School Uniform Policies: Students’ Views of Effectiveness

Abstract

Nurturing Schools literature advises considering students’ voices to help determine the influence of policies on cognitive, social, emotional, and ethical intellectual growth. This study employed focus group interviews with middle school students to determine their perceptions of their school uniform policy's effectiveness. Self-esteem issues as well as students’ opinions of uniform colors, branded apparel, and inconsistent enforcement of the uniform policy reflected views that contradicted administrators’ goals for wearing uniforms. Research questions are offered to guide development of a standard measure of student opinions of school uniforms and raise awareness of issues to be addressed when considering a uniform policy.