(Syracuse.com | April 12, 2024) The Syracuse City School District is exploring whether to provide free school uniforms to thousands of students, an undertaking meant to help families living in poverty and improve behavior in the classrooms.
The concept, so far, is just that: Syracuse City School Board President Tamica Barnett floated the idea at a recent school board meeting, and other board members said they supported looking into it …
… George Theoharis, a Syracuse University professor in the School of Education, said there is research that backs up the idea that uniforms can help with student behavior. Not only does it help when kids are bullied over their clothes, but it can give students a sense of identity and help build school culture.
“Kids can feel like outsiders if their clothes happen to be ugly and dirty, and uniforms help with that,” he said.
However, uniforms are not a guaranteed solution to bad behavior, Theoharis added. Bullying can have numerous triggers.
“Kids can feel like outsiders if their clothes happen to be ugly and dirty, and uniforms help with that.”
Mainly charter schools and schools in large cities such as New York City have uniforms, he said.
Today’s uniforms also are more comfortable, he said. Gone are the days of skirts, button-down shirts and sweater vests. School colors reflected in T -shirts and crewneck sweatshirts and tan or blue pants are more the norm today, he said …