Districts across the country are having students wear school issued uniforms, but this decision is harming rather than helping the students.

In many schools, students wear a uniform as a part of their dress code. While the district may think it’s for the best interest, they’re wrong. 

Making students wear a school issued uniform hurts their individuality. In America, forty-seven percent of low-income schools require school uniforms, a study done by k12 academics. By implementing these dress codes, students can no longer express who they are through their clothing choices. 

When students must wear a uniform at school five out of the seven days of the week their emotional growth and identity development can be stunted, according to psychologist Erik Erikson. That’s because they no longer can express themselves how they truly want rather they have to blend into the crowd.

Another way school uniforms harm the students is in a financial way. On average a school issued uniform can cost up to $100 per outfit, which is a lot of money. Typically a school requires around two or three outfits per kid making the overall cost around $200-$300. For the average family, that is not affordable for a uniform; also what happens if a family has more than one kid? 

Families end up paying double or even triple the amount at hand. The prices for the uniforms are unreasonable. According to David L. Brunsma, PhD, most uniforms are enforced in poorer areas. Enforcing uniforms are supposed to stop the socioeconomic obvious difference between students but it becomes apparent again when a student can’t replace a pair of ripped pants due to the expensive cost to replace the uniform.  Because not all schools that are issuing school uniforms are private, public school district students are being forced into having to buy a uniform and pay for all of those expenses.

While in many schools it is said establishing a uniform decreases bullying because everyone’s wearing the same clothes, that’s incorrect. Having every student wear the same uniform increases bullying because students bully other students’ personalities. Taking away what the victim would wear just gave the bully an easier way to attack the victim’s personality.

Overall, having students wear uniforms isn’t worth the future mental and financial damage that is present now. School issued uniforms don’t majorly advance a student  academically. So my question is: is it worth putting students through a future of potential psychological damage to have their students dress alike?