Yes: Students should wear uniforms, it keeps everyone equivalent and reduces the percentage of bullying in learning establishments.
Just examples
No: Students shouldn't wear uniforms, they should have the unchallenged, unprecedented, freedom to wear whatever they shall please.
For The Cay you should use external conflict, it will help your advancement to the plot of the story
I think the theme could be that sometimes you end up liking the things you least expect you would