Uniforms: psychology

Science World, Feb 7, 2003

If choosing what to wear to school is the choicest part of your morning, this news may blacken your mood: Strict dress codes are a hot new trend in public schools. Twenty states now experiment with uniform policies. The idea: Uniforms create a sense of school unity and elicit a range of positive changes, from improved student behavior to higher test scores.

But those opposed to school uniforms argue that mandatory dress codes violate student rights, stifle individuality, and prove a financial burden to some families. In a recent USA Today survey of 218,350 teens, 83 percent gave thumbs down to uniforms. WHAT DO YOU THINK?