Is Sock Hill the hill I want to die on?

[SocksGate]

DS started secondary school this month and last week he told me he needed socks with rubber on the soles for drama or he would get detention.

I have a pair of slipper socks that are just thick socks with rubber on the soles so I gave him those to wear today.

He came home upset saying he has a 30 minute detention tomorrow because the socks were "wrong."

Should I complain to the school that a 30 minute detention when he had brought in something that was, to the best of his knowledge, what was requested is very harsh?

Or should he just quietly do the detention and we put it behind us? Although that will probably mean another detention next week as I won't be able to go shopping for socks before his next drama lesson as I'll be working.

Will I be THAT parent if I complain?

DS says a lot of children in the class got detentions because they didn't bring in any socks with rubber on the soles.

i would contact the school too but have you any socks from.a trampoline park as think its probably those they are looking for.

I wouldn't tell him not to go to detention as a missed detention can mean isolation. They really needed to either put it in the uniform policy, or email home or at least get the kids to write in their planner exactly what they want

Bloody hell, is there some real risk that “proper” socks are alleviating that slipper socks wouldn’t? It sounds like another unnecessary thing to buy/name/lose/hunt for/buy all over again.

Quite apart from obviously the unclear communication already mentioned!

I had a recent hospital stay where they made me wear hospital issued slipper socks as my slippers weren't deemed satisfactory. It was the kind of ward where that was the least of the worries but it's more understandable than in a school did you parley speak with them Socks?

How can they hand out detention like that when they haven’t specified their requirements in their uniform list / other letter home etc? What a load of bollocks

I'd turn up for the detention yourself.

How can they give a child detention for this? It is utterly ridiculous.

Can you round up some troops on this issue if other kids are facing detention and skirmish in unison? I’d definitely raise it with school and say you disagree with detention. Ask the school to withdraw it as you are against it rather than telling DS not to do it?
Report back!

I always wonder what happens to the kids whose parents just can't or won't provide stuff like this. It's not like an 11yo can go out and get a Saturday job to pay for it themselves. Do schools really put kids in detention week after week indefinitely for something they have no control over? Depressing thought.

OP I hope you are not lying mortally wounded at the base of sock hill

I though this was going to be a different sock related moan. Probably because I have removed a Mount Everest of socks from my sons room this morning. (And no, they have not been used for anything else!!)

After I posted last, My DSD came home on Friday with a detention for not having a hair band!! It's 100% not on the uniform list that they have to have a hairband on them. If it was my own DD I'd definitely be having a battle on Hair Bobble Hill. Apparently OH isn't up for it though. Grrrr

@Whyhaveidonethis are the boys forced to wear hair bands?

Not uk so admittedly don't know your system.
But shouldn't it be the teacher in detention for failing to put it on the list? With brand and all if they wish for specific socks.

Haven't the teachers got better things to worry about .

Sock Hill is definitely the hill to die on!
Some handy battle tips from a grumpy teacher: a very nice email to the head of drama, apologising for your tiny, inexperienced, new starter Year 7 child wearing the wrong socks and sweetly asking for clarification / a link to the only acceptable socks in order to prevent more psychological damage to your innocent, distressed child in the form of more detentions will do maximum damage. You should probably cc the form tutor and head of Year in order to save even more children.

Ridiculous. As someone else has said, he turned up with what you both thought was correct and if it wasn't good enough parents should be informed (should have been in the first place) of what is required.

As a side note, the rubber bottomed socks are only required to stop the kids sliding around the entire lesson. No one being sensible in their socks on a wooden floor ever did themselves a mischief, it's the irresistible urge to skid around (by kids of all ages) that poses H&S risk 😂