“School Uniforms: empowering students, enhancing schools, and enriching lives.”

School Uniforms “School Uniforms: empowering students, enhancing schools, and enriching lives.” Presented by: Alex Barylske Maddison Forrest Mackenzie Turner

Written Statement: • We believe that school uniforms should be implemented into school districts across America for many reasons. Our research has shown that school uniforms, although may have negatives to some people, have many valuable positive attributes. It is important, especially in the field of Early Childhood Education, that children start off in a school on the best foot possible. With uniforms from day one, or Kindergarten, students will be choosing and making friends based on what lies within the inside. Students won’t have to worry about how they look or what they don’t have. Often times younger students say hurtful and mean things about their peers without even realizing they have, but with uniforms there will be no reason to criticize or hurt others feelings. Uniforms will also bring a sense of pride to students. They will grow up knowing school is a safe place, therefore, it’s ok to be proud of their safe place. Overall, uniforms could impact the world as we know it.

Questions to consider… What is a dress code? • A dress code is formally or socially imposed standards of dress.(Merriam-Webster) • What is a uniform? • A uniform is conforming to one rule or mode; constant. (Merriam-Webster)

Let’s take a look… Northeast Arkansas School • Nothing shorter than 2 ½ in above the knee • Clothing must cover midriff with arms raised above head • No halters, mesh, fishnet, tank top, tube tops, spaghetti strap, strapless, racer backs, or backless shirts/dresses • No spandex • Tanktop straps must be at least 2 inches wide • Skirts or tops come to bottom of finger even when wearing leggings underneath Central Arkansas School • Shorts, skirts/dresses, or holes in clothing must be no higher than knee cap when worn at nornal waist level • Spandex pants, leggings or yoga type pants can be worn only when covered by the appropriate outer garments that cover the buttocks such as shorts, skirts, or a long shirt • Shirt straps must be two inches wide • Shirts can not be any lower than a credit card length below the collar bone • How hard is it to find clothes that fit into these dress codes? • Are these dress codes enforced to all?

Our take on uniforms Students • White, Black, Navy Blue, Red, Yellow, Green long and short sleeve collared shirts • Khaki or Navy Pants or Shorts (that come to the knee) • Jeans (dark wash, with no holes, worn at waist level) • Navy Blue, Red, Yellow, Green dresses (that come to the knee) • Navy Blue, White, Black Jackets • White, Black, Navy Blue, Red, Yellow, Green sweaters • White, Black, Brown close toed shoesSpirit Fridays • Friday’s students can choose to wear jeans and a school related t-shirt for game day.Free Day • Occasionally (once a 9-weeks) students will be allowed to have a free day where “street” clothes may be worn. • Why do we think this?

Yes! Our schools need uniforms! Why? Uniforms… • Increase Positive Behavior • Provide Easier Morning Routines • Provide Dress Code Control • Lead to a Decrease In Bullying • Increase School Spirit • It’s Simple Economics • Create an Appreciate Weekend Style • Give Security

Positive Behavior: • School uniforms create a positive behavior throughout the student body. When all of the students feel equal to each other, at least in appearance, it makes for a positive learning environment. This way, children are not judging each other on their looks or the amount of income their parents make.

Easier Morning Routines: • Having a set uniform to wear each day makes morning routines a lot smoother. There is no arguing between parents and children on what is ok and what is not ok to wear. The children know what they are expected to wear each day.

Dress Code Control: • Everyone is treated fairly when it comes to enforcing the dress code. When there are school uniforms, the students know what is expected. This also keeps the administration from choosing favorites and treating the students unfairly when it comes to appearance.

Decrease In Bullying: • Having school uniforms decreases bullying in the school system. When all of the students look the same, others don’t have the opportunity to bully someone over their appearance. This also helps those children who come from a lower socio-economic status to not feel pressured by others. Gang Prevention: • When everyone has a requirement of how they should be dressed it cuts down on the gang colors and symbols that could be present throughout the school.

School Spirit: • Uniforms tie the whole student body together! It gives them a sense of pride. It also helps the students to have more of a team mentality.

Simple Economics: • Uniforms are designed to last. They are designed to be durable. They can also be bought and altered to make the clothing last though out the year with growth spurts.

Appreciate Weekend Style: • Children will learn to appreciate dressing in their own style on the weekends. They will also grow to appreciate their parents possibly buying them clothes. This shows students that weekend style is a privilege not a right.

Security • Uniforms provide a sense of security within the school. If an intruder comes into the school it will be easier to spot him/her if they the students are required to wear a uniform. • Only 28.1% of schools overall have police or security personnel. • Only 64.3 have security cameras • Students safety is number one. There has been a lot of school violence happening lately and we need to do all we can to prevent that!

Then why doesn’t every school have uniforms? Critics say uniforms… • Give Limited self expression • Have a costly start up • Don’t provide comfort factor • Require organization of parents • Shouldn’t fix what isn’t broken

Limited Self Expression: • Some critics say that the uniformity uniforms cause can lead to personal identity crisis. Students aren’t able to express themselves. • We say: Students are given multiple opportunities to express themselves throughout the day by their teacher (we are taught to give children choices). Students are still able to choose activities to become involved in. Uniforms aren’t worn to make everyone look the same, they are won to create a better environment so students can feel free to express themselves. Also, there’s always the weekend to choose how you dress.

Costly Start Up: • Critics say that it cost more to purchase school uniforms than it does to purchase regular clothes for students. Parents are essentially buying a school set of clothes on top of the play/dress/weekend clothes. Also, some might say uniforms cost more. • We say that couldn’t be more far from the truth! School uniforms can be purchased at places like Walmart. Parents should only have to buy the clothing for school uniforms and several other weekend outfits, therefore, reducing the cost of name brand clothing one must purchase. Walmart Khaki Pants (2 pair package) $17.10 Navy Pants $11.97 Collared shirt (4 pair package) $14.28 Collared long sleeve shirt (4 pair package) $25.04 Dress $8.94 Jacket $11.00 Sweaters $11.88 Brand Name Clothing Miss Me Jeans $74-88 Miss Me Shorts $78 Old Navy Shirts $15-25 Nike Hoody $45 • By our calculations, overall for: 5 shirts, 3 pairs of pants, 5 long sleeve shirts, 1 dress and 1 jacket it cost $118.94 • For the designer clothes: 5 shirts, 3 pairs of pants(at $74 each), 5 long sleeve shirts, and 1 jacket it cost $442. • We can clearly see the cheaper weeks worth of clothes.

Comfort Factor: • Critics say that uniforms aren’t adapted to meet every child’s needs. Children have clothing sensitivity and the clothes are uncomfortable. • We say: We understand that children have allergies. We want to work through a variety of venders for uniforms so that each child can have the clothes that is the most comfortable, flattering, and accommodates each individual child the best. One of the providers we suggest is Walmart, which by themselves include a variety of materials, such as cotton and twill. Pants can be bought pleated or straight whatever the individual preference is.

Required Organization: • Critics say that uniforms force mothers, fathers, and/or guardians to stay organized. They have to make sure laundry is kept up and make sure certain outfits are washed. Not having the clothes students need in the morning can be a haste or disastrous. • We say we understand the rush of the morning routines; however, laundry is laundry and students have to have clean clothes to wear to school regardless. This is a great way to start teaching responsibilities with your children as well! Children can have daily chores like making sure their clothes are in the hamper and checking before bedtime to make sure they have clothes for the next day ready and laid out. We encourage organization in the mornings so that there is less stress and less arguments.

If it isn’t broken why fix it? • Critics say: Students have been attending schools for years without having to wear uniforms, why change it now? • We say: Just as the world around us is evolving, we need to evolve as well. We believe that uniforms, overall, is a safety issue for the students, and we all want students to be safe. Over the past few years there has been an increase in school crime and shootings. If we created a positive environment, with a team mentality, where peers were supportive of each other, and intruders were easily spotted, wouldn’t you want your child to attend there? We live in a first world country where uniforms aren’t the norm, however, they are the norm in third world countries. Why? Because even in the poorest of poor there are self-esteem issues, bullies, and personal problems. Uniforms help to eliminate that.

Personal Testimonies • “For us school uniforms were the great equalizer. Some families did not have very much money and because of school uniforms our clothes did not stand out. All students wore the same clothes, so no one paid attention to clothes. We did not have to be embarrassed because we did not have a variety of outfits or because our clothes were ‘hand me downs’. Our parents did not have to struggle to find ways to get the trendy clothes for school. The question, ‘What will I wear today?’ did not ever come up because we always knew. School uniforms also helped establish a positive school identity and school pride.”

Personal Testimonies • “A local school switched to uniforms. Drug use went down, peer pressure went down, gang-related activity dropped, ones who were being victimized weren’t anymore, one could not tell a poor student from a student who was well off, sexual harassment as well as sexual activity dropped, grades improved, unit and harmony improved, and the school in all acted as a whole unit.”

Personal Testimonies • “I know nobody likes school uniforms. I wore one for 13 years and I cursed it every single day. But this is exactly why I am such a big fan. To me, it seems that almost any problem facing schools today could be solved by uniforms.”

Quotes • Virginia Draa, an assistant professor at Youngstown State University conducted a study on attendance rates, graduation, and proficiency rates at 64 public schools in Ohio. She concluded, “I really went into this thinking uniforms don’t make a difference, but I came away seeing that they do. At least at these schools, they do. I was absolutely floored.” • President Bill Clinton noted in his 196 State of the Union Speech, “If it means teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear uniforms.”

Stop, Collaborate, and Listen to our side… • Area School Superintendents • Asa Hutchinson, Governor of Arkansas • Arkansas District House Representatives, and Senate Representatives • Arkansas Board of Education President • Local churches (funding purposes) • School Councilor (meeting the needs of children in need)

What do you think?

“School Uniforms: empowering students, enhancing schools, and enriching lives.”