The Problem with Public School Uniforms

All across America, public school administrators are adopting a uniform or dress code policy that prohibits wearing attire other than a plain, solid color. This practice has become as common as mosquitoes on a hot summer Florida night. Both are a nuisance, threaten our liberties (a way of life), and must be controlled.

I realize there must be reasonable rules and measured control of students to provide a safe and conducive environment for learning. I get that! When public school authorities take control of the color of attire students must wear when attending school, it becomes a bit much for me. I will explain later how that violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.   

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas said, “In our system, state-operated schools may not be enclaves of totalitarianism. School officials do not possess absolute authority over their students. Students in school as well as out of school are ‘persons’ under our Constitution.”  

Isn’t it time to call our public school system what it has become: a totalitarian regime? A totalitarian regime is a system of government (public schools are government schools) that is centralized, dictatorial, and requires complete subservience to the state. That indeed describes the public school system of today, an enclave of totalitarianism.

Because of the unrealistic and unproven opinion that plain, solid-colored clothing for public school students will miraculously solve many problems within the public school system, states are now giving public school administrators the authority to dictate to students that their attire must be plain, solid-colored clothing. 

The state of Florida went so far as to make it law (the SAFE Act) that a public school district is immune from civil liability resulting from adopting a uniform policy. That reinforces my claim that the public school system has become a totalitarian regime.

In 1992, President Bill Clinton gave the public school uniform concept national attention. In recent years, public school officials have shunned away from having a uniform policy. They know the word “uniform” triggers unwanted and unwelcomed resistance from some parents. Using a softer approach by incorporating a required clothing color scheme in a dress code, public school administrators accomplish the same goal as a uniform, with less resistance.   

By the way, a dress code policy that restricts the wear of attire to plain solid colors or other required clothing schemes is still, by definition, a uniform policy. All references in this book, from this point on, to a uniform policy include dress codes policies that restrict the wear of attire to plain solid colors or other required clothing schemes,

In 1998, a study of the effects of student uniforms on attendance, substance abuse, behavior problems, and academic achievement was conducted by University of Alabama professor David L. Brunma, Ph.D. (specializing in the sociology of education) and Kerry A. Rockquemore, Ph.D. of Notre Dame.

Their study showed uniforms did not improve attendance or behavior, did not decrease drug use, and did not indicate a significant gain in academic achievement.

This is not an argument against the mythical merits of a school uniform. I desire to inform as many parents as possible that the public school system, even when given cover by the state, is overstepping its authority when it seeks to limit students' attire to plain, solid colors.

I would not be publishing this book if public schools allowed parents and students to “opt out,” for any reason, of a uniform policy. But, in recent years, many public school administrators, if not all, have opted not to provide an opt-out provision, for any reason, in their uniform policy. Why? Because public school administrators know when one student opts out of a school uniform policy, others will follow, effectively ending a school uniform policy.

Public school officials get away with not providing an opt-out provision for any reason because parents and students are defenseless against such abuse. Most parents are intimidated by public school officials, and they do not know their rights. Many parents elect not to "rock the boat" and put their child in jeopardy of being abused at school by other students. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous teachers abuse students who have opted out of a school uniform policy. I know that a teacher verbally abused my daughter because the teacher resented the fact we opted her out of the school uniform policy.

 Public school uniforms is a popular idea. That doesn't make it right. At one time, segregation was a popular idea. That didn't make it right. Eventually, common sense and public opinion supported by rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution ended segregation.  

My argument against a popular but unconstitutional public school policy will follow, but first, let’s review how this nonsense started.