There has been a trend that is likely to continue in our school systems. It is the wearing of uniforms by students, as opposed to individual clothing choices. There are some terrific reasons this has transpired. Uniforms promote a level playing field, school spirit, better focus in class, and much more.
Leveling the Playing Field:
Today’s world is littered with inequality, socio-economic imbalance, and racial division. And it’s not just among adults. Kids can be tough on one another. Bullying is a real thing. Those who seem superior lay into those who appear inferior. Physical appearance, smartly, has been amended by schools across the country. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 25% of public schools in the U.S. require students to wear uniforms. The practice of same clothes on all schoolkids produces a psychological equality. Without uniforms or custom t-shirts, maybe the less fortunate child who can’t afford expensive clothing appears inferior. With it, and how brutal kids can be on an uneven playing field, school administrators have now leveled that playing field. There is a commonality with having uniforms in schools.
In America, where a majority of schools don’t require uniforms, roughly 160,000 children skip school every day because they fear being attacked or intimidated by other students. While it might not be directly linked to what they’re wearing, having a uniform or a custom tee can be a safety net for students who might otherwise suffer from bullying. A strict uniform also evokes the impression that rules are strict too, and it possibly helps maintain a sense of order at school.
The implementation of school uniforms or shirts in public schools didn’t take off until 1994. That’s when the Long Beach, California School District integrated them to address safety issues challenging the region. According to that school district’s data, fights and muggings at school decreased by 50%, while sexual offenses were reduced by 74%. That was just within one year after the implementation of uniforms.
Across the country, similar statistics came to light. Take Ruffner Middle School in Norfolk, VA, as a prime example. The positive effect with requiring the wearing of uniforms or t-shirts was awfully inspiring. At Ruffner, the number of discipline referrals decreased by 42% once uniforms were enforced. An undifferentiated appearance can have a unifying, harmonizing effect on a group.
School Spirit with Custom T-Shirts:
In addition to the sense of equality when it comes to students wearing a custom garment, a realized feel of school spirit is instilled. Wearing a t-shirt with the school logo and a cool shirt design can serve as a badge of pride. It can create an identity for a school and its students.
“Uniforms show that you are part of an organization. Wearing it says we’re all in this together,” declares Jason Wing, head teacher at the Neale-Wade academy. Claire Howlette, an English teacher at Neale-Wade, agrees, “Uniforms give students a sense of belonging to a particular school and create an identity for the school in the community.”
When a student sees a fellow student around town, and they’re both sporting their school shirt, a smile, acknowledgement, or fist bump are almost certain to ensue.
Can a Custom T-Shirt Improve Academics?
The answer is yes. A uniformed school t-shirt can improve learning by reducing distraction, sharpening focus on schoolwork, and creating a more serious environment in the classroom. It allows students to perform better academically. No one is sidetracked by someone’s t-shirt message or where one of their friends bought their leggings. Instead, students are concentrating on their classroom work with greater diligence, attention, and concentration. This lack of distraction eases the burden on teachers. They can now spend more time on academics instead of those wasted minutes efforting to get students’ attention.
T-Shirts in the Mornings:
If you’re a parent of a child(ren) in school, you know how frustrating it can be to deal with the incessant delays that come with the kid trying to coordinate the perfect outfit. You have to get to work, and your child can’t receive another tardy notice. Yet, two shirt changes, an earring adjustment, and a shoe switch later, arrival times for both of you are now in jeopardy. When there’s no debate on what a student is allowed to wear to school, mornings become less stressful for everyone involved. Enter the school t-shirt. Instead of worrying about what outfit to put together or where that one specific top is, you and child know exactly what will be worn without having to think about it.
In this article, we hit upon a few touch points regarding the importance of custom t-shirts for students. There are a lot of numbers and statistics to absorb. There are positive psychological ramifications for students wearing uniformed garments. Kids will find a school spirit in them that they may not have had without school t-shirts. Grades go up, and the start of the day between parent and child doesn’t begin with a barrage of irritation and frustration. With what seems like a simple t-shirt, the positive effects abound.
