Dress Code and Common Sense

Dress Code and Common Sense

There is no doubt that our schools are suffering in areas of safety and discipline as well as  academic performance and that it in our children's’ best interest to to find a way to counteract the decline in these areas. The question is, how do we make positive changes in these areas? What will work and continue working for the long haul? Who’s responsibility is it to make sure that certain expectations are met and upheld? It was said that, “Public schools should implement a school uniform policy to positively improve the environment of the school because before and after studies show significant improvements in performance and behavior after the implementation of school uniforms (Rachael Terry thesis proposition).” I agree that dressing a certain way can improve one’s feelings of self confidence.  But is a standard, one of a kind, student uniform really the answer. The Long Beach Unified School District did a study hoping to prove that this is the case. “Principals and teachers tell us that students' success is taking many forms -- fewer absences, fewer tardies, fewer truancies, fewer referrals to the office for behavior problems, fewer suspensions and expulsions, better grades and, in some cases, significantly higher achievement. (Polacheck, 1996) (page 54, paragraph 2).”

In reality, there are no conclusive results that indicate that school uniforms on their own significantly improve these areas. In The Effects of Student Uniforms on Attendance, Behavior Problems, Substance Use, and Academic Achievement  by David L. Brunsma and Kerry A. Rockquemore, they say that parental involvement could have contributed to the illusion that the uniforms themselves created the improvements. “The authors made one valid point. They suggest that the parental involvement that precipitated a policy of requiring uniforms in Long Beach may have precipitated other improvements. I suggest that parents and educators showing that they cared about educational performance had a positive effect upon performance (paragraph 15).” There were other programs and policies set forth that could have impacted the changes as well. “What is omitted from the discourse on school uniforms is the possibility that, instead of directly impacting specific outcomes, uniforms work as a catalyst for change and provide a highly visible window of opportunity. It is this window which allows additional programs to be implemented. An examination of the Long Beach case shows that several additional reform efforts were simultaneously implemented with the mandatory uniform policy (pg. 60, paragraph 3).” During this period of time the LBUSD received a $1 million grant and did a reassessment of content standards. Both of which could have contributed to the increase in performance scores and decrease in disciplinary actions.  “Our failure to find a direct effect of uniforms on behavioral outcomes or academic achievement provide cause for a closer examination of the uniform debate (pg. 60, paragraph 1).”

Proponents of school uniforms insist that the adoption of mandatory guidelines will improve performance and safety in schools, but in reality there is something greater at stake; the student’s rights. The opponents of this debate suggest that the problems with implementing such a rule not only violates a student’s right to self expression but can actually can stifle growth of individuality as well as tolerance of others values and opinions. Joseph suggests, in his findings that, “the presence of a uniform in schools automatically implies a two-tiered hierarchical structure, those that wear uniforms (subordinates) and those that do not wear uniforms (superiors) (pg 2, paragraph 6)...School uniforms act as suppressers of students' individuality by mandating standardization of appearance and removing student expression through clothing..” Some say that this is a tool of administrative power to stifle the urges to fight against authority and to control students . (pg. 87, paragraph 1).” The ACLU of Nevada says that forcing students to wear uniforms infringes on students rights. It is our right and privilege to express our opinions as long is does not disrupt the school day. The first amendment protects the right to free speech; which is the expression of opinion, written and verbal, and creativity and political viewpoints. In the 1970’s the Supreme Court said, “that students have a First Amendment right to express themselves so long as that expression is not disruptive to the school day (1).”

The “Tinker vs. Des Moines School District” is an example of the repression of self expression. John F. Tinker and some of his schoolmates decided to wear black armbands as a show of objection to the violence in Vietnam. The kids were suspended from school for doing so, due to the thought that it was disruptive and could cause disturbances to the teaching and learning environment. However, “The District Court recognized that the wearing of an armband for the purpose of expressing certain views is the type of symbolic act that is within the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment (12).” Students have a right to express their opinions in school as well as out of the schoolhouse gates. The way students dress is a direct reflection of how they feel and what they value. It is the one way that they can express their individuality. In the Eastern District of Arkansas another case, Lowry et al v. Watson Chapel School District et al, ended with a similar resolution.

“In a freer learning environment, students begin with a sense of self-worth – rather than as identical captives without options. Giving kids a choice to express themselves not only acknowledges their individuality but creates the possibility for a relationship of mutual respect (6).” The freedom to choose what to wear gives individuals the opportunity to express who they are. It puts the responsibility in their hands and empowers them with the ability to express themselves as well as accept the free expression of others. Sharing our values and opinions opens up avenues of conversation that otherwise would be closed. Mutual respect comes by tolerance and awareness of other perspectives and ideas.

We need to encourage the differences of thought and feelings on a myriad of topics. Teaching students the importance of our constitutional rights is how we prepare them for being adults. When they leave the home and go out into the world head on, they will be bombarded with views, values, and opinions that may be in direct contrast to what they have been taught. They need to be instructed young to know and defend their thoughts in a constructive way and to get their point across without conflict. It can be said that conflict is what brings about change. Differences of opinions can sway one to feel differently or in the very least, to consider another point of view. It is our duty to instill this right into our students. “No one has ever said the First Amendment is easy or neat – on the contrary, it produces a glorious and legally-protected cacophony of ideas unthinkable in almost every other country worldwide (4).” This idea of freedom was something that our forefathers fought for and we need to uphold our Constitution.

Finally, the forcing of uniforms on students is ineffective. In reality, this approach causes a negative effect on students academics as well as their self confidence. In the eyes of the teachers it may seem that all is well and equitable, but “statistically, the researchers found that student uniforms had no positive statistical correlation with absenteeism, drug use, attitudes toward school, or student achievement.” In reality, some students begrudge the uniform so much as to negatively affect their school work.

“Instituting a uniform policy can be viewed as analogous to cleaning and brightly painting a deteriorating building in that on the one hand, it grabs our immediate attention but on the other, is, after all, really only a coat of paint (Pg. 60, paragraph 4).” While uniforms may look good, they will not resolve the underlying problems that plague our schools. Upholding dress standards that don’t interrupt the school day, more parental involvement and proper enforcement of behavioral standards can help improve the feelings in our schools. “Instead, school officials should only be concerned with clothing that is actually disruptive – which both dress codes and simple common sense are more than adequate to handle (2).”

Instead of a one of a kind uniform for every student, implementing and upholding a standards of dress  and behavior should be adequate to allow for a student’s right to self expression as well as make it possible to maintain a learning environment where adequate growth takes place. Students can still dress in a manner appropriate for the learning environment without drawing attention to themselves in a negative manner. In “Bethel School District vs Faser” the school was permitted to enforce a consequence for inappropriate and vulgar speech during a student assembly. This set a precedent for lewd and sexual content in clothing, as this can distract from the learning environment. It was decided that his opinion and they way he expressed it was appropriate for certain settings, but not necessarily in the one in which it was delivered. Schools have the right to set forth guidelines and standards of dress that at the same times allows for personal expression within those guidelines. The trick is to hold the students accountable for crossing the lines that are set.  This could include grooming standards and hygiene as in one court’s, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ruling which “found that the disputed policy is within the school board's power to regulate grooming (line 7).” It is possible to have policies that support the atmosphere of success without taking away the Constitutional right to personal expression.

In conclusion, while there have been studies and attempts to prove that uniforms improve performance and decrease behavioral issues, this is not the case. The implementation of other programs in conjunction with the start of uniform requirements may have contributed to the slight increase in these areas, but the increase was not substantial. The truth of the matter is that enforcing School Uniforms infringes on the first amendment rights of students to self expression and takes away the tolerance of other views. There is however another option which allows for freedom of expression and supports the learning environment. The use and enforcement of reasonable dress and grooming standards can allow for both.