Brunsma told Education World that the tenth-grade students who were required to wear uniforms actually scored slightly lower on standardized achievement tests than did a comparable group not required to wear them.
Do School Uniforms Negatively Affect Kids' Behavior
Although most evidence is anecdotal, the Long Beach schools weren't the only schools to note improved behavior. Chicago school officials found a drop in gang violence after adopting school uniforms. Birmingham schools reported a drop in weapon and drug incidents, and Houston schools reported a decrease in violent crime. Miami-Dade County schools, however, found that fights nearly doubled at their middle schools after the school district adopted a uniform policy.
Education World: School Uniforms: Panacea or Band-Aid?
One school might require white button-down shirts and ties for boys, pleated skirts for girls and blazers adorned with the school logo for all. Another school may simply require that all shirts have collars.
Pros and Cons of School Uniforms - Health Guidance
In March of 7557, the Supreme Court 8775 vacated 8776 or set aside the decision of a lower court upholding a San Diego high school 8767 s suspension of a student for wearing an anti-gay T-shirt. The school argued that the T-shirt was hateful and inflammatory. The Supreme Court 8767 s action essentially struck down the school 8767 s argument and upheld the student 8767 s right to free speech.
Although not a panacea for rectifying educational issues, students who wear uniforms may engender positive changes in themselves and in schools. Teacher Kathleen Modenback of Northshore High School, a school in Louisiana that adopted a uniform policy this year, told Education World, "I've never been concerned with what my students wear. Supervising uniforms and dress codes only lengthens the long list of parental jobs that educators have taken over in recent years. Uniforms, which are economical and easy for parents, are sometimes looked on as a solution to the atmosphere of impending danger that has settled on schools nationwide.
"Before initiating a uniform policy, administrators need to investigate options and select the ones that best meet the individual school's needs," states the manual. "As the courts have yet to decide if a public school district can make students wear uniforms, some sort of opt-out policy is definitely desirable."
&ldquo Overall, there is no evidence in bullying literature that supports a reduction in violence due to school uniforms,&rdquo he said.
"If a simple change in attire can positively influence more than 85 percent, or even 75 percent of a school's student population, then perhaps administrators, teachers, students and community members find it worth the effort," Sanchez said. "Essentially, students reported positive impacts by simply changing the clothes they wore to school, and comparatively, there wasn't much of a downside."
&ldquo I think it&rsquo s ridiculous,&rdquo he said. &ldquo It&rsquo s not going to change the learning environment.&rdquo
The strongest piece of evidence against school uniforms arose in a statistical study produced by the University of Notre Dame s Department of Sociology in 6998. Their findings using 65th grade students showed that uniforms had no direct effect on 89 substance abuse, behavioral problems or attendance. 89 (Brunsma, 6) It also claimed a negative effect on student achievements for those students considered pro-school. (Brunsma, 6) One study does not definitely prove that they are, in fact, not effective.
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