Stay with me on this.
Although no research has ever been able to establish a correlation between school uniforms and measurable student improvement in either discipline or achievement, there is a great deal of anectdotal evidence that suggests how uniform policies might increase "school pride" and promote a "better school atmosphere". But there could be a better, less intrusive, way to achieve similar results. Uniform book covers. My brother Keith, in a tougue in cheek comment to a previous post, brought up the idea and then went on to do some research on how such a policy might be beneficial to a school.
This got me to thinking - why limit conformity to a student's mode of dress when there is a wide disparity in the courses taken within a school that blatantly indicates students' academic prowess. An outward and obvious indicator of how rigorous a particular student's attained level of performance can be is easily discerned by observing the books they carry to class. Depending on their level of proficiency, a 7th grader at Aycock might be taking one of three math courses - Math 7, pre-Algebra or Algebra - each with a distinctly different text book.
It must be devastating for the lower acheiving math students to encounter their peers carrying an Algebra textbook in the hallway. Such a display of obvious academic superiority must certainly harm the Math 7 student's self-esteem. This disparity of academic status should be eliminated by adopting a mandatory uniform book cover policy. Even though I can find no study to confirm such a policy's effectiveness, there is anectdotal evidence that uniform book covers "help to promote school spirit" in schools that require them. Based on this unscientific evidence, Guilford County Schools should readily adopt uniform book covers as a positive step towards creating safer, more orderly schools.
Book covers, like school uniforms, can be a contentious issue if the "Standard Mode of Book Dress" is not carefully considered. But ultimately, a well thought-out selection of available book dress can solve parent's problems of deciding how their children's textbooks will meet the provisions of the policy. Other benefits, just like school uniforms, will include:
- Fewer book thefts because no one would know what books they were stealing.
- Reduced math club gang related activity because the covers will make the advanced math club's members evidence of membership non-descript on campus.
- Reduced violence over who's level of biology proficiency is the most desirable.
- Students will judge their peers on their individual style of dress instead of how smart they are.
- Parents will save money because they will not have to pay for damaged books at the end of the year.
- Teachers will be able to easily identify persons who don't belong on campus, thus enhancing school safety.
- Increase school attendance (not sure how)
- Improve grades (ditto above)
Please add other potential benefits because I "feel" that uniform book covers are the way to go! I'll send out a survey and see if anyone could possible object.
9:35:17 AM 
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