Voa education report - Students Do Not Always Like Being Told What to Wear (Duh!)

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is the VOA Special English Education Report.

A listener in Fukuoka, Japan, Shinji Abe, would like know about school uniform policies in the United States.

American schoolchildren often wear uniforms if they attend religious other private schools. Most public schools do not require . But over the last ten years or so, more them have moved in that direction, including high schools.

Students may have to wear a specially purchased . Or they may just have to dress alike ---- example, white shirts and dark colored pants or skirts.

Even schools that do not require uniforms generally a dress code or other rules about what they acceptable. Policies commonly ban clothing that shows offensive images words, or simply too much skin. Items like hats be restricted because, for example, different colors may be with violent gangs.

Some parents like the of uniforms. Some say it means they do not to spend as much on clothing for their kids. , though, argue that uniforms represent an unnecessary cost. There also debates about whether uniforms or other dress policies civil rights.

Students and parents have taken action against school dress requirements. Just last week, a blocked a middle school in Napa, California, from enforcing dress code unless families have a way out of .

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California the case for the families of several students who punished. Most attention centered on a girl who wore with the Tigger character from Winnie the Pooh.

The school said its clothing policy, including no pictures any kind, was needed to control a growing problem gangs. The families argued that the policy violated free rights as guaranteed by the United States and California .

The United States Supreme Court says student is protected as long as it does not harm work and discipline of a school.

value individual freedom. But some educators believe dressing alike improve student learning. They believe that uniforms help create sense of unity and reduce the risk of fights. also say uniforms make it easier for security reasons tell if someone belongs at the school or not.

But just how effective are school uniform policies? Studies found mixed results. That will be our subject next .

And that's the VOA Special English Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. I'm Steve Ember.

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