Dress Code Policy
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Transcript of Dress Code Policy
School Dress Policy
Do school dress policies interfere with students constitutional rights?
Jaclyn MoranPhilosophy, Ethics, and TeachingSummer 2012
Uniforms or Dress Codes?
In 2009–10, about 19% of public school principals reported that their school required students to wear uniforms, an
increase from 12% in 1999–2000 (According to NCES)
History Supreme Court Case ruling (1969)
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District
In 1968, a group of adults and students in Des Moines, Iowa, wore black armbands to school to publicize their objections to the hostilities in Vietnam.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the students and stated, “in order for the state in the person of school officials to justify prohibition of a particular expression of opinion, a student must engage in a forbidden conduct that would ‘materially and substantially interfere with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operations of the school.’” (“Tinker v. Des Moines, 1969)
1996 State of the Union Address
“I challenge all our schools to teach character education, to teach good values and good citizenship. And if it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets,
then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms” (Clinton, 1996)
In the Courts Byars v. City of Waterbury, 2001
Freeman v. Flake, 1971
Bivens ex rel. Green v. Albuquerque Public Schools, 1995
Olesen v. Board of Education of School District 1987
(Julka, Lewis & Verstegen, 2004)
School UniformsPros
Help prevent gangs from forming on campus
Encourage discipline
Help students resist peer pressure to buy trendy clothes
Help identify intruders in the school
Diminish economic and social barriers between students
Increase a sense of belonging and school pride
Cons
Violate a student's right to freedom of expression
Are simply a Band-Aid on the issue of school violence
Are a financial burden for poor families
Are an unfair additional expense for parents who pay taxes for a free public education
Are difficult to enforce in public schools
First Amendment Arguments
• Example of a Supreme court “dress code” ruling that references Amend. 1
• Sypniewski v. Warren Hills Regional Board of Education
Bill of Rights Amendment 1“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”
Dress Code and Uniform Costs
Students are at an age when growth is ongoing and it is necessary for parents to frequently purchase larger sizes.
Uniform costs can sometimes be higher than costs of traditional clothing.
A Port Washington, N.Y.-based NPD Group estimated in 2000 that uniform sales accounted for 5 percent of the children's clothing market, or $1.1 billion (Veron, 2012 )
References Clinton, President William Jefferson. (1996, January). State of the
Union Address. Speech presented at the U.S. State of the Union, Washington, D.C.
Julka, M. J., Lewis, S. R., & Verstegen, R. F. (2004). Student dress codes. Principal Leadership, Retrieved from http://www.nassp.org/portals/0/content/48264.pdf
Supreme Court of the United States, (1969). Tinker v des moines independent community school district (393 U.S. 503). Retrieved from website: http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=15235797139493194004&hl=en&as_sdt=2&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2011 (NCES 2012-002), Table 20.1.
Verdon, J. (2012, July 27). What's cool for school? uniforms. The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-mct-whats-cool-for-school-uniforms-according-to-20120727,0,1344963.story