In nineteen ninety-nine, twelve percent of public elementary schools in the United States required students to wear uniforms. Just three years later, estimates were almost double that.
A study of six big-city Ohio public schools showed students who were required to wear uniforms had improved graduation, behavior and attendance rates. Academic performance was unchanged.
Some middle and high schools in Texas have also joined the movement. Yet studies find mixed results from requiring uniforms. And some schools have turned away from such policies.
Supporters believe dressing the same creates a better learning environment and safer schools. The school district in Long Beach, California, was the first in the country to require uniforms in all elementary and middle schools. The example helped build national interest in uniforms as a way to deal with school violence and improve learning.
Findings in Long Beach suggested that the policy resulted in fewer behavior problems and better attendance. But researcher Viktoria Stamison, who has looked at those findings, says they were based only on opinions about the effects of uniforms.
She says other steps taken at the same time to improve schools in Long Beach and statewide could have influenced the findings. The district increased punishments for misbehavior. And California passed a law to reduce class sizes.
In Florida, for example, researcher Sharon Pate found that uniforms seemed to improve behavior and reduce violence. In Texas, Eloise Hughes found fewer discipline problems among students required to wear uniforms, but no effect on attendance.
Sociologist David Brunsma has studied school uniform policies since nineteen ninety-eight. He collected the reports in the book. In his own study, he found that reading and mathematics performance dropped after a school in rural Pennsylvania required uniforms.
Political and community pressures may persuade schools to go to uniforms to improve learning. But David Brunsma and others believe there is not enough evidence of a direct relationship. In fact, he says requiring uniforms may even increase discipline problems.
52. What’s the main idea of this passage?
A. More and more students are required to wear uniforms in the US.
B. Wearing uniforms contributes to good academic performance.
C. Researchers in the US argue for school uniform policies.
D. Evidence for school uniform policies in the US is seen as weak.
53. Which was/were the first in the US to require uniforms in all elementary and middle schools?
A. Six big-city Ohio public schools.
B. The school district in Long Beach, California.
C. Some middle and high schools in Texas.
D. Some elementary and middle schools in Florida.
54. Which of the following researchers are NOT supporters of school uniform policies?
A. Viktoria Stamison and Sharon Pate.
B. Sharon Pate and David Brunsma.
C. Eloise Hughes and Sharon Pate.
D. Viktoria Stamison and David Brunsma.
55. The underlined word “misbehavior” in the sixth paragraph probably means ______.
A. serious crime B. bad performance
C. absence for class D. action against wearing uniforms
56. We can infer from the passage that ______.
A. more work is needed to get better information about uniform’s effect
B. the number of schools requiring uniforms in the US will decline sharply
C. wearing uniforms has little to do with behavior and learning
D. politicians and communities won’t vote for uniform policies
