Enforced wearing of blazer (wool) in hot weather

[Sweatingcobbles]

I know in the grand scheme of things this week it isn't a massive crisis but aibu to think it's stupid that in 29 degree weather today school refused to let the children take their fairly thick wool blazer off.
They said it is to maintain smartness and an office like uniform.
I'd rather kids could concentrate on learning and exams rather than feeling sick or ill.
Ironically I was in the office today with sandals and a short sleeve top.

It's like they hate children!

I think most teachers do actually hate children - certainly most of those that I've known hate them. Makes you wonder why they chose that profession doesn't it!

This is one of the things I liked about my son going to a non-uniform school. On warm summer days he (and most of his friends) went in wearing t-shirt and shorts i.e. comfortable and cool. The school is Outstanding with excellent results, so no detrimental effects of not wearing blazers.
A lot of my year six boys are really unhappy that their secondary schools do not include shorts in their uniforms, as some of them wear them all year.

I have worked in all sorts of offices of varying degrees of formality, from central government down, and I can't think of one where jackets would be universally at all times worn during hot weather. Possibly in the Palace of Westminster, but then that's a great big stone building, it tends to be fairly cool - and it's in Recess during the hottest weather anyway. Jackets might go on for meetings with important people, but they'd be off afterwards. I wore my suit twice, and that was it. I don't even own one now, and I can't see me buying one any time soon, not even for a job interview.

I do wonder if the people making these uniform policies have ever actually worked in an office, because their justifications are not based in a reality that I recognise.

In protest, as a teen, I probably would have fainted. Thankfully our school didn't have that rule and neither does DS'.

It's stupid.

And in the office, everyone takes off their jackets and just wears their shirts! Lots even roll up their sleves.

I used to read about this on mumsnet and feel pleased that blazers were optional at dd's school in the summer term, but now they've changed it to compulsory unless there is a special decree that they don't have to wear them (which hasn't happened yet this year.) They do let them take them off in lessons though and they aren't wool, so not too bad. They are supposed to wear them to and from school but i doubt anything would be said if they were seen not wearing it out of school.

I do wonder if the people making these uniform policies have ever actually worked in an office, because their justifications are not based in a reality that I recognise

Doubtful!

What I don't understand is the argument that they're trying to emulate private school.

I was privately educated right from reception through to sixth form and we never had these rules. We were allowed short sleeved shirts all year round, no ties from Easter until October half term (unless for school photos or open days), didn't have to wear jumpers or blazers unless we wanted to (or again, blazers for open days but we didn't have to wear them).

From what I've read on here - state schools are far stricter!

Bloody silly. I chaired a magistrates' court yesterday and the AC, such as it is, had packed up. I announced as we took our seats that Gentlemen may dispense with jackets and the prosecutor and two (male) police officers followed my lead.

Academies are trying to emulate private schools with plaid skirts/pinafores, blazers, ties and draconian rules

That would explain the hideous yellow and burgundy check skirts I see when passing a school on the way to work.

I agree with the idea of a school uniform, its a leveller and school is not a fashion parade etc.

Include blazers, jumpers, long and short sleeve shirts, trousers, skirts (with obvious caveat re length) and even smartish knee length shorts, but leave the choice of what is worn when to the individual student - some people are hot and cold at different temperatures and what is right for one is not for everyone.

It's stupid wrong and possibly dangerous to enforce the wearing of blazers in this weather, just like it is ridiculous to require boys to wear short shorts in winter, like some private schools (used to?) do.

It's the permitted selection of garments thats the 'uniform' not the rigid requirement to wear all of them at all times.

We had to do that in Australia in summer...

40º heat was not uncommon.

We survived. My kids have to do the same. None of them have passed out yet.

I do wonder if the people making these uniform policies have ever actually worked in an office, because their justifications are not based in a reality that I recognise.

No different to all the things they teach which have no resemblance to real life either. I think it just highlights the bubble that the education profession live in. They have this perception of what happens out in the real world that is worrying nowhere near the reality.

It's not just blazer though.
It's the school jumpers or the tights that girls have to wear.

I know that we don't have that sort of temperature very often but really? These are children who chose not to wear a coat in winter even when it's snowing but then apparently it's ok and not an issue at all
In effect we are asking them to be dressed exactely the same way when it's -5oC and when it's 30oC.
But outside the school everyone will strip off, put shorts and little shirts/blouse, ask for a fan etc....

It's taking the idea of importance of a uniform too far IMO or they could for a summer uniform instead

I'm with you, OP. Dc school gave permission yesterday for pupils to come to school without their blazers.

Dd1 still insists on wearing opaque nylon tights, mind you, so not sure she'll feel the benefit...

We had this rule in school... You could take them off in between lessons but they had to be on whilst in lessons.

We had an english teacher who would let us take our ties and jackets off and undo top buttons, our head of year challenged him once and he just said that you must treat school children as human beings rather than models in a fashion show.

super actually, having olives in a tropical country where we had those temperatures, I think it's completely different.
For once, temperatures don't go down as low but also the variation in temperature isn't the same.

Where I am, a week and a half ago, we were still wearing jumpers etc (think temperatures below 10oC) and now we have 29oC. The body doesn't have time to adjust to the new temperature which why it's much harder to cope with it.
Plus when you are used to 40oC, 28oC feels cold and you are quite happy to wear a jumper!

where I work only the receptionists and cleaners wear a uniform.
I never wear a suit, even when meeting important people, I just smarten up a bit.
most men only wear a suit & jacket for presentation and formal dinners.

I was at secondary school 1974 to 1979 and we had a summer uniform that was optional. It was yellow unfortunately and a specific print but you could buy it ready made or the fabric to make it at home. It was a light fabric and worn with a light cardigan and white leather sandals. My sis went to a grammar school and she also had (an altogether nicer) summer uniform in a blue floral fabric. When and why was this idea dropped I wonder?

"When I was at grammar school in the 50s the Summer uniform was a gingham dress and a blazer for outdoors with a straw hat. We had very strict uniform rules and from Easter to July it was dresses."

Yes, that sounds like my mum who went to a convent school in the 50s. I'd love to see my own teenaged daughters' faces if they were told they had to wear gingham dresses to school in summer. They'd be horrified.

No summer dresses at my own (different) convent school in the 80s. We had (non wool) blazers for summer, but they were only for outdoors and even then you could whip them off once past the schol gates going home. Regulation cardigans, sweaters or tank tops were worn with an open necked blouse and skirt in summer, but again we could take them off if we were warm. We also had to wear white ankle socks in summer, so our pasty white legs stayed cool as well. So we had uniform, but it was adaptive to the weather and season. Some of the posts on here, of children sweltering indoors in thick woollen blazers, are appalling. I mean, I'm in favour of uniform myself, but common sense is needed.

Forgot to add that our school summer blouse was short sleeved, with revere collar i.e. worn without a tie. That was regulation throughout spring and summer; we all had to wear it rather than the long sleeved cream blouse with tie that was worn in autumn/winter.

'SuperBeagle

We had to do that in Australia in summer...

40º heat was not uncommon.

We survived. My kids have to do the same. None of them have passed out yet.'

Understood. We live up North UK though and our kids are not acclimatised to temperature over 5 degrees.

My school had a very sensible uniform.

Black below the waist of your choice so skirt, trousers, jeans, shorts whatever.

Polo shirt in one of 4 colours. Optional to have logo. Logo jumper in 1 of 4 colours.

We want more for our kids than for them to survive and not pass out don't we? It's setting the bar quite low!

Another 70's child who got the option of summer dresses at secondary. Can't see it happening now but it was the norm then. I can't see why there can't be a summer variation on uniform though. Ditching ties, blazers and done up top buttons entirely would be a start.

The insistence on blazers regardless is staggering. At the DC school the teacher got to decide if the kids could take their blazers off in the lesson which effectively turned it into a discretionary privilege. No idea what being hot, sticky and uncomfortable on someone else's whim was supposed to be teaching them

I don't get the argument that schools need to insist on the whole blazer/jumper/tie thing in GCSE season to keep it serious. With a few exceptions, university students get to revise for and do exams wearing clothing appropriate to the weather without any adverse effect on results. I would have thought making exam candidates overheat would be seriously counterproductive.