Annual sales of school uniforms in the United States average one billion three hundred million (Statistic Brain). This is a large amount of money going towards something that most students fear. School uniforms are generally worn in private schools, but are becoming mandatory in some public schools. The average student doesn't want to wake up in the morning and wear the same thing every day. Or they want to wear the same thing as their peers. This is exactly what school uniforms encourage. In the Listland article titled "Top 10 Reasons Why School Should Be Mandatory," writer Dave Anderson gives a number of reasons why he supports school uniforms. However, these reasons are opinions with which I beg to differ. While some argue that school uniforms encourage conformity, they limit student freedom of expression and have no proven benefit. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay School uniforms promote conformity rather than individuality. This can have a negative effect on the child's understanding of their self-image. How will they express themselves if they are constantly told to wear the same clothes as their peers? In the editorial written by Anderson, one of his first points states how uniforms improve professionalism and enhance image. He goes so far as to say: “Schools should be schools and not fashion shows” (Anderson). Elementary schools are full of children, not adults. Why improve professionalism and enhance the image of a child? Children should be able to freely express who they are by developing their own style. We are always told to be ourselves and be unique, but uniforms encourage the opposite. They motivate social conformity which results in identity and students' lack of creativity and individuality. A peer-reviewed article from Editors Commentary concerns school uniforms in elementary school. The author, Randy Rockney, is surprised to find that his son's school has a new policy on school uniforms. The school informs parents that the change is such that students maintain a sense of equality and promote safety. He is neutral on the topic throughout the article, but at the end he states: "I believe that repealing a child's ability to choose and wear clothing... that expresses his or her particular style... stifles the development of one's individuality as a that kid" (Rockney). Rockney is a parent who expresses the idea that taking away a child's freedom to dress is actually damaging his or her individuality. At such a young age, like elementary school, children are just discovering their likes and dislikes. They should be able to express themselves freely in the way they dress instead of dressing similarly to their classmates. School is a place of education but it is also the place where we can first of all express ourselves. This is where many of us become more social and find friends we can relate to. Taking away the freedom to wear what we like makes the idea of ​​going to school even more unpleasant. I remember being so happy in high school when the new school year arrived and I could go "school shopping". Just the idea of ​​being able to choose all the clothes I wanted and wear them to school made me smile a lot. Simple things like choosing my clothes helped me discover my likes and dislikes. This is something that children wearing school uniforms cannot experience and it isscandalous. In an article in Wareham Week, written by Liam McKenna, he writes about students expressing their opinions on school uniforms. The main point of the article states that the main reason why students are against school uniforms is the lack of individuality and freedom of expression. A student named Malange DePina said, “We should be able to wear whatever we want. I like to wear sweatpants when I feel tired. I like to dress pretty when I feel pretty. I shouldn't wear what someone tells me to wear. I have the feeling that we are not a private school” (DePina). This is a very realistic statement that most public school students can relate to. No one likes being told what they should and shouldn't dress. We are human and have different moods that influence what we decide to wear. Being told to wear the same thing is very tiring and boring. Students should consistently be able to express themselves according to their preferences instead of having a uniform requirement. Most of Anderson's arguments in favor of wearing school uniforms have no demonstrated benefit. If students are required to wear uniforms, this should be a positive benefit. He argues that school uniforms are affordable and can stop bullying. These are not valid facts. It has been recorded by Statistic Brain that the annual cost of school uniforms is $1,300,000,000. In fact, purchasing school uniforms is just as expensive as spending money on regular clothes. If I were in a parent's shoes, I would rather spend money on clothes that my child will actually like and wear. As opposed to spending money on clothes that my son doesn't like and will only wear to school. Regardless, spending money on baby clothes will cost money, so at least make it worth the money. He also claims that school uniforms help stop bullying, but this isn't proven either. He writes: “Uniforms play a vital role in reducing peer pressure and increasing the level of acceptability. Students in uniform feel united and connected” (Anderson). Compliant school uniforms are not a benefit and have no real effect on fighting bullying. Unfortunately, bullying can occur no matter what a student is wearing. Bullying is just a flaw in our society that occurs whether or not a student wears a uniform. Promoting equality doesn't help our society, it hurts it. While I don't agree with the benefits of school uniforms, I do agree that there should be a dress code that students are required to follow. The freedom for students to dress as they wish should also be accompanied by guidelines to ensure that students dress appropriately and do not take advantage of dressing freely. Anderson explains the importance of enforcing a dress code policy when, as he writes, “A good deal of valuable time can be saved if we have a strict dress code policy in school. Leaders shouldn't have to worry about checking what each individual student is wearing and whether it's acceptable to school or not. A huge amount of time can be used more productively” (Anderson). He argues that not having a dress code will result in unnecessary time spent making sure students are dressed appropriately. However, by implementing a dress code policy you will save time because the school management will not constantly monitor.