School Dress Codes Worth the Work?

Garland Independent School District in Dallas, Texas, is battling students and parents over the enforcement of a new dress code. Some feel that new policies are not being applied equally to the students. Administrators are wondering if it’s worth the work.

The school fielded questions from parents and students, and most concerns centered on how confusing the new policy was. One girl was sent to the reassignment center (RAC) for wearing spaghetti straps, but the next day another girl wore spaghetti straps and nothing happened. Officials said, “It’s like speeding. We’re not going to catch everyone out there, but when we see it, we’re going to call you on it.”

Principal Wendell Brown placed much of the responsibility with parents. "We as adults have allowed this to get out of hand," he said. "Very few of those kids ... purchase their own clothes. They should never, ever have clothes at home that are inappropriate to wear."

Dress Code Violators Wise Up

It’s been said before and I’ll say it again- kids are smart. Whenever you place restrictions on them, they know exactly how far they can push the envelope without getting caught. And now, it seems, they’ve even come up with a back up plan.

A Toledo, Ohio school recently moved to a stricter dress code. Students were employing their right to express themselves, but to the school it was just too tight, too baggy, or not enough coverage. Many of the students were wearing t-shirts that promoted alcohol, cigarettes, or sex, and school officials grew concerned.

"This is school, not the mall," one official explained. "This is an educational institution, and it's not a social event. The expectations are that you dress accordingly."

Now, when a student wears a shirt considered to be inappropriate, there is a consequence- the bright yellow “dress code violator” t-shirt. Of course, it wasn’t long before the students wised-up. Students know when their pushing it, and “90 percent of them "miraculously" have something else to wear in their locker,” said the principal.

School Uniforms Counter Gang Activity

Reports continue to come in from schools who thank school uniforms for a drop in gang related activity. The uniformity puts students on a level playing field, eliminating the competition that comes from fashion and social status.

A Clarksdale, Mississippi, school has been striving for just that. Principal Olenza McBride said she and her staff are doing their part to disrupt gangs, and have achieved what they call, a “gang neutral territory.”

Assistant Principal Jesse Murphree, a former football coach now in charge of school discipline, runs a tight ship. There were six fights last year, but non of them were gang related.

"It's a lot about choices," he said. "We don't give them any. They don't need choices. They need instruction."

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Baggy Clothes a Threat?

A member of a Florida school board is concerned that baggy clothing could be a threat. After watching a video on school security, he was astonished to see how many weapons a person could conceal in a large shirt or pants.

The Florida school adopted a strict dress code in 2000, but loosened it a year later. The board is now proposing to re-examine the code in light of the potential threat. School officials are having trouble enforcing the code, and the board is now convinced that if parents were aware of the threat of baggy clothing, they would be lining up to request a more strict policy.

Other concerns include provocative clothing, and an over-emphasis on style. One board member stated that if they could not enforce the dress code, they would push for school uniforms.

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The Right Way to Adopt a School Uniform Policy

Whenever a school considers adopting a school uniform policy, the question, “How do we go about it?” always comes up. A Roselle Park, New Jersey, school district got the ball rolling with a series of public hearings. State law actually requires public schools to hold a hearing when considering a uniform policy.

The hearing proved an excellent way to approach the subject. Parents were able to come and give input and hear what others were thinking. For those opposed to the introduction of a school uniform policy, concerns ranged from the cost of the uniforms to the issue of whether school uniform policy, now adopted mostly by inner city school districts, is appropriate for a middle-income town like Roselle Park.

Among other reasons, parents who favored school uniforms said uniforms help instill discipline and level the playing field for all students. It was difficult to gauge from reactions at the hearing which side in the debate had overwhelming support, but a survey of parents showed more people supported the introduction of uniforms than those opposed to it.

An important element of the discussion was a review of other districts that have adopted uniform policies, what their reasons were, and what their experience has been. Getting parents involved from the start and learning from other schools are two elements that always ease the process.

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Schools Report on Benefits of School Uniform Policy

Normandy School District in St. Louis, Missouri, joins a trend in public schools that is sweeping across the nation with their new mandatory uniform policy. The number of U.S. public schools with some sort of uniform policy rose from 3 percent in 1997 to 12 percent in 2000, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Another survey is coming in 2006.

The effect of uniforms on academic achievement is not easy to measure. For Principal Joanne Clay of Johnson-Wabash Elementary School in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, the difference lies in attitudes. Her school has a voluntary uniform policy with about 50 percent participation."There seems to be more focus on education rather than fashion," Clay said. "It really decreases the negativity on fashion."

The feedback from parents at Arrowpoint Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District has been positive, said Principal Sue Fields."The parents are supportive, and it's easier on the pocketbook," she said.

Senior Nadia Dragges, 17, of Normandy, likes the convenience of uniforms."Now I know what I'm going to wear in the morning," she said. "I believe that the idea will spread with other school districts."

Junior Kevin Eaton, 17, thinks the public views Normandy's students in a different way."

Parents compliment us on how we look," he said. "I've had no problem with it, because I went to some Christian schools before I came here, and they had uniforms."

And there is still room for individuality, even while wearing a uniform."

I'll wear different earrings and rings," sophomore Blockton said. "You want to stand out a bit."

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The Trouble with School Dress Code Exemptions

Many schools offer school dress code exemptions and many do not. Those that do not offer exemptions can tell you that most of the complaints don’t come from students, but parents. Now many parents have good reason for seeking exemptions, but in some cases, as with Tasha M. Gascon-Smith of Palm Beach, Florida, they go too far.

"My husband, he wishes I'd spend my time better, but he knows I'm on the right track," she says. For more than a year now, Gascon-Smith, mother of three, has been waging a war against her kid’s dress code policies. She keeps a folder with all of the correspondence she has had on the issue.

Right about then any one of us would have pulled our kid aside and given them the talk about how sometimes we have to do things that we don’t want to do. But not Gascon-Smith.

After a year of battle, she won’t give in- even though her thirteen year old son spent the last nine weeks of his seventh grade year serving “in-school suspension” for insubordination over his clothes. His mom says it’s the same this year. “He’s probably only been in his regular classes seven to ten days.”

School officials aren’t caving. That’s the trouble with school dress code exemptions. “If we approve one exemption, we have to approve them all.”

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Parent Involvement

It’s a known fact that parent involvement is essential to the life of a school, and one particular area where that is true is with school uniforms. Many schools need volunteer help because of their budget, but with school uniforms, its more than just money.

Especially for schools who are considering a uniform policy for the first time, parent involvement is essential. When a school switches to uniforms, everyone is affected. Parents are often forced out of their shopping comfort zones when a trip to the local department store doesn’t do the trick. Back to school becomes new adventure that often involves tricky sizing problems and online ordering.

The only solution is to have parents involved from the start- defining the uniform, choosing the vendor, and understanding how the process works. Keeping parents updated on these steps will help them understand how to get what they need when its time to buy.

If your school has gone through these steps and still met with frustration, consider an on-site uniform store. Here again, parent involvement is essential, but it brings the uniform process closer to home.

The Wrong Trousers

You may think you or your kid’s headmaster is strict, but unless your children have been stripped to their knickers and sent home for wearing the wrong uniform trousers, you may want to think again. A headmaster in Mbizo, Kwekwe, allegedly stripped five boys of their pants and shoes last week for not wearing the proper uniform.

Manunure High School headmaster Mr. Charles Nzvenge allegedly locked up the trousers and shoes in his office and ordered the boys to go back home and return dressed in the right uniform. The boys were able to cover themselves in their long shirts, but endured the taunts and jeers of their fellow students, until concerned residents in the neighborhood provided the boys with pants to wear home.

Mr. Nzvenge declined to comment yesterday, referring all questions to the Ministry of Education. But Midlands district education officer Ms. Envas Gudo confirmed receiving a report and said they had subsequently set up a team to investigate the allegations. "The team, which included one psychologist and four other officials, confirmed the report and the ministry is currently working out the course of action to be taken," said Ms Gudo.

Needless to say, parents took their own course of action, besieging the headmaster’s office, forcing him to make a hasty escape.

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Donate a School Uniform

If you have extra blue or khaki pants, shorts, skorts, jumpers and blue or white blouses and shirts, consider donating them to one of the many areas along the southern gulf coast. Here is one such example. One child in Jackson, Mississippi, managed to salvage two goldfish. Most kids didn’t even save an extra pair of clothes, let alone a school uniform.

JPS’ Partners in Education office is one organization to consider donating to. They are coordinating the collection of book bags, school supplies, and uniforms. Many schools have a used uniform closet available for their students. If you know of such a school, consider soliciting them for a uniform donation. Individuals can also donate uniforms or money to buy uniforms by calling Partner’s in Education at (601) 960-8905. Keep in mind that children in need will require three to five sets.

Brand Name Uniforms?

Many parents have to listen to their kids complain about their school uniform, because they aren’t trendy or fashionable. It is difficult to deal with the complaining, but at the same time, parents are thankful they don’t have to foot the bill for name-brand clothing. Is there such a thing as a name brand school uniform?

You won’t believe it, but in Sydney, Australia, parents are dishing out as much as $1500 for a school uniform. However, much of the cost isn’t the uniform itself, its dry cleaning.

Students from kindergarten to sixth grade are being decked out in fashionable outfits, designed by the likes of Jodie Boffa, Robert Burton, and Jonathan Ward. Not surprisingly, some parents are complaining that prices are too high, with dry clean only instructions leading to a yearly cleaning bill of $700. What’s the deal?

NSW Parents and Citizens Association president Sharryn Brownlee said uniforms were big business for the designers and the schools. "Some schools make tens of thousands of dollars from school uniform contracts," Ms Brownlee said. "For the designers it is lucrative and is about stamping their brand name on a younger generation.”

Many thought that school uniforms would eliminate brand names, and at most uniformed American schools, they have. Is it only a matter of time before brand names are back?

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Students Model School Uniforms

Some schools will try anything to get kids excited about school uniforms. Willow Elementary in San Ysidro, California, hosted a fashion show to display the children’s new uniforms. But maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea. After a ten minute choreographed walk down the catwalk, 42 kindergartens through sixth graders were met with cheers and applause by parents. Interviews with students afterward showed the event did a lot to increase the students’ appreciation for their school uniforms.

Itzel Dunn, an 11 year old sixth grader, added a blue beret to her jumper and blouse ensemble commenting, “It’s pretty and it looks nice.” Other students wore sweatshirts, windbreakers, polo shirts and slacks, and one student model even twirled an umbrella.

The message that the principal wanted to communicate was that there’s room for individuality even when you have to dress like everyone else. Convincing parents and students of the value of school uniforms wasn’t easy. Parents began to warm up to the idea after they witnessed certain benefits, such as affordability and simplicity. Students were a tougher sell, but the fashion show certainly peaked their interest.

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School Uniforms the Trend

Despite the continuing controversy surrounding school uniforms, over a quarter of the student population found themselves in uniform as they went to school this year, which works out to roughly 12 million kids. Many parents find themselves asking, “Why?”

Educators and other proponents are turning to uniforms for a concrete and visible means of restoring order to the classroom. While scientific research has not yet confirmed a link between the two, most schools just find that they work. Uniforms help eliminate symbols of class, cliques and gangs, making everyone feel more a part of a team.

Other advantages include low cost ($100-$150 per student) and programs that help those who can’t afford them. An average uniform includes:

* 4 tops: Short- and long-sleeved knit or woven shirts
* 4 bottoms: Shorts, skirts, skorts, pants, or jumpers
* 2 sweaters
* 4 pairs of socks/tights
* 2 pairs of shoes
While typical connotations of the classic blue blazer uniform still exist, most schools are going with a more relaxed look to suit the times.

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Representative Bruce Antone of Orlando on School Uniforms

During his last legislative session, Antone sponsored a bill requiring Orange County Public Schools to implement a mandatory district-wide school uniform policy. While the legislation failed, the Orange County Blue Ribbon Panel on Education felt it was a sound policy recommendation.

Antone states that he firmly believes that uniforms can help restore order and discipline to public schools and eliminate inappropriate clothing. “Our kids”, he says, “know no boundaries with regard to dress, and it is time to re-establish some boundaries for our children.” He sees the problem as short skirts, revealing shirts, and pants down past the buttocks.

Some have been overzealous in stating the school uniforms are the answer to all of the problems in the public school system, but Antone believes they are not a “cure all”. Rather, they are the beginning of an arduous process to bring the focus of schools back onto education.

The bottom line, he says, is that the community cares about the children, and so the bar of excellence and expectations must be continually raised. A district wide mandatory uniform policy would bring financial relief for parents and set a an example for children that says “achievement and success are not measured by what you wear but what you learn.”

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