Uniforms in Public Schools

Introduction

The issue of increased violence in public schools has been well documented over the last ten years. Massare noted, “The proliferation of violence in the public schools in the past decade has created a sense of emergency regarding safety in school districts”. Shelton et al. (2009) acknowledged, “School security has become a major issue around the country due to the increased levels of violence”. Vairo et al. (2007) stated, “[school] violence … [is] so prevalent that it … extends from the elementary grades into our universities … [and across] all geographical parts of our country—in rural and suburban areas as well as our metropolitan centers”. As the incidents of school violence and deadly attacks have escalated in the United States, educators and policymakers have focused their attention on the issues of school violence and safety (Carroll, pp. 95).

Thesis Statement

“Will uniforms help peer pressure in public schools, or should kids be able to wear what they want?”

Effects on Children

Vairo et al. concluded, “If violence in our schools is not halted, we shall witness a collapse of the American educational system” (Brunsma, pp. 27).

As policy makers, educators, and parents have begun to face these issues and these statistics, the safety of children attending school has become a major concern. The history of shootings and violent assaults in schools across this country has left educators, policymakers, parents, and students demanding and searching for answers to this growing epidemic. Massare noted, “The recent history of violent acts in schools and communities seems to have strengthened the resolve of local boards of education, administrators, teachers, and parents to implement programs and initiatives to maintain safe and disciplined schools” (Haynes, pp. 85).

The following strategies have been investigated and implemented in United States school systems in the effort to make them safer: anti- bullying campaigns, zero-tolerance policies, security cameras, walkie-talkies, random sweeps of lockers, ID badges, classroom phones, sign-in/sign-out procedures, expanded access to counseling, increased security personnel, fencing around schools, expanded exterior lighting, and even the use of metal-detectors.

As educators and policy makers have continued to search for answers to increase safety while decreasing violence in schools, the mandatory use of school uniforms has become an increasingly popular strategy. Anderson (2002) stated, “a sincere concern with safety has been the overriding impetus toward the implementation of … [school] uniform policies”, and this can be seen further in the following quotation taken from the United States Department of Education's Manual on School Uniforms (1996) (Poliner & Benson, pp. 78): In response to growing levels of violence in our schools, many parents, teachers, and school officials have come to see school uniforms as one positive and creative way to reduce discipline problems and increase school safety. The potential benefits of school uniforms include: decreasing violence and theft … helping prevent gang members from wearing gang colors and insignia at school; [and] instilling students with discipline. White (2000) stated, “Uniforms are portrayed as a way to curb teen violence”, and Blount (1996) noted, “In ...