At my school in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, Principal Joseph Gargiulo follows the latest trends. His interest has nothing to do with a passion for fashion. Principal Gargiulo is simply trying to enforce Lemoyne Middle School's dress code.
Lemoyne bans flip-flops and pajama pants. "Pajamas are for sleeping and lounging in," says Gargiulo. "School is a student's job. You don't go to your job in pajamas."
But Lemoyne seventh-grader Leah Hawthorn argues that wearing what she wants helps her do a good job. "You worry less about how you look," she says, "so you are more focused on what you're doing in class."
Pennsylvania is one of 28 states that has given local districts the authority to set standards for appropriate dress. Many education officials believe that dress codes are good for students. They point to such success stories as Long Beach Unified School District, in California. In 1994, it became the first public school system to make uniforms mandatory for elementary and middle school students. The district reported an improvement in attendance and a drop in suspensions soon after adoption.
Those against dress codes and uniforms say that they violate students' right to free expression. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed lawsuits on behalf of parents and students who say school dress codes are unfair. In the Clark County School District, in Las Vegas, Nevada, a stricter dress code went into effect in 15 schools on January 24. The ACLU is helping a group of parents there to challenge the new rules.
Should schools be able to tell students what to wear?
Dorothy Harper was the deputy superintendent of Long Beach's school district.
YES! Dress codes can play a major role in helping schools fulfill one of their primary responsibilities: keeping students safe. Dress codes help schools establish standards of behavior. This results in safe and orderly classrooms. Most important, dress codes require that all students be held accountable for maintaining a school climate that encourages learning. Schools that successfully adopt dress codes are generally safer, have more positive climates and have a stronger sense of school pride. That's a lot to gain without having to give up much at all.
Allen Lichtenstein, an ACLU lawyer, leads a dress-code fight in Nevada.
NO! The Supreme Court has said that students do not leave their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse door. Yet some schools' dress codes restrict students' freedom of expression. Supporters claim that uniforms and dress codes improve discipline and increase student achievement. But there is little evidence to support this. Codes stifle individuality. While no one supports allowing clothing that is dangerous, disruptive or too revealing, many codes go too far. America has always prided itself on the individual's right to self-expression. That respect should extend to student clothing.