SCHOOL UNIFORMS SEEN AS KEY TO SCHOOL SAFETY -- AND THEY COST LESS

Conscientious parents preparing to send their children back to school may want to know they are not alone in their concerns about their little ones' safety. A new survey shows that such fears are widespread -- and shared by the children themselves. Nearly three-quarters (71 percent) of American parents of school-aged children believe that children's safety concerns are so severe that academic performance is affected, the FrenchToast.com Back-to-School Survey has found.

That's the bad news. The good news is that most parents strongly support a wide range of actions to make schools safer, including school uniforms and dress codes, unannounced random locker searches, an increased police presence in schools and the installation of metal detectors.

"Parents throughout the country are saying powerfully and unequivocally that school systems must do more to improve security in schools," says Dr. Robin Goldstein, a child development specialist and authority on parenting who teaches child development and adolescent psychology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, M.D. "We live in a time when we often have to worry about how safe our schools are. Children -- as well as parents -- have these concerns and take them to school with them. So it's important that both children and parents become confident that schools are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of students."

"Parents are worried about the school environment, and many of them see a move to a uniform program as an important part of the larger effort to ensure a basic level of safety in schools," said Beth Silver, brand manager for French Toast Official School Wear, the country's largest independent manufacturer of school uniforms.

The nationwide surge in support for school uniforms should be welcome news even for parents whose children attend schools that are already safe for learning. Getting a child ready to return to school can be costly and time-consuming. The FrenchToast.com Back-to-School Survey also found that parents typically spend about 6.5 hours per child in shopping alone, at considerable expense. It takes about two workdays to earn enough to outfit each child with clothing, school supplies and accessories (approximately $211).

Low-income families, who spend about half a week of earnings for back-to-school shopping, should be especially gratified by the increased recognition of the importance of school uniform policies. Research released in December by NPD Group determined that parents in communities where uniforms are required spend 44 percent less to clothe their children for school than parents in non-uniform communities spend.

Dr. Goldstein, author of the three-book Everyday Parenting series, notes that a complete set of school uniforms, which consists of 10 to 12 items, costs about $100 per child, or less than half of what parents typically spend in back-to-school outfitting.

"Despite the time and money parents spend on shopping, the end result once school resumes is an argument between parent and child over what clothes to wear and how to wear them," she says. "Additionally, many children judge themselves and others by their choice of apparel. Thus, the choice of clothing can cause friction both at home and at school, taking a child's mind off schoolwork and reducing academic performance.

One solution is for schools to require uniforms. "For parents, uniforms not only save money and time when shopping for back-to-school, they also reduce morning arguments over what their children will wear," Goldstein contends. "For children, uniforms can create a feeling of spirit and teamwork."