A student express herself through the clothing she wears, and uniforms take away that privilege. Restricting the outfits a student may wear to school means the loss of a freedom to those against school uniform policies. Public schools are at the center of many heated uniform debates, as they are often seen as a place where a student should be free to express her individuality among his peers. Parents, students and teachers often cite freedom of expression as the first issue against enacting a school uniform policy.
Adding the cost of uniforms on top of purchasing out of school clothing is another issue in the school uniform debate. Parents must buy a certain style of trousers, shirts and shoes for the child to wear in school. Often these specific types of clothing are hard to find and cost more than the average pair of trousers and shirt. Many families cannot afford the extra cost of uniforms.
Uniforms, especially ones of a specific style, are viewed as a discomfort to students. A child feels comfort when wearing her own clothing, and a strict dress code often takes away the comfort she would typically feel. Many parties for school uniforms see the policy as a means to get students to pay attention longer in school. However, the parties against uniforms often claim clothing discomfort will distract the students after an extended period of time.
Though there are some students who see the reasoning behind uniforms, most students admit to not wanting such a policy to go into effect. Students often feel resentment toward the administrators who put the policy into effect, and many act out in other ways against the code. Many students may find other means to rebel and could abuse makeup and accessories as a means to express themselves.