To think it's not hard to adhere to uniform rules

[Puzzledconfusedandbewildered]

Yet again in the fail a school has had protests from parents (and police presence) due to 50 students being turned away on day 1 for breaching the uniform rules

Aibu to think the rules are the rules and if you want your child to attend that school you adhere to them?

Well I refuse to work for any company that enforce stupid uniform rules with high heels, skirt length etc. Glad I'm still employed in my 40s and never needed to wear a stupid suit or uniform.

Don't see what's wrong with something tidy and comfy.

For those that say " conformity" is a problem with school uniform it is worth actually looking at what the non conformists actually want to wear.

Again, who is actually saying that? Most people are simply arguing for children being allowed to wear what they're comfortable with. Absolutely children tend to slip into their own semi-uniform. That's why there's no need for school uniform.

Ballet thats appalling. Being treated that way is likely something he will never forget.

A rule that means children get sent home for having a small silver tag on their smart matt black shoes certainly is extremely petty

No it's not petty. It is keeping to the rule so it doesn't expand into something bigger.
It is sticking to the boundary set. Otherwise, there would be no point in the boundary.

Well said Sunshine!

Wow. There really is a lot of subtext classism on this thread.

Those saying that a uniform policy is ridiculous should consider the fact that sometimes in life you have to wear a certain 'uniform'. Would all you be so quick to defend someone who turned up to a funeral in neon pink while every one else is in sombre black, would you be just as happy if someone wore a onesy to a naice wedding, would you think the 'uniform' was ridiculous then?

YY Seneca. Like the assumption that parents that cant afford £56 blazers must be buying trainers.

Instead they are paying out for luxuries like food rent and council tax.

Just another Poster It depends on the person who died. A lot of people now wear outfits to funerals that reflect the personality/hobbies/ career of the deceased.

Surely it's as simple as, the school has set rules, if you don't comply with these rules your child will not be allowed to attend school, therefore you should comply with the rules in order for your child to receive an education?

Fortunately the law - you know, those pesky rules schools have to abide by - says that children must have an education. It also sets out some pretty strict rules around exclusions that say they must be the last resort for serious breaches of behavioural standards.

knitknack, my post about conformity to school rules in general was in response to someone suggesting that posters on this thread felt their children do not need to conform. It didn't relate to what pupils in your school do. If they don't want to conform, wouldn't life be easier if you didn't have to enforce the more indefensible of the school rules?

A rule that means children get sent home for having a small silver tag on their smart matt black shoes certainly is extremely petty

No it's not petty. It is keeping to the rule so it doesn't expand into something bigger.

OMG, someone might come in with smart matt black shoes with TWO small silver tags on! Everyone might come in wearing them! The entire school will descend into chaos!

It is sticking to the boundary set. Otherwise, there would be no point in the boundary.

Thank you for acknowledging that there is indeed no point in that boundary. Schools need to stick to boundaries that are sensible - e.g. that they treat each other and staff with respect, do their work, arrive at lessons on time with the right books. THAT is where children learn respect and good sense, not by sending them home for having a small silver tag on their perfectly respectable shoes.

I am so glad I work in a school where uniform is a loose code. As a result a major source of conflict is removed and I can save my energy for the things that matter - learning and contributing.

And the kids mostly wear jeans, t shirt and hoodie. They dress appropriately for the weather. No one bothers with high fashion and, if they do, we are able to engage with them by talking about clothing / hair etc. Teenagers are people, not monsters that have to be forced to conform. They are mostly pretty conventional.

No, JustAnother, if your read the thread you will see that people have acknowledged over and over again that there are times when people have to wear uniform and conform to dress codes. There is an obvious point in people like nurses and the police wearing uniforms, which relates directly to the nature of their work. There is equally an obvious point in complying with the wishes of the relatives of a deceased person and wearing black to funerals, which relates directly to the need be considerate and show empathy and respect. School children are supposed to learn. Wearing a uniform doesn't affect their ability to learn. Therefore there is no obvious point in it.

I haven't read the article but my DC school had such strict uniform rules that it was impossible to stick to. They had Mr Perfect as a model and everyone had to match. For example DS1 was sent home on his second day because his tie was too short. They had actually measuredo it and it was 2.5cm shorter than regulation. Standards have lowered slightly and the atmosphere is so much more relaxed and learning friendly. It is not hard to buy the correct uniform and as long as people follow to sensibly it should work. It fails when people buck the system just because they can.

judy

That reminded me of this quote from the Breakfast club

Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up? If he gets up, we'll all get up, it'll be anarchy.

even the head has been forced to admit that the guidance they produced was unclear

So unclear in fact that the vast majority of the parents managed to send their DCs to school in what was required ... ?

I work in a nursing home, we all have to wear the sam tunics, navy trousers, and black socks, with black waterproof shoes (bodily fluid protection). The uniform stifles us in expressing our individuality but I am an adult and this is not an issue. Parents create this issue for their young people, as opposed to telling them to "let it go". Schools must maintain a reasonable level of uniformity between the students. If rules are in place they must be adhered to. One student wearing black jogging bottoms, and a ralph Lauren polo, would not be permitted, so therefore, unfortunately to maintain equal treatment and fairness (as we all know teenagers care so much about) the child with trousers which are too tight, must not be permitted.

OMG, someone might come in with smart matt black shoes with TWO small silver tags on! Everyone might come in wearing them! The entire school will descend into chaos

You are being facetious.
Allowing one thing would lead to other things,...not bloody silver tags.
Perhaps we should allow the children to decide when they come in. Whether they do homework?

Kids don't care what the issue is. It's about getting them to adhere to rules to establish a sense of order.

Allowing one thing would lead to other things,...not bloody silver tags

So what would allowing a tiny silver tag on shoes lead to then? Do tell us how that will cause such problems that they must be banned.....

Surely it's as simple as, the school has set rules, if you don't comply with these rules your child will not be allowed to attend school, therefore you should comply with the rules in order for your child to receive an education

Another rules is rules is rules sheep. What when its a rule that is bad for YOUR kid? Bet thats a rule worth challenging? Or do you always do whatever someone else tells you to do?

Would all you be so quick to defend someone who turned up to a funeral in neon pink while every one else is in sombre black, would you be just as happy if someone wore a onesy to a naice wedding, would you think the 'uniform' was ridiculous then?

Did you spend so much time on your clothes that you never opened a dictionary in school? Thats not uniform, and has no bearing at all on this.

My ds's school changed to an academy in April and were "kind" enough to provide a new tie and badge which was designed to fit over the pre- existing one.

Come the summer holidays- goes to the only supplier for ds school to discover that above badge doesn't exist anymore, the school motto is to now be embroidered onto the blazer and sent away if not in stock.

School didn't inform parents of this so anyone hoping to keep the old blazer this year would not be able to!
Still waiting for ds blazer to come and he went back today!!

I bet all the Police were in the correct uniform...that is the life lesson.

Rubbish.

A member of the Police and the Fire Service only has to turn up to work in their underpants. Yes they all wear the same uniform but they are all given it from the shirt to the socks to the shoes. Note the word given.

So there you go; how to solve the problem of uniform - every school child wears the exact same style and colour uniform from the shirt to the shoes. Same itchy serge. Same cardboard collar shirt with short sleeves. Same navy blue socks. Same Dr Marten style slip on shoes.

No complaints about shoes, socks, too short skirts, too tight trousers, impractical shoes etc. because they are all dressed exactly the same.

I bet all the Police were in the correct uniform...that is the life lesson

What is the life lesson? That some people wear uniforms? Well duh.