By Jonathan Cornwell
Government 375
In response to the increasing levels of violence in the nation's public
schools, many parents, educators, and politicians are calling for the
implementation of mandatory school uniform policies. Proponents argue that
school uniforms will help to foster a safer learning environment for
students by diverting attention away from the styles of clothing - gang
colors and insignias, for example - that are often the cause of classroom
interruptions and, in the more extreme cases, violence. Many also believe
that uniforms will help students develop discipline, better study habits,
and self esteem. The Department of Education's Manual on School Uniforms
lists several districts around the country which have seen marked decreases
in violence, vandalism, and discipline problems in the short time uniform
requirements have been enacted. These districts include Seattle,
Washington, Richmond, Virginia, and Long Beach, California, where school
crime, fights, and suspensions are down 36, 51, and 32 percent respectively
(Manual on School Uniforms (1); Porter (2)).
Opponents, however, are quick to note that these cases are anecdotal and
that broad generalizations are premature. Many civil liberties groups,
including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), argue that school
uniforms violate students' first amendment rights to express themselves
through the clothes they wear. These groups maintain that while gang
violence is worrisome, sweeping regulations that stifle the speech of the
non-violent majority of students is neither ethical nor constitutional.
Still others find it ironic that many school uniform supporters - including
president Clinton - favor uniforms on the one hand and claim to support
diversity on the other, the former being an effort to erase, rather than
promote, visible cultural and socio-economic differences (Siegel (3);
Paliokas (4)).
The debate over school uniforms is one which tests the scopes and limits of
student, parental, and governmental rights. The goal of this section is to
provide an introduction to this debate through an examination of historical
precedent and contemporary constitutional scholarship. To this end, the
site has been divided into three parts, each discussing an important aspect
of the issue. The first part attempts to understand what is being
proposed, who is bearing the costs, and where these policies are being
implemented. Part two explores the empirical data
concerning the effectiveness of uniforms in those schools and districts
that have implemented them. Finally, part three examines
the arguments on both sides of the issue and considers them in relation to
the broader topics of school authority and student rights .
Government 375: Educational Reform and Ideology