros and cons of school uniform policies, noting that research has not found direct effects on safety or performance. Common grooming standards require hairstyles that do not disrupt learning and good hygiene. Legal issues can arise regarding grooming policies, as seen in a 2007 case of a boy suspended over his locks. Overall, uniform policies alone do not impact school climate or academics, and grooming rules aim to reduce disruption while sometimes facing controversy.

1. Student Dress and Grooming William Allan Kritsonis, PhD

2. Research Subject Student Uniforms and Grooming

3. History 1987 Cherry Hill Elementary made history when it became the first public school to adopt uniforms .

4. History 1996 State of the Union Address by President William Clinton which he strongly recommended uniforms as one way to keep schools safe .

5. School Uniforms ~Pros~ Reduce violence Increase school safety Increase attendance Improve grades Financial benefits for parents Reduce visible economic differences ~Cons~ No confirmed effect on safety and violence No bearing on academic achievement May mask risky behaviors (gang participation) Violates student’s rights to free expression

6. Student Grooming Common Standards: Hairstyles must pose no disruption to the learning environment Good, clean hygiene Neatness, and order are paramount

7. Legal Issues Parents and School Tangle Over Waldorf Tot's Locks Boy, 3, Suspended From Private Academy By Megan Greenwell Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, November 24, 2007; B01

8. Conclusion Research has shown that the implementation of school uniforms has no direct effect on school safety or performance. What is most often visible is a sense of “order”. A school that has a uniform policy is no safer than one that does not have a uniform policy, and student performance ahs been linked to parental involvement, not uniform mandates.

9. Conclusion Grooming policies often thwart radical behavior, and disruption to the learning environment, and are therefore believed to be beneficial, all be it sometimes controversial .

10. Resources Baltimore City Public School System www.bcps.k12.md.us National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) www.naesp.org