Here at Cedar Hill Prep School, school uniforms are an integral part of your child’s school experience. But did you know that school uniforms have a long history and a multitude of benefits?
The History of School Uniforms
We believe that school uniforms are an important backbone for an educational community that values its students, above all else. But did you know that the tradition of school uniforms also reaches back to the roots of public education in sixteenth century London?
At this time, public schools were meant to rehabilitate poor and orphaned children in order that they might become contributing members of society.
Since these children could not afford their own garments, they were provided with a uniform; generally a long blue coat with stockings still worn by pupils in some English schools today!
Here in America, the school uniform is a relatively modern invention and didn’t come into vogue until the twentieth century. At this time, schools found it beneficial to ensure that their pupils were sharp and well-dressed in order to present a clean image of the school to the rest of the community. A well-uniformed student body represented discipline and polish and was preferable to a school that valued its public image (as well as the general pride and honor of its community).
Benefits of School Uniforms
A uniform can be a socially leveling force that eases teenage anxieties about presentation. Because outward appearance is mandated by school uniforms, students need not concern themselves with the pressures that fashion can lend. Outward indicators of status (such as designer label clothing) are completely eliminated, thus creating a safe zone for students who might not come from a background that can accommodate this lifestyle. This in turn reduces peer violence such as bullying. A 2013 survey conducted by the NAESP (National Association of Elementary School Principles) found that 86% of surveyed school leaders discovered that uniforms make “a significant, positive, impact on peer pressure”. An additional 64% found that uniforms reduced bullying.
Uniforms eliminate the distractions associated with fashion. Because a uniformed student no longer needs to focus on how he/she fits in because of his/her clothing, this student’s mind can instead be dedicated to learning and enrichment. For this reason, uniforms have a positive effect upon attendance and academics. A 2010 University of Houston survey found that the introductions of uniforms decreased the average absence rate of middle and high schools girls by 7%, and a 2006 Youngstown State study corroborates this finding with the addition that uniforms improve graduation rates and overall attendance, as well as decrease the number of suspensions.
Uniforms create an environment in which accessories that are affiliated with youth violence (such as items in gang colors or bandanas) are prohibited. This in turn may decrease such violence, according to the US Department of Education Manual on School Uniforms. Osceola County Florida public schools certainly discovered this; after the first full year of this school’s introduction of a uniform policy, gang activity in this county’s school system decreased by 46%.
Esthetic unity amongst students promotes focus on the important facets of their school experience and nurtures an inclusive attitude which allows students to view themselves as a single community from the outside in. Uniforms in schools re-focus students and teachers on what is truly important students’ education — while eliminating common troubles that the modern teen may face.
What are your questions regarding School Uniforms At CHP?
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(Image Source: Historical Tudor-style uniform of Christ’s Hospital School, London)
