The Importance Of School Dress Codes

One of the most important values of a school is that its students are safe. Today, one of the threats to public schools is the presence of gangs. Gangs have plagued the streets of towns ever since the early 1700s. Gang members typically have a “dress code” of their own- something that will be recognizable to other gang and let people know they are in a gang. This dress code is a concern in schools because it may put the safety of students at risk. If students are part of rivalry gangs, they may have an altercation and engage in violence. Implementing uniforms in Colorado public high schools will reduce the amount of gang violence and create a conducive learning environment for students.
Enforcing a dress code is crucial to help reduce violence …show more content…
According to the organization, dress codes and uniforms can help reduce risks by “reducing conflict stemming from socioeconomic status and reduce ways in which gang members can identify themselves with” (Daniels par. 7). For teachers, uniforms help school administrators identify outsiders, or someone who may cause harm to the school (Daniels par. 7). Most importantly, dress codes do not infringe on students’ rights. Daniels mentions how in January 2001, “the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the plaintiff’s argument that uniforms do not improve the academic environment, dampen student expression, and infringe on religious rights” (Daniels par. 14). Overall, it is in the school’s best interest to adopt a dress code or uniform policy to protect students and be able to have a conducive learning …show more content…
With these three regulations, schools can provide a conducive learning environment for students. In an experiment performed by the Long Beach Unified School District, the district began a program in several schools to determine the effect of a uniform policy. According to the district, “After adopting the program, the district found a decrease in ethnic and racial tensions, an improvement in scholastic achievement…Parents were pleased with the program and felt that the children were safer in uniforms because they would not be mistaken for gang members” (Wilson 165). The program worked so well that the California Education Code was amended by the California legislature in 1994 to permit public schools to implement uniform dress codes (Wilson 166). The Long Beach Unified School District proves that it is beneficial to implement uniforms to keep schools safe and protected against gang