It has been 30 years since the U.S. Supreme Court, in the "Tinker" case, upheld three students' right to wear black armbands protesting the Vietnam War to school. Recent cases involving sagging pants and an African headwrap (dress code violations) did not meet allowable "free-speech" requirements. (MLH)

School regulations concerning hair have been successfully defended in appellate courts in about half the country. The most recent decision of a federal circuit court upholding a school's rules was decided in 1975. In this instance, the court reversed the position it held only three years earlier. There are some guidelines that should be kept in…

The debate surrounding the effectiveness of school-uniform policies, as well as discussions concerning when and how to implement them, is rooted in anecdote. This review summarizes anecdotal literature on which the current debate is based and critically reviews the empirical literature, including theoretical underpinnings, findings, and…

A survey was mailed to all 66 Louisiana public school district superintendents and to 50 state department of education superintendents on school district policy regarding student dress code and student/faculty uniform use. States reported no statute or mandate for student uniforms. Uniform policy was optional and popular in 36 Louisiana districts.…

Concerned about President Clinton's "bully pulpit" endorsement of uniforms in public schools, an educator ponders their acceptance by fellow conservatives who allegedly abhor governmental intrusion into citizens' daily lives. Mandatory uniform policies will not dispel gang activity, banish economic distinctions, or create an academically serious…

Lists types of student conflict in California schools. Published by: California School Boards Association, 800 9th Street, Suite 201, Sacramento, California 95814. (DW)

Teachers have recently gained significant First Amendment protection within the areas of classroom utterances; dress and appearance; badges, buttons, and other insignia; flag salutes; and classroom assignments. The extent of this academic freedom has not yet been determined, but various guidelines have been set by both federal and state appellate…

Reviews Second Circuit Court of Appeals decision upholding right of school boards to adopt "reasonable" regulations governing teacher dress or hairstyle. Case offers the most exhaustive judicial examination of the issue to date. (Author/PKP)

Courts will support school boards' dress codes if based on needs rather than opinions. Courts have affirmed that minors have constitutional rights. Hair length, clothing style, and beards may be protected by students' right to freedom of expression. Codes must be carefully written and consistent with schools' legitimate goals. (PB)

Gang violence, thefts, and costs are among the reasons schools are adopting dress codes or uniforms. Evidence of their effect on behavior is largely anecdotal; empirical research is needed. Home economics professionals can work with parents to set dress policies, get student input, incorporate the teaching of values about clothing, build student…

Explores the legal status of public school teachers' wearing religiously distinctive clothing in the absence of specific state prohibition. Analyzes the effects of laws prohibiting teachers from wearing religious clothes and argues for the abolition of religious dress statutes. (40 references) (MLF)

Advises new substitute teachers to be prepared, tote emergency activity folders, dress professionally (but wear flamingo earrings), be early, figure out the game plan, communicate expectations to students, enforce consequences, have a gimmick to reward cooperation, relish the teachable moment, leave the room tidy, and believe in themselves. (MLH)

This article discusses some of the options and strategies available to school districts in defending dress codes which mandate uniforms. Three components are essential to a successful defense: the dress code must bear a reasonable relation to the school's pedagogical purpose, it must include alternative avenues of expression, and it must…

Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments is the topic of these Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (DHEW) notices, which include both a proposed policy interpretation regarding intercollegiate athletic programs and a proposed amendment regarding federal regulation of school dress codes. The purpose of the first action is to ensure that…

Students do not always make choices that adults agree with in their choice of school dress. Dress-code issues are explored in this Research Roundup, and guidance is offered to principals seeking to maintain a positive school climate. In "Do School Uniforms Fit?" Kerry White discusses arguments for and against school uniforms and summarizes the…