"Shesaid, 'I think she looks cute!'" In an era where some parents seem unwilling or unable to draw the "clothes" line with their children, where pop culture influences kids' clothing choices as never before, and school safety-including gang violence-is at the top of everyone's minds, school uniforms and dress codes can play a significant role. "It is not true that there has been no empirical research conducted to assess the effectiveness of school uniforms on student behavior and educational outcomes, yet there is much to be done," David Brunsma, a sociology professor at the University of Missouri, wrote in The School Uniform Movement and What It Tells Us About American Education.