THE IMPACT OF A DRESS CODE

ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

OF THE STUDENTS IN
AUGUSTINIAN ABBEY SCHOOL

INTRODUCTION
Rules are mandatory basically in all the schools in the world.

Some examples can be having no students in their classrooms while in recess

or lunch time, sanctions for student’s tardiness, and other rules. These rules

are needed to have authority and control of the students and not have a

unsophisticated school. One particular rule that’s always implemented in

schools is the school dress code. Albeit private or public, dress codes are

mandatory to have some sort of orderliness in students. Having orderliness is

very important because it affects the school’s overall image. In the Philippines,

students from any school albeit from private or public, they are needed to

wear uniforms that are implemented. These uniforms can be exclusive to the

school to be made or can be bought in the nearest mall. Parents have mixed

feelings with having a mandatory dress code. Conversations like having the

freedom to wear any clothes but still proper for school are being discussed.

Students take care of themselves and care about what they look in school

since they spend their time in school almost everyday. The questions stands

that if students had the freedom to have a wider variety of clothes to wear

rather than limited white polo and slacks.

The purpose of this study was to see the impact that school uniforms had on

student's academic achievement and overall behavior in school.

SUB PROBLEMS

1. How does an enforced dress policy affect the students?

2. Does a modern dress policy increase the academic achievement of

students?

3. Will there
be an increase in student’s overall behavior when a new dress
code is implemented?
HYPOTHESIS

The enforced dress policy would have a positive effect on the students. There

would be a increase in the student’s academic achievement measured by their

grades. There will also be an increase in student’s overall behaviour in the

classroom measured by surveys taken by teachers.

.

BACKGROUND

Uniforms were first instituted in 16th Century England at the charity schools

for poor children. It was not until the 19th Century that the English public

schools began instituting uniforms and even later for them to be widely

accepted at state schools-- especially state elementary schools (Synott and

Symes, 1995). The uniform was thought to increase school spirit and loyalty.

In the United States, during the 1950's and 1960's the phrase "dress right, act

right", was heard throughout schools in an effort to diminish delinquency.

Increased gang activity in the 1980s lead school administrators to consider

policies that required a more restrictive dress code (Anderson, 2002). There

were many court cases about the implementation of the uniform policies and

dress codes as an infringement on student's rights. Cherry Hill Elementary, in

Maryland, was the first public school to adopt a uniform policy. In 1994, the

Long Branch School system in Southern California became the first public

school district that required school uniforms (Anderson, 2002). This began a

trend for uniforms in American elementary public schools, especially in urban

school districts (Donohue, 1996).

Much of the current research on the effectiveness of school uniforms is mixed

and evidence on both sides is anecdotal, not empirical (White, 2000). Nathan

Joseph (1986) formulated an analysis of clothing as communication which

provides a framework within which uniform proponents can be better

understood. He asserts that clothing, as a sign, conveys information about

values, beliefs and emotions (Brunsma and Rockquemore, 1998). He argues

that uniforms act as suppressors of student individuality by making a

uniform appearance and taking away the students freedom of expression.

Brunsma and Rockquemore (1998) support his findings and feel that

mandatory uniforms "serve the function of maintaining social control within

the school environment." They suggest that the school uniforms are meant to

convey the institutional values of the school. The school uniforms are

enforced so the students will adhere to the goals of the school such as

increased academic success, higher levels of productivity and attentiveness,

and lower levels of disciplinary problems. Many public schools in the United

States have started implementing dress codes or uniform policies to deal with

different issues within the schools. Literature on the effects of school uniforms

was found to be some what limited and most of the research done was

inconclusive. The research discussed below first starts out with articles

dealing with the history of school uniforms and legal issues. The research

further goes into recent studies conducted, starting with the main reasons for

implementation school uniforms and continuing with other impacts uniforms

have. The research ends with disputes against school uniforms and studies

that show their ineffectiveness. The literature review ends with suggestions

on how to successfully implement a uniform policy for schools.