Running Head: SCHOOL UNIFORMS

Literature Review of School Uniforms in Public Schools

Brooke Crisp
University of Texas at El Paso

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Abstract

With public schools suffering academically and violently, states and school districts are
in search of a solution. There are many aspects to consider about if school uniforms are the
answer to public schools problems. This literature review will inform the reader about the
different points presented and the effect the uniforms have on students and their environment.
The reader can use the future information to create his or her own opinion or reinforce an already
existing point of view.

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Introduction

Many people have encountered the topic of school uniforms, more precisely public
school uniforms. Every year, schools are requiring or encouraging students to wear clothing of
standardized colors and styles, (Fetzer, 2008, p. 123). Basically, introducing school uniforms to
students that might have uniforms in the future. Many believe that school uniforms are the
solution to problems at public schools. The most commonly known problem in schools is the
violence and the gang related problems. Schools also look to end tardiness, absences, and
teasing with a future uniform policy (Kenechtle, 2003). As there are always two sides to a story,
some of the students, teachers, and parents would rather not have a uniform policy and wish for
the school dress codes to stay the same. Some also believe that school uniforms are a violation
of students first amendment right.
With academic levels lowering each year, school uniforms could improve or be the
demise of the future generations of the USA. However, there are several different surveys and
studies on the matter, and can render a greater understanding of school uniforms as a benefit or
cause consequences. For this purpose, the following questions (3) should be considered:
1. Do school uniforms deny students the first amendment right of freedom of speech?
2. Do school uniforms create a healthy and violence free environment?
3. Do school uniforms help achieve higher academic levels?
The following literature review will: analyze how and if school uniforms are a violation
of the first amendment right, if they create better school climates, as well as, if students perform
better when using a school uniform.

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Do school uniforms deny students the first amendment right of freedom of speech?
The 1st Amendment states, Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of
speech (U.S. Const. Amend. I). This amendment has been left to be interpreted by local and
state law, meaning that each state or school district can decide whether or not to use a school
uniform policy. Schools who havent adopted the policy is not because of lack of information;
former president Bill Clinton actually signed an executive order to send all school districts in the
USA a manual to encourage the use of the policy (Knechtle, 2003). Actually, for the Supreme
Court to determine if it does or does not violate freedom of speech, the court would have to
analyze; (1) type of speech (e.g., pure vs. symbolic); (2) type of restrictions (i.e., Spence test);
(3) the OBrien analysis; and (4) the surrounding context (Knechtle. 2003). As the people who
oppose of the uniform policy go to say that the policy interferes with the First Amendment right,
opposeres must keep in mind that the First Amendment right has its restrictions because of the
fact that the students are minors.
A part of freedom of speech goes along with individuality and how students express
themselves. Fetzer, explains that the biggest problem with school uniforms is the message of
anti-individuality it sends. He keeps going about how the young people are supposed to
understand freedom and that it is the primacy of the human. Freedom of expression has long
been a hallmark of our democracy..., and to infringe on the rights of people and force
standardization is an insult to the law of this great nation. (Fetzer, 2008, p. 125). Although he
goes to mention that many studies and surveys have been performed in relation to schools
uniforms,, even if the results are true, school uniforms are still an injustice to the freedom of
speech and expression (Fetzer, 2008).

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People opposed to school uniforms want to make it all about suppressing the students and
denying the students their first amendment right. Warren believes that it is not about their
expression or freedom of speech at all, but about the type of parents involved (2008). The
parents are the problem, not the school district or state wanting to destroy the individuality of the
students. The ones who are parents now are tennis moms, Little League dads, and Mozart
mommas, (Warren, 2008). The point Warren want to get across is that, if the parents are rich,
their kids are going to be dressed in high quality name brands. If the parents are rednecks,
their child will be decked out in plaids and blue jeans. But in all cases, what is the purpose of
school uniforms? Well Warren has the answer; school uniforms are meant to level the field.
They are neutral and show the students that school is different than other activities encountered
in life (2008).
Do School Uniforms Create a Healthy and Violence Free School Climate?
The most common reason for adopting a uniform policy is lowering school violence.
However, other reasons exist; it is important that the students feel safe and comfortable at their
school and in their school climate. Many have conducted studies on middle school students, like
Strafford and Hill, that present actual statistics and facts: Middle school students who are
required to wear school uniforms have higher self-perception scores than middle school students
who do not wear uniforms, (Strafford, 2003, p. 14). All the students look the same in their
boring uniforms so they feel better about themselves and dont really notice how others look. As
most can relate to, being a teenager is when appearance matters most (Strafford, 2003). The
outcome of Straffords study is positive but yielded different results compared to others. In the
study that Hill made specifically on middle school students, only 12.7% of students actually like

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their uniforms and using them. The fact is, that, even if the students prefer other ways of
dressing, according to Hill and Strafford, the results are beneficial to them.
There are also reasons to believe that school uniforms lower violence in the school
climate: A former U.S. President, a former U.S. Attorney General, the National Education
Association, the National Association of secondary School Principals, and a litany of school
administrators, teachers, parents, and students endorse school uniforms, (Knechtle, 2003). This
statement makes it clear, for some people, that school uniforms are welcomed by many levels of
political views and seen as a future help the USA. Serving in this manner, uniforms may make
schools safer by identifying trespassers and setting a tone for serious study, and also discourage
the activities of gangs and the associated tensions that result from wearing gang attire, (Yeung,
2009, 848). What Yeung is explaining, is that, someone who not a student and is at the school,
they will stick out like a sore thumb and are easy to remove that way. Also, a student skipping
class can be identified with his or her uniform by another person. Yeung also concluded form his
study of children from kindergarten to eighth grade, that after the use of school uniforms, school
violence dropped by 36%, (2009).
However, some people think that having school uniforms do the complete opposite for
the students and the school. Moore, who had a school uniform when she was in school, states
that school uniforms actually increase social inequality, (2012). As far as how, Moore does not
go into detail but mentions that, This nostalgia for a uniform, reinforced by the retrograde
fantasy of Harry Potter, (2012). She wants to make it clear that if students were ever to want a
uniform is because they would sooner or later face an unruly villain. Carroll also warns the
parents that, if matching duds were the solution to school problems involving violence, then,
soldiers would not go AWOL and prisoners would behave themselves (2008).

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Do School Uniforms Help achieve higher academic school levels?

As previously mentioned, school climate is key for students to improve. Many studies
have taken place by various researchers and show their conclusion after their findings. Many
believe that school uniforms serve various proposes and that achieving higher academic school
levels is one of them. Yeung mentions that the people who believe that uniforms are no help,
think that school uniforms are just a bandage to keep from the real problems and education
reform (2009). Yeungs analysis of school uniforms uses information from the Early Childhood
Longitudinal StudyKindergarten Class (ECLS-K) and the National Education Longitudinal
Study (NELS), (2009). Yeungs study yielded mixed results; he found that, in some cases,
school uniforms made a negative impact. However, he also found that some teacher and students
personally saw the positive effects (Yeung, 2009). Once controlling for prior year test score
and observable student, family, and school characteristics, there are no significant effects of
school uniforms on school performance, (Yeung, 2009). The students were expected to
improve their grades by wearing uniforms, Carroll mentions that if the students were expected to
improve with school uniforms, then the teachers should also improve their teaching with
uniforms (2008).
Others like Stafford believe that, if there is no improvement in academic achievement,
the results are still not negative. She sates that, even if the results are not automatic like those of
violence and gang relative activity, school uniforms stimulate a better school climate and slowly
help improve academics (2003). Some educators report students are so fixated on what they
and their classmates are wearing that they spend insufficient time focused on their schoolwork,
(Stafford, 2003, 401). After the students are used to the climate change and are accustomed to

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their school uniforms, the important achievements will come. President Clinton mentioned and
supported school uniforms as a way to focus on school performance (Stafford, 2003).
Results suggested that students in the school with a uniform policy perceived their school
climate in a more positive light than those attending a demographically similar school
without a uniform policy. The study also posited the argument that school climate is
positively correlated to academic achievement, student behavior, and student self-esteem
(Stafford, 2003,402).
Stafford includes in her study that, school uniforms benefit all public schools problems (2003).
All of the problems that are in the school environment are interlaced and cause others to change
positively or negatively.
Conclusion
As states and school districts continue to struggle in finding an adequate solution to the
growing problem of school violence, gang activity, and falling academic levels, researchers will
continue to inform whether or not school uniforms are the answer. In the future, schools
interested in adopting the policy, can refer to the research of the many who have considered the
topic. The information provided should give the reader information that may not have been
considered before about the possible outcome of the uses of school uniforms in public schools.

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References

Carroll, J.& Fetzer, K. (2008). School uniforms stifle freedom of expression. Jamuna Carroll,
School policies (pp.122-126). Detroit, MI: Green Haven Press.
Hill, G. Sanchez, J. Yoxsimer, A. (2008). Uniforms in the middle school: student opinions,
discipline data and school police data. Journal of school violence. 11(4). 345- 356.
Knechtle, J. (2003). Uniforms in public schools and the first amendment: A constitutional
analysis. Journal of Negro Education. 72(4). 487- 494.
Kokemuller, N. Medina, D. (2014). Arguments against school uniforms. Education Seattle PI.
Retrieved October 26, 2014, from, http://education.seattlepi.com/arguments-againstschool-uniforms-2440.html
Merino, N. & Warren, J. (2008). School uniforms are harmless and necessary. Nol Merino,
School policies. Detroit, MI: Green Haven Press.
Moore, S. (2012, August 29). School uniforms: Turning our kids into soulless conformists. The
Guardian. October 26, 2014 from,
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/aug/29/school-uniform-kids-soullessconformists
Stafford, M. Wade, K. (2003). Public school uniforms: Effect on perceptions of gang presence,
school climate, and student self-perceptions. Education and Urban Society. 35(4). 399420
Yeung, R. (2009). Are uniforms a good fit?: Results from the ECLS-L and the NELS.
Educational Policy. 23(6). 847- 874