WIBU here, the HT or his students and their parents?

[RidersOnTheStorm]

Friend's DS is 13. He is at a school with a uniform policy which he always complies with. He also has long hair which was not against the school's uniform policy when he joined.

New HT this term who is bringing in a new uniform from September (blazers FFS - back to the 50s). He has also been making noises about the boys with long hair. It's a Health and Safety issue, he says, and is stopping them in the corridor and telling them they should cut their hair in quite a bullying manner. Girls are still allowed to have long hair and nothing is said to them.

Friend's DS - M - says he will not cut his hair and several of his friends are of the same mind. Their parents are backing their stance. M wants his mother to write a letter to the HT telling him to stop harassing him about his hair because he won't be cutting it.

To me it seems very unfair to introduce a new policy and expect those already there to comply - but I put it to the MN jury. WIBU.

I would definitely be challenging the new HT's uniform policy on long hair for boys - either it is a H&S issue for all pupils or for none - and I doubt he'd get anywhere if he tried to make all the girls cut their hair! It would be entirely reasonable to insist that all pupils with long hair tie it back.

On the blazers issue - whilst I do think that blazers look smart, I have had children at schools that insisted on blazers and at schools where they were optional - and the latter was far more sensible and practical, imo!

When we moved from Essex to Scotland, ds1 and ds2 were both at senior schools that demanded blazers as part of the uniform - different schools (their choice, because the different schools suited them). For a start, the blazers were pretty expensive - ds2's blazer was £36 - I remember the price to this day, because, less than a term into Year 7, dh managed to brand a huge iron mark on the front of his blazer and we had to replace it just before Christmas!

Secondly, whilst ds2's blazer was washable and tumble-dry-able, ds1's was dry clean only - which was a complete pain, when it got dirty!

At the dses new, Scottish school, the uniform rules were more flexible - they could wear blazers if they chose to (but generally it was just the prefects and some of the other top year pupils who did), and the other option was a black v-necked jumper, or fleece or cardigan - it had to open at the neck to show the tie, and hoodies were not allowed - other than that, any plain black top was OK.

It was easier on cost grounds - it was much cheaper to buy a black fleece or jumper than to buy a blazer - and more practical too, because they could each have a couple of tops, so when one got dirty, they had another to wear - and finally, the tops could be easily and quickly laundered and dried, if they got dirty.

The dses' Essex schools were very much of the 'Smart uniform raises expectations and attainment' school of thought - and both were grammar schools - whereas their Scottish school was a comprehensive - but it was 7th overall in Scotland, judged on results, the year we moved here - which, to me, proves that a more flexible dress code doesn't cause standards to drop.

Since when were blazers 1950's? All the schools here wear them.

I don't like boys with long hair personally. Our school rules are it must be tied back for boys and girls.

A friend of mine was expelled from not one, but two schools - partly because of his long hair, but also because he refused to shave off his beard!

Cynically I think that appearance rules are used by schools as a way of demonstrating how 'strict' they are on behaviour. Punishing all the students who dont comply with uniform rules will also sweep up a lot of the students whose behaviour may be low level difficult. Of course this also picks up and tends to alienate those students whose only 'crime' is not to be wearing the correct shoes or something

To make a minor correction my previous point, your friends ds is being U. It still stands that the HT is entitled to set the rules they deem to be appropriate to the school and it's community, and the students are obliged to comply with them. I would also say that the parents should support the HT and not back their whiny children.

Blazers, okay my own kids wear them. The uniform was changed after my eldest had already started, which was a pain. The blazers aren't too bad.

Hair? It's not acceptable to insist the child's hair is cut, especially if it's only being applied to boys. Long hair should be tied back, whether it's a boy or girl.

It isn't H&S although I don't think boys should have long hair.

My husband (HT) is extremely strict with uniforms and it does make a difference to a school as regards attitude of students.

Blazers are great!

I don't think boys with long hair is a particularly good "look" but I don't think the head can insist it is cut either. At my son's school they do insist that children with long hair have it tied back in a pony tail for Home Economics and Science for safety reasons and this has to apply to boys too.

I dont think it makes any difference to student attitudes at all otherwise pretty much the rest of the world would be behind the UK educationally, which of course they are not.

My DCs' new head introduced a strict new uniform, black blazer and all, to replace the sweatshirt/polo shirt uniform which was in place. What happened? The school plummeted to the very bottom of the school league tables, went back into special measures and earlier this year was issued with a 15 day notice to improve.

Oh yes, school uniform makes all the difference!

Gnome - it's anecdotal, I know, but the dses' attitudes and behaviour didn't change when we moved them from a blazer-uniform school to one that didn't insist on it. Nor did their academic achievement levels drop.

Blazers may well be the norm in schools, but they are extremely silly and impractical garments. I wonder how many of the people saying they are fine wear them routinely to work?

Errrrr..... anyone who wears a suit to work??

Hair is hair.
If it's long enough to get caught in a drill, it needs putting up.

Drills and other machines aren't known for saying " oh that's boy hair. I won't tangle it."

I also have a wookie...

I don't think anyone is arguing that boys shouldn't have to tie their hair back, WhyCant. What they are saying is that it is discriminatory to say that boys can't have long hair for health and safety reasons when girls are allowed long hair, as long as it is tied back when necessary.

As you say, hair is hair - so why are girls allowed long hair when boys aren't? Girls' hair is not at lower risk from drills etc than boys' hair.

Not really surprising SDTG is it really! So far as I am aware black polyester has no educational or behavioural properties.

My Dc's maintained school does not allow long hair on boys.
It is not discriminatory because they say 'no unconventional hairstyles' which they argue long hair on a male is.
similarly, girls and boys uniforms are completely different apart from the blazer.Girls wear navy skirts and boys wear grey trousers

Long hair on males ceased to be unconventional in the 60s. So glad my DCs didn't have to put up with this shit.

My DC's school has a rule against "unconventional hairstyles" but this does not includ long hair on boys. Just like girls with long hair they have to tie it back if asked.
(Now Mohicans and blue hair are banned.)

I'd tell them to shove it!.

If the lad wants long hair, let him have long hair.

If it's a H&S issue, why aren't the girls told the same.

MrsCaecilius, suits don't have blazers. I don't think jackets are particularly practical either, but at least they're not in that nasty stiff material that tends to be used for school blazers. Also, of course, people in offices don't tend to stuff the pockets full so that they get inkstains on and bulge out and tear.

In relation to the claim that children like blazers: my journey to work takes me along the route that students going to a sixth form college take, only I'm going in the opposite direction. The college doesn't have a uniform. I therefore pass hundreds of 16-18 year olds every day. I've never yet seen one wearing a blazer.

DSs' school blazers have been exactly like a suit jacket.

Can I just sneak onto the thread and ask about blazers, as you all seem so knowledgeable. DD starts secondary in Sept, and has to wear a blazer, do girls blazers have all the inside pockets, just like the boy's blazers?
And no, I don't think long hair is unreasonable on a boy, but I'm very anti uniform anyway.

callar My DD's blazer had inside pockets.
(What is more it lasted the full 5 years so was a very good purchase)

Thanks TeenAndTween.

I hate hair rules. I can't get too wound up about uniform but at least you can wear what you like outside school. Our school has a 'no extreme hairstyles' with the interpretation of extreme being 'fashionable' or 'makes you look less of a dweeb'. You can't even get a decent 'extreme' haircut in the holidays unless you can get it back to the style of a 5yo in 1992 by the time term starts.