School uniforms

School uniforms have long been a topic of debate between those who believe the public school system should offer personal freedoms and those who believe it helps provide an appropriate environment for learning. There are many reasons uniforms can be helpful in enhancing the student's learning experience. It helps if you look at these dress codes as you would a uniform for work, as school is a child's work.

Sense of Belonging

• Providing a sense of belonging is an important part of uniformity. When you help to remove the class system by leveling the playing field, it provides students with the opportunity to be included. Clothing is an easy way to point out those who do not have money or support. By eliminating this discrepancy, you have made life easier for all students.

Safety

• Safety-wise, uniforms make students easily identifiable. It becomes simple to locate those who do not belong on a campus when they are not in the correct clothing. They also prevent the concerns of gangs and other forms of cliques sporting their "colors" and causing friction between groups or individuals.

Helpful for Teachers

• Uniforms allow teachers to teach. Taking away the need to "police" clothing choices gives teachers a chance to focus on curriculum and not on what the students are wearing. It helps to remove the subjective nature of general clothing guidelines, such as determining what is offensive.

Attitude

• Uniforms help to change the attitude of those wearing them. Unlike regular clothing choices, you are not likely to pick on someone wearing the exact same thing as yourself. Many a schoolyard fight has begun with someone making fun of someone else regarding the clothing they are wearing.
  Dressing nicely also helps students to "live up to their clothing." There is an innate sense of decorum when we dress for success. People tend to act differently depending on the clothing they are wearing. By creating a uniform specifically designed for attending school, the attitude falls in line. When those clothes are on, it becomes as regular as putting on pajamas, so a brain knows it is time to focus and learn.

Sex Factor

• Reducing the "sex" factor also provides motivation to focus on studies. Even when students dress within guidelines, children can find a way to push the limits with how low cut or tight their clothing might be. With a uniform, that is almost entirely removed. You will no longer have the girl with the low-cut blouse distracting the boys in the classroom.

Uniforms History

In his book "The School Uniform Movement and What It Tells Us About American Education," sociologist David L. Brunsma gives some history of school uniforms. They were first worn in 16th-century England by children of low social status. While uniforms became commonplace in England, it wasn't until relatively recently that they were popular in the United States. Only private and religious schools required uniforms at first.

In the early 1960s, half of all Catholic schools in the United States had uniform policies.The first time an American public school introduced a uniform policy was in 1987, at Baltimore's Cherry Hill Elementary School.

Prevalence of Uniforms

In the 2011-12 school year, 19.3 percent of public schools required students to wear uniforms, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. That was up from 13.5 percent in the 2003-04 school year.

Students in urban schools are more likely to be required to wear uniforms than those in suburban or rural districts, and uniform policies are tied to poverty levels, reports the NCES. As of the 2011-12 year, 47 percent of high-poverty public schools required uniforms as opposed to just 6 percent of low-poverty public schools.

Private schools are much more likely to use uniforms. About 59 percent of private schools required them in the 2011-12 year, up just 1.4 percent from the 2003-04 school year.

Uniform Costs

The total cost of outfitting your child with school uniforms depends on the number of pieces you buy. In a 2013 survey done by the National Association of Elementary School Principals, 77 percent of educators estimated that the per-child, per-year cost of uniforms was under $150. One uniform retailer, Classroom Uniforms, estimated a cost of $156 for four girls' outfits and $140 for four boys' outfits, as of 2015.

Uniform Colors

Each school or district chooses its own uniform, typically including bottom options in a neutral color such as khaki or black and tops that are either neutral or in the school's colors. Girls may have the option of wearing pants or skirts, and shorts and short-sleeved shirts may be allowed. Students may be required to wear specific shoes or have some leeway to select their own.