to think that not wearing a poppy counting as a uniform disciplinary issue is wrong?

[Bogeyface]

DD's school have said this, and yes I have checked with the school.

Dont get me wrong, no issue personally with poppies. However I dont think that the school can insist on pupils wearing a poppy to the point that they can be put into isolation for not wearing one, can they?

A poppy is an act of remembrance and if a person has no reason to wear one, or prefers not to, then how is that any of the schools business? I dont wear one, but I buy 2 crosses every year for my grandfathers graves who both fought and suffered horribly during WWII. I remember, I just dont wear a poppy.

DD has chosen to wear one, but says that most of her peers wear them because they have to, not because they care. There have been no assemblies or lessons about why poppies are worn and what the represent so she thinks that in the main this rule is pointless.

Help for Heroes A way they could help soldiers and their families is a campaign to get rid of Carillion Amey.

This company is the elephant in the room that they dont want to talk about.

Oh no that is awful! Shame on that school. I personally always wear a poppy but it's because I choose to. i can't stand the way the BBC has every person who appears on any show wearing a poppy, it looks so false. I mean, i wear mine on my coat, I take my coat off at work, does that mean I should be shamed. It's ridiculous.

I agree bogeyface , the child/pupil is still an individual and shouldn't be made to wear one.

H4H us sod all to do with the poppy campaign.

And cannot help over Carillon Amey as it covers people in addition to the specific campaigns their charitable purpose covers. Also, they contribute to capital costs, not running costs or admin issues so it would be doubly ultra vires.

Sorry Sukey if I misunderstood you? Not trying to pick a fight with you (while awake all night with nipple biting DD I'm a little woozy though), just engaging at an academic level? You cited revisionists, I disagreed, you accused me of certainty, I agreed saying I wasn't an empiricist, which is a standard insult amongst theoretical historians. Anyway, I hope you're having a nicer night than I...

I have a Quaker friend who has pointed out that the red poppies are all sold on behalf of the British Legion in remembrance of those that have fallen, fighting for their country. No disrespect for anyone in our armed forces who has fought for this country and been wounded, or for families who have lost loved ones, I really do appreciate everything you have been through and continue to go through BUT you can also buy white poppies. They support charities who work with civilians affected by war: the displaced, the asylum seekers, injured and traumatise children and families, all innocent sufferers of war, as well injured veterans from the armed forces. Conflict affects everyone, physically, emotionally and mentally. It's about time we started to question the narrow narrative of remembrance as just being attached to the armed forces. I find it sad that schools are requiring students to support what is esentially a combatitive approach to solving world politics by wearing a RED poppy. I wish it was easier to buy white poppies - I haven't seen one in my local area at all.

I haven't worn a poppy in the run up to rememberance day for the past few years in a silent protest at poppy shamers. It should be a choice.

I don't get any of this.
OP, UANBU, your kids' school is crazy. They can't punish pupils for not displaying anything. What's next? They have to wear a crucifix even if they are muslim or atheist?
Plus, I am so wary of fundraising left right and centre in this country. It's bad enough that my taxes paid for the invasion of Iraq when I am not allowed to vote for general elections.
My grandfather fought in the French resistance, was captured and spent the rest of WW2 in concentration camps where he nearly died. My great-grandfather fought in the trenches. We watched Alain Resnais's Night and Fog at school and I read Primo Levi. I don't need anybody telling me anything about how to remember the war and I would certainly not let anybody brainwash or bully my children.

No worries user. Let's save the historical discussions to another time. I was just pondering the many reasons why people have joined up in the 20th century. I wasn't trying to enter an academic points scoring exercise I'd lose anyway.

Watch out for The Poppy Police! I am totally with Bogeyface (?) on this one.
If things carry on like this I will be renaming these poppy-wearing enforcers
"Poppy Nazis".
Oh, and just for the record, I have the greatest respect for Remembrance and do normally "wear a poppy with pride" at this time of the year. As for forcing people to wear a poppy ....well, it goes completely against the very values and principles that we fought for!

My husband is ex army. I don't wear one because I loose them. But we donate by DD every month. DH wears one.
If someone said I had to wear one I wouldn't as a point of principle. I think its outrageous that children are being punished for not wearing them.

It's appalling the way poppy wearing has become almost compulsory, I would just refuse to go along with the school on this. Way back in history people used to be fined for not going to church, buying a poppy is now almost as obligatory as buying a TV licence. It should always be a matter of choice, the are plenty of people who don't support recent wars including those that have since been declared illegal. The government is quick to send the troops in but happy to leave dealing with all its casualties to charity, it's disgraceful. It used to be about remembrance but the way it's been hijacked in recent years is quite sinister.

The pressure isn't new necessarily, though it does seem more prevalent these days. I've just remembered that my Grandma, who died a while back now, got accosted in the 1990s by a neighbour who was 20 years or so younger than her who was selling poppies and when she declined to buy one (she did buy one every year, I think she just wasn't wearing it that day) this neighbour made a very snide comment to her about not being very patriotic. Grandma pointed out very emphatically that since she had actually participated in the war effort during WW2 and had lost a brother to it, she wouldn't be taking lectures about 'patriotism' from someone too young to have any clue what she was talking about, thank you very much. I miss my Grandma

Another poppy wearer here who thinks conscripted poppy wearing is revolting.

Grey I like the idea of a corsage

A poppy ISN'T a charity symbol per se, it is to commemorate the folk who died in the war/s. Folk forget specifically in the 1st & 2nd World Wars men were FORCED to go to war, not oooh shall I go or not? "Forced to wear a poppy" sounds really weak-willed when you think what men like my father and grandfather went through, seeing colleagues blown up or left to die in agony in mud and dirt. Why do folk no longer sit down with their kids and say this is what happened and where the poppy comes from. (Poppies grew up thru the hell-holes of battle fields, delicate flowers yet hardy etc etc.) Sorry but this mamby-pamby talk " mehhhhh he was forced......." sounds like the PARENTS may not understand this is not to commemorate WAR its to commemorate the people who fought often to death, often against their will OR THEY WERE SHOT AT DAWN.
Gawd I hope no-one takes offence.........

Police State. This is the kind of shit North Korea pulls, I used to wear a poppy, but don't anymore as I believe the symbolism has been lost and is now used as a jingoistic (if that's a word) icon.

Yes thank you Gerty, you don't have to shout. People on this thread have amply proved that they understand the origins of poppy wearing and they're aware of the conflicts. I agree parents should be educating their children about the history 20th century warfare where possible, and current warfare. However none of that changes the fact forced poppy wearing goes against everything that was fought for.

A poppy ISN'T a charity symbol per se

If you are talking about poppies growing in a field then your right, but if you're talking (as this thread is) about the poppies given by the RBL specifically in exchange for a DONATION to their CHARITY, then you're simply wrong.

And where a lot of that charity money goes is NOTHING to do with '1st & 2nd World Wars men [who] were FORCED to go to war' as the briefest look at what the RBL spend it's money on would show you.

Giving money to a specific military support charity in exchange for a poppy and 'having respect for those who died in the world wars' are NOT the same thing at all.