The Stockton Unified School District (SUSD) has experienced years of disappointing test scores and increased violence in their high schools. Here at Cesar Chavez High School, the SAT scores are way below the national average and there are a number of violent incidents each year. Implementing a uniform policy can help improve students’ behavior and grades by creating an environment more conductive for learning.

Having all students wear uniforms eliminate the economic gap between them. Less fortunate students often get made fun of because they don’t have the nicest clothes or shoes like their peers do. But with uniforms, everyone is wearing similar clothes so you can’t differentiate between a lower income family and a higher income family. Academic uniforms create more cohesion in classrooms and a greater sense of readiness to tackle educational challenges.

Many argue that uniforms suppress students’ personalities and creativity. Part of school is learning that self-expression and individuality comes from within. Athletes all wear the same uniform, but we celebrate the individuals who make up the team. Their own individual talents and skills shine through their performance, not hindered at all by wearing the same jerseys. The same pertains to school uniforms.

Academic uniforms set a professional tone for learning and helps improve students’ self-esteem. SUSD needs a solution to falling test scores and growth of violence on high school campuses. A uniform policy may not be the solution to all of the problems, but it’s the first step into improving the school system. It would be a step in the right direction for the SUSD School Board to introduce a uniform policy in all schools across the district.