school uniforms introduction

This is what I have so far, it is my complete introduction- I'm going to move along to the body shortly. Thoughts? I'm particularly interested in whether you all thought that my organization was made clear enough- I'm worried that it isn't obvious enough. Thanks!

            Twenty-seven years ago, a now constant dialog about the state of America’s public schools began. The first of many papers, books, and discussions of the flaws in American public schools was A Nation at Risk (USA Today cite). Completed and presented in 1983, A Nation at Risk was an indictment of the public school system. The report is based in the fact, stated by the Greek writer Diogenes that, “The foundation of every state is in the education of its youth.” His statement guided the production of A Nation at Risk and informed the subsequent debates. Since then, many reforms have been proposed as means to fix the public school system.

            One of those reforms is requiring students to wear uniforms. To avoid misunderstandings, exactly what is meant by the various terms used here must be stated. Here, “dress code” is used to refer to a negative policy- one which controls student dress by prohibiting specific clothing. In contrast, “school uniforms”, “school uniform policy”, and “uniform policy” are used interchangeably to mean a positive policy- one that mandates a certain action. However, school uniform policies range in strictness, from ones which require one outfit to be worn every day to others that specify acceptable components which may be combined as the student wishes. It is that latter sense that the term will be used here. An example of that type of policy would be one which required belted blue, black, or khaki slacks, with girls permitted to wear skirts of the same color is they wish, and a solid color, tucked in polo shirt in blue, red, green, brown, or white.[1] Using a policy of that sort, it would not be unusual for a school to require the items to be bought through the school itself, so they control the fit and cut of the items.

            Thirteen years after A Nation at Risk, in his State of the Union address, President Clinton became an advocate of school uniforms, calling for their use to correct behavioral problems (cite).Before any discussion of uniforms begins it is necessary to establish the constitutionality of requiring students to conform to a uniform policy. Once that is settled, the claims of advocates can be examined. The best known example of a large scale school uniform policy is the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) program; it began in 1994 as, essentially, a measure to prevent delinquent behavior on the part of the students (cite). The backers of the policy claim that it caused, at least in part, large reductions in crime (cite). This argument leads in quickly to the argument of simplicity- a school uniform policy eliminates the many shades of gray associated with a dress code, while accomplishing the same end. There are clear-cut distinctions, as opposed to inherently subjective applications of often complicated rules (cite needed). A very important matter, however, is the scholastic effect of uniforms. If they are detrimental to student learning, that should be weighted highly in any analysis of benefits and costs. Lastly, in the wake of so many school shootings, uniforms have been presented as a security measure, as outsiders are much easier to identify when the student body is in uniform.

            Having examined some of the points and counter points in the school uniform debate, this paper will attempt to present a moderated case for school uniforms. In this case, evidence appears to support a third way as opposed to one extreme. One of the most vocal critics of uniform policies, the sociologist David Brunsma, is a critic only because he believes that educators are not examining empirical data closely enough before acting on this topic (clothes-minded cite). On the other side, advocates claim that uniforms will solve all that is wrong with the American school system. Between those two points, it is clear that school uniforms do not create achievement or eliminate social ills. However, they are a visible and clear declaration of purpose; providing educators with momentum to change a school or district for the better. Combined with targeted programs, school uniform policies can be a potent tool for improvement in the classroom.

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[1] That sample policy allows for 15 choice for boys and 30 choices for girls. Of course, that calculation does not take into account which color combinations someone might actually wear.