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?

Enjoyed the idea of kids showing their "mid drift"...

Just wanted to chime in with other parents living in countries where there are no uniform rules: my DS have both attended a primary school in France with a very varied intake and clothing has NEVER been an issue. The kids really, really don't care about it. DS1 is now at secondary school and the same applies.

And, to repeat what I have posted elsewhere, French universities accept students wearing anything, including burkas, etc. Sarkozy, among other enlightened politicians who are clearly not interested merely in self-promotion and winning votes at all costs, have suggested a ban should be introduced, but we are very far from that happening. For historic reasons, French universities are extremely attached to civil liberties and while there have been cases of individual staff members making remarks, there is not any sustained move to introduce clothing regulations, and in any case there is no means of enforcing them. We barely keep track of attendance, never mind what anyone is wearing.

Thinking that Estrosi and his ilk, who ban burkinis, are illustrative of your average French citizen is a little like believing all UK subjects agree with Farage. One huge difference lies in the powers that mayors have...

Blinkowl you are absolutely right. I work in a school where uniform is voluntary. Most children don't wear it but they dress comfortably and appropriately and almost never break the few rules we have eg no football shirts. The children are focussed, disciplined and ready to learn. The staff don't have to waste their time telling people off for minor infringements like in other schools I've worked in.

I have had the unfortunate experience of attending a couple of funerals of relatively young people over the last decade or so, where on each occasion it was stipulated that the mourners wear bright colours, so we did. Obviously we are all fools who don't know how to dress.

I desperately want my children to go to a school that does not have a uniform as I strongly object to them on moral, ethical and practical grounds. There is not a single school in my LEA that does not have compulsory school uniform

Even if there were enough places for me to have a choice - what choice do I actually have.

How can anyone claim I chose to send my child to a school with a uniform and therefore should obey the rules when there is no alternative

I agree with you Sundance. Also, many schools are changing their uniform policy. My dd's school now longer allows girls to wear boots. They did when we first started. Am I supposed to move her?
I think the most important principle is encouraging children to take pride in their appearance. I've seen kids in schools with technically the correct uniform but with holes in their jumpers, dirty shoes etc. That to me suggests a poor attitude to school than a gold buckle on black shoes.

Uniform guidelines are usually very clear . We need to support the schools and support discipline, respect and high expectations. When you allow children to break the rules they become the devil of your own making and it is not long before they turn that defiance on you!

Like most, I can see the point about, the rules were published so you should stick to them. But totally think some of this is going too far when it comes to one shoe style being allowed over another when they are all black shoes, or girls being the wrong shape to wear particular trousers.
Also where uniform rules actually hinder comfort surely that is also hindering education. A friend's son just started grammar school on a day hotter than most of the summer. She said because it's the "Autumn" term he has to wear long sleeved shirt, long trousers, tie and blazer, which they are not allowed to take off, having spent the last 6 weeks in shorts tshirt and flip flops. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't learn well while being massively overheated. I almost think there's a human rights angle as well as a common sense one on not allowing someone to remove a jacket on a boiling hot day.

I almost think there's a human rights angle as well as a common sense one on not allowing someone to remove a jacket on a boiling hot day.

Of course it's a human rights issue, as it was when corporal punishment was outlawed. What possible justification can there be for a rule like this?

school shoes with no logo would be too restrictive for sizing I would imagine.
my dc have inherited my funny feet and therefore get whatever shoes fit.

"Quite a few might think all-black, leather trainers would be ok. Lets face it, why the hell wouldn't they be? confused"

Maybe I am showing my age, but when have trainers (whatever the colour) been an acceptable part of a school uniform? Why do people feel the need to 'embellish' their plain black shoes?

*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.*

Yeah including school children!

oh come off it! By the time their kids are 11 what parent really does not know what a school shoe is?

"I almost think there's a human rights angle"

Indeed, up there with the US civil rights movement, what this school needs is a modern day Rosa Parks to make a stand.

We've got no choice over schools though, have we? It's an academy or an academy in many cities.

What's happened to this country we were the greatest nation ever, people used to get on ships and just set sail who knows where, explore and live great lives

I think it went down hill when they didn't return.

If parents don't like the uniform rules then go to another school but those without such standards usually are poor schools. Shocked that parents do not know what a school shoe is . Yes, it does matter that rules are followed, it is not about human rights but lessons in life. Others are getting on and learning and getting ahead whilst the others protest.

I haven't read all the comments so someone has probably already said this but in the world of work after school a vast proportion of jobs have varying degrees of requirements on dress code. From strict uniform to guidelines. Surely it's not a bad idea to get children used to the idea that when going to school, just like work, they are expected to represent themselves and their school or workplace appropriately.
To call this a human rights issue is, in my view, completely overexaggerating the actual impact of being told what to wear. I really don't see what the fuss is about as long as the uniform rules are clearly communicated in plenty of time.

And of course people are routinely sent home from their jobs on day one for a small gold buckle on their shoe or having slightly stretchy black trousers...

You do know that it is perfectly possible and many people manage to wear a uniform at work despite never having worn one at school. Regarding the human rights issue, people are not saying that about uniform per se, but rather about being forbidden to take off a blazer in a swelteringly hot classroom.

When I started grammar school many, many years ago, one of the only 4 approved Clarks uniform shoes was a black or brown slip on with a small gold buckle. Therefore it simply wouldn't have occurred to me that a child could be sent home from this school for wearing something similar.

Again, the human rights issue is forcing children to wear uncomfortably hot clothes in hot weather. This comes up fairly often on MN. I would be interested in hearing the arguments in defense of this practice.

YY Sandbags I can just imagine the arse covering that would go on if one of the kids got heatstroke.

I agree Mrs De Vere especially when you consider the amount of walking or cycling that many children do to secondary school, it seems ridiculous to make them wear formal shoes.