to tell DD to stay put and not do what her teacher has just told her?

[quackermoomoo]

DD1 is in 6 form - they don't have a uniform, their rules just say that nothing lowcut or very short, beach attire etc

I'm spanish - my great GP all fought on Republican side in civil war, GP involved against Franco as were parents.

My Grandfather bought my DD a t-shirt for her birthday a few days ago. She really likes it (okay so it is winter so she is wearing a long sleeved black top under it) and went to school wearing it. It has a montif of Dolores Ibarruri on the side. (DD has just got very into our family history)

She has just phoned to say she has been told to go home. She is obviously shocked. The school send people home to get changed if clothes dont match the code. Head of 6 form told her that political symbols are againt school rules - I just checked no where in cotract she signed does it say that.

I have seen students walking to school past our house wearing tops with Che Guevara on and one person in DS1 class wore a Tory party top when the elction was on (he is at uni) and they were allowed to wear it.

She doesn't want to go home and change and I don't think she should have to.

I told her to stay put and if head says anything tell him to phone me. We shall wait and see

AIBU to not back up school?

'the teacher must have felt the t-shirt to have offended them in some way': no, the teacher has just got the wrong end of the stick, clearly. Because the OP's daughter hasn't broken the school rules.

The difference between this and students wearing explicitly fascist T-shirts, say a T-shirt with Mosley or Franco on it, would IMO be endorsing specific violence against other students at the school.

Headmaster sounds like bit of a dictator himself. Nothing wrong with kids having interest in political history. Did he ban poppies too??

Hypothetical ....if someone went in with a picture of Bin Laden with I heart Al Quaida - that would be acceptable?

People - and I deem 6th formers as adults - have to know what is and isnt acceptable.

Surely the teacher should have something better to do with her time than start a fight with a politically aware teenager over something as silly as a t-shirt? I'd hope ALL her marking, coursework sortage, lesson planning, displays etc are entirely up to date, for a start.

I'd be inclined to let it ride - but being aware that teenagers will push any percieved injustice W-A-Y beyond the storm in a teacup there is at present - I'm thinking beach-themed winterwear, with more and more obscure political/antifascist/spanish civil war references worn by half the year, that's what happened in our school (complete with uniform in the sixthform!) over something equally minor. Teenagers will take things literally if it makes the unjust adult's argument more visibly ridiculous. Grown ups give up quicker!

Slightly off topic, but I once spent a weekend in the peak district in a ludicrous bobble hat with idiot mittens and a tape of nursery rhymes on repeat at 18 purely because the teachers decided that the 2 fully qualified expedition leaders who were students couldn't possibly work together unsupervised by the unqualified "adults" - despite the fact they needed me to drive! Thing is, if they'd said "Sar, Jen, we need you both to drive" we'd have been fine with it, but they made something silly up...

...Actually, had she spilled something down her front? (ie sensible reason to change dressed up as a silly one)

OP, what happened with the school today? :)

cricketballs, honestly, 'acceptable in the school environment' does NOT = 'things that teachers aren't offended by'.

Sales of Lynx & Relentless would bloody flatline for a start.

Given that most kids wouldn't even know who this historical figure was, it sounds to me like an individual teacher on a bit of a power kick. Being older and in a position of authority, doesn't = having the right to impose what you want irrespective of actual school rules.

I guess the Ukequivalent would be wearing an Enoch PowellT shirt or something - ie someone isgoing to be Offended, and for the school its just not worth the hassle..

Surely the debate on whether schools should have dress codes or not is irrelevant: the OPs quibble is that no such dress code has been published and that other students are allowed to wear clothing with political quibbles.

Does anyone support ad hoc dress code rules in the workplace?

Dress code should be part of the prospectus. Changes in dress code should be advertised in a newsletter. People- whether students or employees - have a right to know whether they will be infringing a code or not.

political figures, even

Why are they all so mad?

Wouldn't you think that a t-shirt like that would be a great jumping off point for a discussion on history and politics?

Why not educate our young rather than squashing them into these weird vanilla boxes?

Oh I know! So they'll put up and shut up.

Funnily enough, we all managed to stagger through sixth form without these rules, we all wore exactly what we wanted, be that a suit or 57 studs beneath our pink mohicans AND got our A levels! Imagine!

I would be advising my dd to talk to her head of year or head of sixth form, or the head. If she is in sixth form she is doing A levels and should be dealing with these things herself, her Mum should not be fighting her battles for her when it comes to clothes.

I would tell her to explain that she did not know it would cause offense, and apologise if it has caused offense (but not apologise for wearing it) explain where it has come from and why she is wearing it, then say she doesn't feel she should have to miss lessons to change it, but that she will not wear it again. I think her opinion would be respected if she presents it correctly.

I think she should tell them all to get a life and fight a battle that matters.

Why should she not have to wear it again though? If the rules state that no political clothing should be worn, then fair enough because she signed up to that, but if it isn't, then she every right to wear it and the individual teacher who caused all this fuss should stfu.

She shouldn't have to not wear it again, but I don't think that's the point.

It could be a good lesson for her in managing difficult situations where the people in authority are doing something unfair. Many of us have experienced simealr things in a Boss. It's about learing to handle the situation and manage difficult people, it's not all about a t shirt when it goes as far as it already has done.

If there is no school rule on political t-shirts, then she has not broken a school rule. End of. I agree though that if she is old enough to really understand the significance of wearing that T-shirt, then she is old enough to argue her point with the Head himself (assuming he is fairly reasonable and intelligent character).

However, I would be equally offended by pictures of Stalin/Mao or fascist ones. "Communist" dictatorship are as despicable as fascist ones: Mao and Stalin have killed or sent to prison camps huge numbers of people in the name of retaining power (probably more than the people killed during WW2). I never understand why somehow there is more tolerance for Stalin mugs than there is for Hitler mugs.

We were allowed to wear Che tops at 6th form. Teachers didn't batter an eyelid.

Cricketballs, seriously at the 6th form you work at the pupils can't wear t-shirts? What on earth do they do in summer? Get heatstroke?

I agree that she should fight her own battles.

Why on earth can't 6th formers wear clothes with political slogans? (Unless offensive on other grounds). It is disturbing how much free self-expression is choked off these days. I think telling your daughter to stay put, and raising the matter with the head, is reasonable. There is so much insincere crap about respecting children's individuality and self-exploration; and what we have in reality is narrow coaching instead of education, and arbitrary restraints on clothing. They should welcome her pride and interest in her family past.

Oh, but, yes, agree with cory that the battle is primarily her own, and that the parents' role is to support daughter not take on the fight directly.

Out of interest, when did it all change?

My dc's school makes them wear suits (suits!) on Mons and Fris to prepare them for being good little corporate drones, the other three days is just don't show your tits or knickers.

No one would have dreamed of giving us a dress code. What happened?

I would leave her to fight it. If the school haven't put in in the dress code then I don't see how they can send her home.
I would think they ought to get it in the dress code very quickly because other students could wear very inappropriate, offensive political slogans (BNP for example) and who draws the line and where? Better not to have any.
However, as the parent I would stay out of it-she is only enough.

Yeah, Hully, my DS1 has just started 6th form and I was surprised and depressed to learn that the 'dress code' (which I had thought would be something like 'no pierced tongues') actually means 'Tesco junior management'.

Something to do with education being rebranded as 'practicing for a job' I suppose.