JMO, I think it would be better to simply enforce that dress code. I used to be in favor of school uniforms, thinking it would instill a sense of pride and improve conduct. For example, as a Girl Scout, I would not have wanted to be caught behaving badly while in uniform, because it would bring shame to the Girl Scouts in general, much the same as the Armed Forces talk about being a disgrace to the uniform. When I had a temp job with the United States Post Office, one of the first things they told us in training was that Cliff from Cheers is not exactly a shining example, and that in fact they have rules against going to bars and drinking while in uniform.

Unfortunately, this tends not to translate well to schools. It has been my experience that, even with uniforms, you can tell the haves from the have-nots. The giveaways are usually the shoes--sturdy and polished versus scuffed and full of holes, and the hairdos--professionally done salon styles versus bad home haircuts. Sometimes even the uniform is a giveaway. One student's uniform will be properly fitting and in good repair, while the other's is left over from last year because the parents can't afford a new one, so it is too small, threadbare, and stained. In this way, socio-economic status is still evident, and the haves still look down on the have-nots.