Safe Schools

Another method for identifying students can be developed through the implementation of a school uniform program. School uniforms are increasingly becoming more popular among school districts, especially in middle level and elementary schools, for reasons usually associated with school safety and school pride. How School Uniforms Promote Pride and Safety An attractive school wardrobe promotes school spirit, improved self-image, and school unity. Just as athletic teams’ uniforms promote unity and spirit, so do school uniforms. School uniform programs make it easier for students to develop a sense of belonging at school because greater attention is given to who they ARE instead of what they WEAR.  

Experience has shown that students who are required to maintain a neat appearance, and to coordinate their wardrobe within established bounds, are more likely to carry over these habits to the performance of their schoolwork. Teachers and principals often report that discipline problems are reduced in schools that implement a standardized dress program. This sets the tone for a proper work attitude in the classroom, reducing behavior problems and improving performance. Children seem more attentive and respectful with fewer distractions caused by the attention to clothing.School uniforms eliminate the need for constant monitoring of the dress code by the teachers and administrators. School uniforms meet widely accepted standards of modesty thus eliminating the conflicting interpretations of dress codes and the embarrassment that often is associated with “violations” of dress code. 

Parents cite the simplification of selection and the economic benefit as important advantages to school uniforms. Besides saving parents hundreds of dollars on the purchase of school clothes, school uniforms also do away with the morning tug-of-war with children over what to wear to school. Durability, reusability and the year-to-year consistency also increase economy.  

School uniforms can eliminate mistaken gang affiliation, since some current fashions can be mistaken as gang-related clothing. Clothes such as baggy pants, colored shoe laces, and bandannas are often mistaken as signs of gang affiliation.

School uniforms eliminate “label competition.” Even from the earliest grades, students feel the pressure from peers to conform to a standard of dress that is largely dictated by television, radio, and the clothing industry. Often this pressure to conform places an unwarranted financial burden on family budgets. School uniforms help eliminate this competition and allows the attention of the student to be directed to learning and growing. 

School administrators who promote standardized wear policies in order to ensure a safer school environment offer the following as benefits of standardized wear at school:

• Decreasing violence and theft among students over designer clothing and expensive sneakers.
• Preventing gang members from wearing gang colors and other insignia at school.
• Helping students to resist peer pressure.
• Increasing self-discipline among students
• Assisting school officials in recognizing intruders  

The first and most important step in the implementation of this kind of program is to get parents involved from the very beginning. One method for involving parents is to survey them regarding their opinions about school uniforms and how uniforms will benefit school safety. (See Exhibit 1-1.17- Parent Survey Form) It is always important to remember when conducting a survey that additional work time will be created by the number of surveys distributed and the additional support needed to tally and present the results. The authors recommend that readers design a survey using five questions in order to simplify tallying and to clarify results.

Once the information from the survey is received it will be important to communicate the results. Usually it is best for the principal to establish a fact finding committee to conduct compile and communicate survey information to the public. If the results are favorable then the next step is to have the committee begin designing policies that will regulate the type of standardized wear the school will promote. (Examples of policies regulating a school’s standardized wear has been given in Exhibit 1-1.18) There are several factors that should be considered by the committee when adopting a standardized wear policy. (See Checklist for Adopting A School Uniform Policy)