Dothan students hit the runway in khaki, white, navy and red

Dear Teacher, First of all I would like you to know a little about me. I’m a full time mom, with a part time job and a husband who works over 60 hours a week so that I am able to volunteer at my children’s schools doing things such as copying for teachers, supplying teacher treats, assisting with activities, planning and hosting parties, I think you get the point. I volunteer my time on a weekly basis, sometimes 3-4 days a week 8 hours a day. Therefore I think I am qualified to say that If I found out that you were one of my children’s teachers I would remove them from your class. You reek of immaturity and criticism.

The intent of this post is to discuss the issue of Uniforms. It is not to immaturely post sarcastic comments or criticize others opinions.

I too used Google to research Uniforms before I formed an opinion. However, I was able to read more than one side of the issue. Apparently you have a special Google that only give you one small bit of information. Because of your limited information I felt compelled to share with you all the overwhelming statistics I discovered.

Maybe you can spend your next 10 minute break doing a little research.

I’ll begin with the law suits that have cost School Districts Millions of Dollars:

Did you know that as a United States citizen,

you have a fundamental liberty interest and right as a parent to rear your child;

the Federal Constitution permits a State to interfere with this right only to prevent harm or potential harm to the child; and

a State’s statute permitting interference must require a threshold showing of harm to be constitutional?

Don’t take my word, read it for yourself.  The case law supporting this is extensive, Some Examples:

NAPA—Students have a right to express themselves through their clothing, as long as they’re not promoting drug use or gang membership, a judge decided.

Redwood Middle School’s nine-year policy requiring students’ clothing and backpacks to be in solid colors with no pictures, words, symbols or patterns violated California law and their freedom of speech under the U.S. Constitution, Napa County Superior Court Judge Raymond Guadagni ruled.

There is a presumption that fit parents act in their children’s best interests, Parham v. J. R., 442 U.S. 584, 602.

There is normally no reason for the State to inject itself into the private realm of the family to further question fit parents’ ability to make the best decisions regarding their children, see,  e.g., Reno v. Flores, 507 U.S. 292, 304

Bannister v. Paradis, etal. 316 F.Supp. 1A school had instituted a dress code banning jeans and a student was sent home for wearing them.  The United States District Court, D. New Hampshire held “A person’s right to wear clothes of his own choosing provided that, in the case of a schoolboy, they are neat and clean is a constitutional right protected and guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.  The wearing of dungarees was unconstitutional and invalid, in absence of showing that wearing of dungarees in any way inhibited or tended to inhibit the educational process.“

There are thousands more if you bother to look them up.

Some Statistics for you:
Dr. David L. Brunsma and Kerry A. Rockquemore’s study “The Effects of Student Uniforms on Attendance, Behavior Problems, Substance Use, and Academic Achievement” published in The Journal of Education Research (Volume 92, Number 1, Sept./Oct. 1998, pp. 53-62) found just the opposite:

“A negative effect of uniforms on student academic achievement was found.” Pg. 1

“Our findings show that students who were forced to wear uniforms actually performed several points lower on standardized tests.“ http://www.uah.edu/News/1999rr/uniforms.html

The study “Order in the Classroom: Violence, Discipline, and Student Achievement” by Paul E. Barton, et al and published by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) specifically studied this and found that this was not the case.

  “The notions that school uniforms and zero tolerance for gangs would reduce school disorder and consequently improve student academic performance were not supported.” Pg. 18

Their main finding of concern here is that schools who required school uniforms did not differ significantly on any of their dependent measures of delinquency (drug use, non-serious infractions, and serious infractions) than schools who did not require uniforms. These results replicated Brunsma & Rockquemore’s (1998) findings. Therefore, via their assertion that school order affects academic achievement, uniform policies also had no impact on academic achievement.

  Marylou Tousignant, Staff Writer, The Washington Post, Pg. A01, HEADLINE: Trying Uniforms on for Size; Policy Fad May Not Fix Schools // acs-VT2000 http://debate.uvm.edu/eesample/084.html
“What’s more, it’s still unproved to many that having Johnny wear a tie to school, and Susie a plaid skirt, will help them learn better. In fact, when uniforms were tried at Forestville High School in Prince George’s a few years ago,” the kids rebelled,” said guidance counselor Cecilia Smith, because`` it was going to take their individuality away.” 

Amy Mitchell Wilson, Spring, 1998; Brigham Young University Education and Law Journal, Article: Public School Dress Codes: The Constitutional Debate // acs-VT2000 http://debate.uvm.edu/eesample/084.html
Although dress codes are increasing in popularity throughout the United States, educators do not uniformly agree upon the benefits produced by these regulations. There is no certainty that dress codes reduce school violence or improve academic achievement. Furthermore, strict dress codes, which school officials justify because they are aimed at preventing gang violence, have been adopted in several areas that do not have gang problems, undermining some school official’s justifications and opening the door for lawsuits.

Some Facts:

Outsiders or non-students are easily recognized on campus
Tell this to the student who was beaten up by girls from a rival school, who had came to her campus wearing the school’s uniform.  The response from the school was that they thought the girls belonged there because they were dressed in the school’s uniform.  This is not going to stop anyone who wants to be there on the campus.  Instead it can make administrators more complacent.

A 6th grader was hospitalized after being attacked at school by several students. When adults arrived the students scattered and could not be recognized because they were all dressed alike.

Over all Improvements:
While the positive reports emerging from some school districts with uniform policies seem to lend credence to this position, upon closer examination, flaws begin to appear. In Long Beach, California, the first district to have a widespread mandatory uniform policy in the public schools, the initial reports concerning drops in crime and discipline were astonishing. Assault dropped by sixty-seven percent, vandalism by eighty-two percent, and robbery by thirty-five percent. Overall crime was reduced by seventy-three percent the first year the policy was in place (“K-8” 1). Unfortunately, these radical improvements were, at times, attributed exclusively to the new, mandatory uniform policy. During a telephone interview in April 1996, Dick Van Der Laan, Long Beach Unified School District spokesman, stated that the only change which had occurred in the district, prior to the improved discipline results, was the implementation of the uniform policy. However, in the study conducted by Drs. David L. Brunsma and Kerry A. Rockquemore of the University of Notre Dame, a closer look at the Long Beach case revealed that several other reforms were put in place at the same time or shortly prior to the implementation of the uniform policy. So, while uniforms were the most visible change, the improvements were more likely attributable to the other programs which included, among other initiatives, a $1 million grant from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation for the improvement of teaching methods (Brunsma and Rockquemore 16).

Student uniforms promote school spirit, good self-image, and school unit

“The findings in this case study do not support the claim that school uniforms have a positive effect on students’ self-esteem (Board of Education, 1997).“

One person’s source of pride can be another person’s source of scorn and you are not creating school unity or pride for those who oppose the policy.  Parents and students who are forced to comply with this policy find it offensive and have nothing but contempt for those who force this upon them.McCarthy, Teresa M. and Josephine Moreno. A Case Study of Students’ Self-Esteem and School Uniform Opinions in an Urban Middle School.  [Monument, CO]: International Textile and Apparel Association, 1999

I could go on and on with facts and statistics against Uniforms. I hope now you see there is another side of the story.

In response to llean’s comment “aren’t you supposed to homeschooling?“, you are obviously not very informative about homeschooling. In addition, completely off topic. The topic here llean is uniforms. So why don’t you comment on the topic at hand, or is it too mind boggling? And for Teacher, I would like for you to site those sources. Lastly, if in fact they are even “valid” explain why the taxpayer should take on this expense. And furthermore, HOW this will raise the national rank of Alabama’s education as compared to other states? Yep, I’ve actually asked you to “think”. Who would have thought a homeschooling mom could do that? *sigh

Amen Leann!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way, when I googled school uniforms all I received were numerous statistics about how great they are for the students.  The pros outweighed the cons by a long shot.  Also, some of you need to get your facts and statistics straight about how hard teachers work and their tireless dedication.  Yes, I agree there are some “bad” teachers, but there are also some really great teachers.  There are “bad”: doctors, mothers, homeschool mothers, fathers, bankers, nurses, etc.; as well as, some super great ones.

In response to leann’s comment,“Instead of criticizing…“, I promise you I will get involved if my tax dollars fund this idea. Otherwise, I’m giving all of time, money, and energy to the homeschooling community that isn’t controlled by the government.

“Cicero” needs to get a real life, a job, get off the computer and rather than typing stats and long sermons go out and actually DO something about it. Instead of criticizing, try getting involved in the public schools of your community!