Joe Martinez
By Joe Martinez, Ed.D.,
Doctor of Curriculum & Technology
Joe Martinez, Ed.D., is a Doctor of Curriculum & Technology, a U.S. Military Veteran, and a San Benito native.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a person cannot go to the next level until the lower level of basic needs is fulfilled.
In a student’s case, they cannot progress academically until their basic needs are first met (first phase: Physiological Needs; second phase: Safety Needs).
This brings us to the third phase of Maslow’s Hierarchy, which is the Love and Belonging phase.
This stage involves acceptance by students among their peers, where trust, respect, and intimacy all work together to foster unity, teamwork, and cohesion.
The fourth level is Esteem Needs, where a student actively learns and competes academically.
How do we help students move from the third level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to a more important fourth level? We achieve this by making students feel more comfortable at school and by creating safer, more supportive learning environments.
There has been a long history, especially when I was in school up until today, of students being mocked because of what they wear to school, their social status, the inability for parents to buy them decent clothing because of our community’s prevalent poverty level status.
Many students are harassed because they go to school wearing modest clothing, which sometimes includes hand-me-downs like worn-out shoes, worn-out shirts or blouses, and jeans with holes in them (although today’s fashion industry does sell clothes with holes in them).
Studies have shown that a school uniform attire promotes attendance in schools and reduces absenteeism, which can positively contribute towards reducing learning deficit gaps in our schools.
It is not yet proven that school uniforms improve academic learning, but I believe that if absenteeism drops and children go to class, they will be learning. We need to think creatively about our students.
There are universities here, locally, where a student can learn medicine and become a doctor, a nurse, a physical therapist, pharmacist, and other professional careers, but these students won’t have those opportunities if their academic standings are poor. We must do better!
How does school uniforms help students to the next level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
School uniforms help foster unity within a school, creating a sense of belonging as soon as these uniforms are introduced. When students are dressed alike, it should reduce teasing directed at those from lower social classes. Economic disparities—such as those related to food, housing, utilities, and other basic needs—are prevalent in our community. Because of social embarrassment, many children from less affluent backgrounds often stay home.
Schools could also designate certain colors of apparel for each student grade, for example, freshmen wear purple and white combinations, sophomores wear gold and purple apparel, and so forth.
School uniforms help close the gap caused by poverty because many parents cannot afford to buy proper school clothes for their children. Now, with a school uniform, they will only need two or three pairs of pants and two or three shirts or blouses for the entire school year.
It is often said that a person feels only as good as they look, but this is far from the truth when it comes to peer acceptance and peer pressure among students in our schools. School uniforms will reduce the financial burden and stress parents face each year when buying expensive school clothes for their children.
We must do everything we can to promote learning in our schools. For parents who cannot afford school attire, there are programs and school fundraisers that help cover uniform expenses.
There are many opportunities for our students to pursue well-paying careers, but they won’t succeed without our help in enhancing their learning experiences to learn and pass their standardized state tests.
Let’s make San Benito schools the benchmark for academic excellence and achievement.
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