Uniformly Effective

In a society of free spirits, where fashion is a legitimate and oft-used mode of expression, the idea of a school—nevertheless a public school—mandating that students wear uniforms may at first appear ludicrous. Yet that’s precisely what Hartford, Conn. has required of its public school students. While the imposition of uniforms on public school students is often viewed as a limitation on the freedom of expression and the creativity of our nation’s youth, uniforms are in fact intended to help struggling schools and students foster a sense of academic seriousness and help reduce deleterious distractions.

In schools plagued by disciplinary issues or student unrest, uniforms will undoubtedly help to generate a sense of self-respect among the students, allowing them to comfortably focus on their academics. This year alone, Hartford has witnessed a huge jump in students registering to take the SAT—an indication that students have a new attitude about themselves and their education.

Moreover, uniforms will also help to mitigate the social pressures of fashion, which usually exaggerate the impulse to purchase expensive or trendy clothing. In many schools, the pressure to wear the “right” clothes and brands reinforces socioeconomic inequalities among students and permits implicit fashion requirements for friendship. On a more concrete level, requiring uniforms will prevent students wearing gang-related clothing and accessories—a serious problem in Hartford schools—from infecting the classroom learning environment.

Freedom of expression may be an important part of our social fabric, but when graduation and proficiency rates are plummeting, fostering academic proficiency must be priority. While uniforms do not offer a holistic solution to the problems of academic achievement, they do present a simple positive step that inner city schools can afford to do, both financially and practically.

Any such attempt to change policy, however, should be accompanied by active engagement with the involved community. No parent should be surprised by the new clothing catalogs for school uniforms arriving in his or her mailbox. Rather, school boards must solicit input from faculty, staff and students such that the broader community can feel involved and invested in improving their neighborhood schools.

While we recognize the elements of anachronism in mandating public school uniforms, today’s crisis in education warrants such measures. The benefits that uniforms can offer to low-performing schools in terms of attendance, matriculation and school atmosphere all validate such seemingly dramatic steps.