School uniforms are becoming more of a norm every year. Since 2010, nearly 1 in 5 public schools require
their students wear school uniforms EVEN THOUGH there is no conclusive evidence about their benefit.

Overall, more than HALF of all public schools enforce some sort of dress code, according to
the National Center for Education Statistics. About 57% of schools have a “strict dress code.”

The idea of requiring public school students to wear uniforms was first envisioned
in the 1980s by Washington DC mayor, Marion Barry, who believed standardized dress
might help public school students succeed as well as those in the city’s Catholic schools.

The idea flopped. But in 1987, Cherry Hill Elementary School in Baltimore implemented the first known
school-wide uniform policy as a means of reducing clothing costs and social pressure on children. School
officials hoped it would lead to better grades, better behavior, improved self-esteem and school pride.