School uniforms restrict students’ freedom of expression

2. They're Too Expensive

Another argument commonly raised by parents in the school uniform debate is how costly they are. Parents may argue that having to buy expensive school uniforms on top of regular afterschool and weekend clothes can become a financial burden on families, especially those with multiple school-aged children.
School is already expensive enough, with parents having to pay for school excursions, books, stationery, and transport. Adding the cost of often expensive school uniforms can make balancing the budget very difficult for many families, especially those from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
School uniforms could be made cheaper, but doing so may affect the quality and comfort of the clothing. Ultimately, however, the greatest reason school uniforms are expensive is because they force parents to buy two separate sets of clothes—this is an inherent problem for school uniforms in that whenever school uniforms are required, two sets of wardrobes (doubling the cost) are required.
In conclusion, while many parents acknowledge that there are pros and cons to having school uniforms, the cost is still just too much for many families.

Girls lining up for class via Wikimedia Commons
Al Jazeera English [CC-BY-SA-2.0]

,0213. They Infringe on Religious Freedom

School uniforms, as argued by religious organizations, may o
,021ten lead to religious discrimination. These organizations may claim that, in turn, school uniforms infringe on a student's religious freedom.
Because many faiths have quite specific dress standards that must be followed, school uniforms mean that many students aren't able to meet the dress standards of their particular faith. Often, due to the two codes of dress being contradictory, a student is forced to choose between following the school's rules and the rules of their faith.
While it may be possible for there to be exceptions to the uniform rules, this can often create more problems. In fact, these exceptions may be even less equalizing—for example, Islamic students' school uniforms mean that they are the only ones wearing something different, and this can lead to isolation, bullying, and cultural intolerance.