The uniform debate The question of whether or not uniforms should be worn in schools is difficult to answer. There are many pros and cons to each side and that is why this is such a controversial issue. Before conducting any research, I was totally against uniforms in public schools. I was against uniforms because I went to a public school and had the privilege of being able to wear whatever I wanted to school every day. I felt like uniforms would make school even more boring and dry than it already is and that people should be able to dress however they want. In some ways I still agree with that. On the other hand, after conducting research, I began to see how beneficial uniforms in public schools could actually be. The Three Areas of ResearchIn my own experience in public school, I have observed that many students divide themselves into "cliques." The different cliques are distinguished by what one wears. Instead of different cliques segregating themselves based on what they wear, I believe uniforms can create a more accepting environment. Around 160,000 students miss school daily for fear of being attacked or bullied by other students. This figure is unacceptably high. An article by Kaylen Tucker states: "School leaders surveyed who have implemented a school uniform or formal dress code believe their current policy has had a significant positive impact on peer pressure (86 percent) and bullying (64 percent)” (National Survey). ). 64 percent is a huge percentage of students who would no longer be bullied. These are numbers that cannot be ignored and have led me to believe that uniforms really can reduce harassment in public. It is impossible to weigh the pros and cons because people's opinions about them are very different. For example, one person might think that students express themselves with the clothes they wear and someone else might say that it doesn't make sense that they can still express themselves outside of school. There are counterarguments to many, if not all, points. But after conducting research, I concluded that uniforms help academics and reduce bullying in schools. On the other hand, it hurts families who cannot afford the high prices of bringing uniforms to schools. Student freedom of expression also comes into play because I think it is important for students to be able to express themselves. There is no compromise on this issue, as it is either have students wear the uniform or not. But an economic compromise may be for schools to require inexpensive uniforms instead of expensive uniforms or to require students to incorporate the logo on all their shirts. This debate will not end at any time