by: Brandon Petrosky

A Case forSchool Uniforms

The issue of mandatory public school uniforms has been a national issue since the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) started the first policy in 1994. Proponents of school uniforms argue that they decrease violence and increase graduation rates. Opponents defend a student’s right to express themselves and believe that uniforms trample on students’ creativity.

The Issue at a glance

Long Beach Unified School District was suffering from terrible rates of school violence and ever increasing gang activity. In an effort to end these problems LBUSD implemented a school dress code policy.

LBUSD: The first case study

The LBUSD implemented mandatory uniforms to reduce violence and gang activity

After the implementation of the uniform policy they commissioned a longitudinal study to evaluate its effectiveness.

The commission found that there was a 76% drop in school related crimes after the uniform policy was adopted.

LBUSD: The first case study

LBUSD: Inspiring a President

Teen killed over jacket Second youth is wounded November 26, 1990|By Robert Hilson Jr. and Bruce Reid,Evening

Sun Staff A 17-year-old was shot and killed when he refused to give up his

leather Chicago Bulls jacket to a gunman last night, city police said. In the East Baltimore incident, the gunman shot and wounded a 15-

year-old friend of the victim, police said. The assailant also was shot during a struggle over the gun with the wounded youth, police said. An arrest in the shooting has been made, but the suspect had not been charged earlier today.

The police found Charles Feaster, of the 2600 block of E. Jefferson St., in an alley behind the 900 block of N. Washington St. shortly before 6:30 p.m. yesterday. Feaster, who was studying accounting at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical Senior High School, had been shot at least twice and was declared dead at the scene.

Baltimore Sun

Killed for a jacket

A phone survey of public school administrators from across the country showed that administrators in schools with uniforms were half as likely to feel that violence was an issue in their building as administrators in schools without uniforms (Wilson).

Uniforms curb school violence

A common impetus for implementing a uniform policy is to reduce the teasing that surrounds students’ wardrobes and reduce the visible socio-economic divide.

Uniforms help establish social equality in schools.

A 2003 study of students in urban schools with new uniform policies found that 74% of sixth graders felt that school uniforms reduced the amount of teasing they were subjected to (Lapoint).

Uniforms help establish social equality in schools.

We all know that a happy student is a harder working student.

In a 2005 study of urban school districts in Ohio, the researcher found that mandatory school uniform policies were effective in increasing attendance, graduation rates, and lowering the rate of suspensions (Draa).

School uniforms help increase graduation rates

There are several misconceptions about school uniformsThey are expensiveThey stifle creativityThey destroy the right of self-expression for the

studentThe following slides will address these three

misconceptions

Misconceptions

A common complaint is that families in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods will not be able to afford uniforms.

The reality is that uniforms will reduce the amount of money the family will spend on the hottest trends and whims of their children.

Also, most uniform programs are accompanied by financial aid policies to ensure that no family is financially over-burdened.

In the United Kingdom, where uniforms have been the norm for decades, they are being sold as cheaply as $8.00.

Uniforms are economical

Uniforms No Uniforms

5 Shirts = $45.00 5 Shirts = $75

5 Pants = $125.00 5 Pants = $165

1 Pair of Shoes = $30 1 Pair of Shoes = $80

3 Ties = $15 0 Ties = $0

TOTAL TOTAL

$215.00 $300

Cost ComparisonThis chart compares prices for clothes from a common school uniform vendor (Cookieskids.com) and the average cost of my 12th grade students’ (Brooklyn, NY) outfits from 2/11/2010. You can see that school uniforms are about 30% cheaper than being stylish.

Below you will find a video showing the many ways in which a female student could accessorize her uniform.

Uniforms allow students to be creative and express themselves!

School uniform policies have shown time and again that they are an effective tool for reducing violent behavior in schools.

Schools implementing uniform policies can be assured that they will not have a negative impact on attendance, discipline, or graduation rates.

Conclusions

A mandatory uniform policy is not economically insensitive, if anything it is fiscally conscientious.

Uniforms will help administrators defuse existing socio-economic tensions and classes within the student body.

Conclusions