Some jobs have a uniform and they could care less about...
Uniforms should be mandatory in all of the public schools of America
Your first argument, where you say that they can express themselves in the school's extra-curricular classes, doesn't fit everybody. Some schools don't have those courses, once again another personal experience, and what about the kids with learning disabilities? Writing to release their feelings may be a challenge. Art class aren't always provided either, especially in elementary when kids are forced into these classes instead of picking them in JH or HS. What if the kids aren't into art or singing? What if it has the exact opposite effect on them? Plus, some kids don't even have the right assets to go to school, the only way you'll keep kids out of gangs is by doing that, attacking the problem by the source and not beating around the bush with school dress code. On the same not, some schools are different with their dress code, some are too strict. Such as this high school named Trinity HS. Their dress code is very loose, but it's still there and they have very high rates of success. The only things that should matter in a school is what's supposed to happen there: education and preparation for college, I mean that very vaguely. Plus, we need something that works for all learners. The American school system is very outdated, considering they teach every child the same way no matter how they learn and they, as in teachers, expect them to follow their lesson plan no matter what. Everyone learns differently. I also doubt that a uniform makes people bond. Some jobs have a uniform and they could care less about their peers. Uniforms we can do without. Another school example is Harwood JH, a school in Bedford that is #3 ranking school in their county, and guess what, there's no uniform! The dress code is strict as it reads from the website, but no uniform. You don't get logic or intelligence from a uniform, it comes from your brain, The latest fashions is also something a majority of kids like, some stores actually go with the latest fashion so it isn't hard to walk into Walmart or the mall and buy the clothes.