<p> Last week as I was reading the local newspaper, I discovered that the board of education was considering adopting school uniforms for the upcoming year. Could uniforms be beneficial to our school system? Statistics have shown that even though students do not prefer uniforms, they are beneficial in various ways. Therefore, uniforms would be constructive to our school environment. Every year a large number of students commit suicide due to bullying. This often occurs due to differences in social status which can visibly be determined by clothing. Uniforms can eliminate obvious differences in social status which can lead to an increase in attendance. In a research study conducted by the University of Georgia, researchers found that schools that implemented uniforms saw a 22% increase in attendance. These same schools also saw an increase in test scores and grade point averages. Having school uniforms decreases bullying, therefore, increasing student performance. Gang activity has been increasing rapidly in recent years. Gangs often identify themselves with clothing and various colors. Last year, my cousin, Jimmy, who attended a school in metro- Atlanta, was fatally beaten in the locker room by a gang member because he was wearing a red t-shirt. School uniforms provide unity in a school eliminating the chance for gangs to identify opposing members. Many parents are faced at the beginning of each school year with the burden of how to afford fashionable clothing for their kids. Recently, my dad discovered he has Parkinson’s and can no longer work. My family now depends on my mother’s meager paycheck to have the necessities that we need to live. If uniforms were adopted at our school, this would be one less financial burden on my family.</p>