Annual sales of school uniforms in the United States average one billion three hundred million (Statistic Brain). That's a lot of money for something the majority of students dread. School uniforms are generally worn in private schools, but become compulsory in some public schools. The average student doesn't want to wake up in the morning and put on the same thing every day. Or want to wear the same thing as their peers. This is exactly what school uniforms encourage. In an article on Listland titled "The Top 10 Reasons Why School Should Be Compulsory," writer Dave Anderson gives various reasons why he supports school uniforms. However, these reasons are opinions that I do not agree with. Although some advocate for school uniforms, they encourage conformity, restrict students' freedom of expression, and have no proven benefits. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay School uniforms promote conformity rather than individuality. This can have a negative effect on the child's self-image. How will they express themselves if they are constantly told to wear the same thing as their peers? In the op-ed written by Anderson, one of his first points explains how uniforms enhance professionalism and improve image. He goes so far as to say, “Schools should be schools, not fashion shows” (Anderson). Primary 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 uniformity and students' lack of creativity and individuality. A peer-reviewed article from Editors Commentary concerns school uniforms in primary school. The author, Randy Rockney, is surprised to learn that his child's school has a new school uniform policy. The school is informing parents that the change is intended for students to maintain a sense of equality and promote safety. He remains neutral on the subject throughout the article, but at the end he states: "I believe that abrogating a child's ability to choose and wear clothes...that express their own style...stifles development of that child’s own individuality. » (Rockney). Rockney is a parent who expresses the idea that taking away a child's freedom to dress actually harms their individuality. At an age as young as elementary school, children are just discovering what they like and what they don't like. They should be able to express themselves freely about how they dress instead of dressing like their classmates. School is a place of education but it is also the place where we can first express ourselves. This is where many of us become more social and find friends to relate to. Depriving ourselves of the freedom to wear what we please makes the idea of ​​going to school even more unpleasant. I remember being so happy in high school when a new school year came and I could do “school errands.” Just the idea of ​​being able to choose the clothes I wanted and wear them to school brought a big smile to my face. Simple things like choosing my own clothes helped me discover my likes and dislikes. This is something that kids who wear school uniforms don'tcan't experiment and it's scandalous. In an article on Wareham Week, written by Liam McKenna, he talks 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 my sweatpants when I feel tired. I like to dress pretty when I feel pretty. I shouldn't have to wear what someone tells me to wear. I feel like we're not a private school” (DePina). This is a very realistic statement that most public school students can relate to. No one likes to be told how they should and shouldn't dress. We are human and have different moods which influence what we decide to wear. Being told to wear the same thing is very exhausting and annoying. Students should constantly be able to express themselves based on their preferences instead of having a mandatory uniform. Most of Anderson's arguments for wearing school uniforms have no proven benefit. If students are required to wear uniforms, this should have a positive benefit. He argues that school uniforms are cost-effective and can stop bullying. These are not valid facts. It was recorded by Statistic Brain that the annual cost of school uniforms is $1,300,000,000. Buying school uniforms is indeed as expensive as spending money on ordinary clothes. If I were in a parent's shoes, I would rather spend money on clothes that my child will actually love and wear. Unlike spending money on clothes my child doesn't like and will only wear to school. Either way, spending money on kids' clothes is going to cost money, so at least make the money spent worth it. It also claims that school uniforms help stop bullying, but this is not 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). School uniform compliance is not a benefit and has no real effect on tackling bullying. Unfortunately, bullying can occur regardless of what clothing the student wears. Bullying is just a flaw in our society that happens whether or not a student is wearing a uniform. Promoting identity does not help our society, it harms it. Although I disagree with the benefits of school uniforms, I do agree that there should be a dress code that students must 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 lot of valuable time can be saved if we have a strict dress code policy at school. Managers would not have to worry about checking each student on what they are wearing and whether or not it is acceptable at school. An enormous amount of time can be used more productively” (Anderson). He says the lack of a dress code will result in unnecessary waste of time ensuring students are dressed appropriately. However, implementing a code policy.