Are Unifroms Truly Beneficial?
It is believed that uniforms are a technique that has been in use since the 16th century in the United Kingdom. The Christ's Hospital School in England in 1552 was the first school to implement uniforms to their school. Nowadays, 18.8% of Public and 57% of US private schools require their students to wear uniforms. 
Specifically in the US, uniforms started appearing during the 1900s. Most schools with uniforms were private until the 1980s when public schools also implemented them. Uniforms first appeared in Maryland and Washington DC, though they were voluntary. At the time people noticed how uniforms improved discipline, leading other schools to implement them.
1. Uniforms for girls tend to be more costly than boys' uniforms. On average girls uniforms are 11.9% costlier than boys' uniforms. In some places, this is called the pink tax.
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History
The very first form of uniform was recorded in England in 1222. However, the modern school uniform first started in the 16th century. At this time the boarding school, Christ's Hospital, had students wear uniforms provided by the citizens.
Pros
Student Safety
After two years of a district-wide K-8 mandatory uniform policy, in Long Beach, California assault with a deadly weapon dropped by 50%, fighting incidents went down by 51%, sex offenses were lessened by 74%, theft dropped by 65%, possession of weapons (real and fake) decreased by 52%, and possession of drugs reduced by 69%.
Uniforms can also affect gangs and possibly reduce their numbers or affect others. Members of a gang usually wear the same colors to show that they are a group. However if schools implement uniforms it would enable gang members to do such a thing, thus possibly reducing the number of gangs. Osceola County School Board member Jay Wheeler reported a 46% decline in gang activity after implementing a mandatory K-12 uniform policy. Wheeler believes clothing is essential to gang culture, and uniforms hinder gang recruitment efforts. He compared the situation to the military, where recruiters are less successful without uniforms.
Discipline, Behavior, and Attendance
Many also believe that uniforms can improve behavior and discipline in schools. When John Adams Middle School in Albuquerque, New Mexico required school uniforms, discipline referrals went from 1,565 in the first semester of the previous year to 405 after the uniforms were implemented. Another example is an Australian study that concluded that students wearing uniforms were more disciplined and listened significantly better. Classes were also more likely to start on time.
Students also get to class earlier because they don't have to worry about what to wear. A study to support this claim is one conducted by researchers at the University of Houston that discovered the average attendance rate for girls in middle and high school increased by 0.3 to 0.4% when uniforms became mandatory.
Cost
Though it may seem like uniforms are the costlier option when viewed from a different perspective the contrary might be true. For example, a pair of trendy jeans could cost about 60$, and you could buy a full uniform set for that same money. Nowadays trendy sneakers cost about 120$, if you do the math that means you could buy two uniform sets for the same amount of money.
Miles Avenue Elementary School's parents explained how cost was one of the many advantages of uniforms. Assistant Principal Leonard Deutsch stated “from year to year, you’d save a small fortune, because you don’t have to worry about a (new wardrobe) every year.”
Self-Esteem
Last but not least uniforms have proven to have an impact on self-esteem. Since everybody would be wearing the same clothes we prevent students from having the constant stress of what they should wear tomorrow and how they're peers are dressed. Teasing and bullying about one another clothing choices would decrease. Students are always under pressure to not be an "outfit repeater" or to be constantly fashionable.
In a study conducted by the Schoolwear Association revealed that 83% of teachers thought “a good school uniform… could prevent bullying based on appearance or economic background.” Founder and Director of the Center for Parent Education at the University of North Texas, Arminta Jacobson, explains how uniforms put “all kids on the same playing field in terms of their appearance. I think it probably gives them a sense of belonging and a feeling of being socially accepted.”
Cons
Cost
Cost is an argument that goes on both sides. Uniforms aren't exactly cheap and some families can't afford to buy these clothes. Uniforms also go against the idea that all students should have access to basic education for free. The cost of a standard uniform is between 25 to $200. However, school-specific uniforms, uniforms with a logo or specific design, are generally much more expensive, ranging from $100 to $500.
Campaigner Gill Long, who won some concessions after complaining about the cost of the uniform at her child’s school in Kirklees, West Yorkshire argued “We’re in the middle of a cost of living crisis and schools are making it difficult for children to attend school by putting barriers, like expensive uniform policies, in the way."
Body Image
Several studies have shown how uniforms harm the mental health and self-esteem of students, especially girls. Robyn Silverman, child and teen development specialist, says that students tend to compare how each other looks in their uniforms. Silverman says “As a body image expert, I hear from students all the time that they feel it allows for a lot of comparison… So if you have a body that’s a plus-size body, a curvier body, a tall body, a short body, those girls often feel that they don’t look their best.”
A study by Arizona State University detected that “students from schools without uniforms reported higher self-perception scores than students from schools with uniform policies.” Body image and comparison of how others look to yourself would still happen in schools without uniforms however it is undeniable that uniforms enforce body comparision among students.
Restrict Freedom of Expression
The First Amendment of the US states "provides that Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise. It protects freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances" (whitehouse.gov).
The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada states that clothing choices are “a crucial form of self-expression,” and that “allowing students to choose their clothing is an empowering message from the schools that a student is a maturing person who is entitled to the most basic self-determination.”
Kyler Sumter, a student at Chicago, Illinois, junior high says: “They decide to teach us about people like Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, and Booker T. Washington… We learn about how these people expressed themselves and conquered and we can’t even express ourselves in the hallways.”
By not letting students wear the clothes they want to we aren't letting them support causes along with limiting self-expression. Friendly High School in Prince George's County, Maryland suspended 75 students for violating the school's dress code by wearing pink shirts. The pink shirts were worn to show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
LGBTQ Community
By mandating all students to wear a uniform we put members of the LGBTQ community in a bad position, especially trans students. 16 year old Seamus, a transgender boy, explains how difficult it was for him. He says that "sitting in a blouse and skirt all day made me feel insanely anxious. I wasn’t taken seriously. This is atrocious and damaging to a young person’s mental health; that uniform nearly destroyed me."
A study conducted in 2019 found out that 18% of LGBTQ students were forced to wear what their school saw as "appropriate attire" for their gender. Considering that learningpolicyinstitute.org states "there is widespread agreement that all children and youth deserve a safe and healthy school environment," then why are we letting the LGBTQ community feel bad about themselves?
Quick Facts
By Jaap Joris from creditdonkey.com
2. The school uniform market is currently worth $27.93 billion and is expected to increase to $32.32 billion by 2026, growing at a rate of 7.3% per year.
3. Studies found that 38% of schools prefer a shade of blue in their school uniforms while white was preferred by 23% and red by 15%.
4. Grey is not found to be prevalent in the United States. However, remains a widely used color for uniforms in England.
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