The historical analysis of uniforms
School uniforms are not a new phenomenon. The first recorded instance of standardized dress
in the education system can be traced back to the year 122 in England when the Archbishop of
Canterbury demanded that students should wear a robe called a“cappa clausa.”
The modern form of school uniform can also be traced back to England around the 16th
century, when children from marginalized communities and improvised charity children
attending Christ’s Hospital boarding school started to wear blue cloaks along with yellow
stockings.
School uniforms started to be associated
The unique phenomenon is highlighted by Christ Hospital, as the students still wear the same
uniform that was introduced in the 16th century. A survey conducted by Christ Hospital in 2011
found that 95% of students voted to continue with the traditional uniform.
Later, the latest face of school uniforms started to be associated with the elite class of the upper
class, and one of England’s most prestigious students, etc., until 1972. We can see that the
dress code started to get a little bit relaxed.
Public schools mandated
Recent research published by the National Centre for Educational Statistics found that more
than 18.8% of American public schools mandated students to wear school uniforms in the year
2019-2020. When we analyze the data, we find that 1% of elementary schools and 18% of
middle schools require their students to have uniforms. On the other hand, 12% of high schools
had the same rules.
The data also showcases a significant representation, indicating that schools with color
representation of less than 25% are less likely to require any kind of uniform, although the
higher proportion of these color students is more likely to enforce some kind of dress code.
Attackers can recognize
Let’s analyze some of the pros and cons when it comes to uniform school dress. First of all,
school uniforms state crime and increase student safety, as it is quite easy to understand that
these are the students and come from which schools. On the other hand, some of the reports
highlighted that school uniforms do not stop any kind of bullying; all it can do is increase some
values, as some of the attackers can recognize that these are the school students.
Advantages of school uniforms
Talking about the advantages of school uniforms, they create a sense of belonging among
students and highlight unity, allowing students to focus more on education and less on clothes.
On the other hand, discussing the disadvantages of school uniforms, they may not maintain a
high rate of attendance or improve academic performance and exam results. While they can
help reduce distractions related to clothing, they do not necessarily improve other academic
factors.
Weapons also dropped by
Data collected from Long Beach, California, where district schools implemented a mandatory
uniform policy for K-8, shows that assaults and batteries in schools decreased by almost 34%.
Incidents involving deadly weapons also dropped by more than 50%, fighting incidents
decreased by over 51%, and robberies dropped by 65%. When it comes to drug-related
incidents, they decreased by more than 69%.
Another school also utilizes this formula at Spark Middle School in Noida Institute. They also
have a uniform policy, and school data shows that the police cases revealed a surprising factor:
a 63% drop in police-led reports.
Fewer fire-related incidents
And there was a decrease in numerous gang activities, graffiti, property damage, and student
fights. Another pair of journals published recently also highlighted that those schools with a
mandatory uniform policy had 12% fewer fire-related incidents, and they also had fewer drug-
related incidents, almost 50% lower compared to those in schools where uniforms are not
mandatory.
The advantages highlighted by numerous studies indicate that schools with uniforms prevent
students from concealing any kind of weapons under their clothing, making it easier for schools
to track down any students involved in such activities and to identify intruders on campus.
Students to focus on learning more
The National Association of Secondary School Principals talks about how when students wear
the same kind of outfits, they are less concerned about how they look and how they fit into their
peer circle. They try to concentrate more on classwork, coursework, and their overall academic
performance.
A study conducted by the University of Hudson found that the girls participating in the language
test showed a significant increase in their school performance after the introduction of uniforms,
with three percentile points analyzed from their scorecards due to this change.
Former US Secretary of State also has a similar opinion about the uniform. Hillary Clinton talks
about how you should introduce uniforms in school, which allow students to focus on learning
more and the clothing choice ideas and spending a lot of time deciding what to wear and what
not to wear, which enhances their academic performance.
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