Public School Uniforms: First Step Towards Fascism? If public school students had something more than their private school counterparts, then that's about to change. That's right: Not only are public schools notorious for large classes and limited resources, but now some of them are adopting what has always been most feared by young people who attend private schools: school uniforms. The idea itself seems a little strange. Anguishing over what to wear to school (and which logo or face to wear on your shirt) has always been something of a right of passage for young people. However, this process is increasingly limited on campuses. Uniforms were virtually unheard of in public schools 6 years ago. Today, 11% of schools across the country require their students to wear uniforms. (According to a survey of principals conducted in May by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.) The uniform patterns are almost always the same. Experts say uniforms will reduce crime and violence in schools while improving student behavior. Students who are less concerned about who wears a particular brand of clothing are less likely to judge their peers or form cliques. Plus, they say, uniforms increase school pride. Students feel more united, more connected and therefore their school becomes a safer and healthier environment; students test higher on standardized tests and their grades improve, uniform advocates argue. One thing that often goes unmentioned by adults and experts is the fact that uniforms are now made by large clothing manufacturers such as DKNY, Esprit and Bugle Boy. The NPD Group, a New York market research firm, estimated that parents spent $900 million on uniforms for elementary school children in 1998. That's about 7 percent of the total amount spent on children's clothing and this figure has probably increased since then. The exact size of the industry has become increasingly difficult to determine as more schools have adopted uniforms that might appear to be strict dress codes. Many schools require students to wear only a limited number of colors and that shirts have collars and are tucked in. There are dangerous implications to this; however, as many students and their families are losing the rights they have as consumers. These are all laudable goals, but a number of questions remain unanswered.