AIBU to think that parents should buy the correct uniform and stop moaning

[Loveluck7]

I am getting increasingly irritated by people on FB moaning that their child's human rights have been violated because they were put into isolation for having the wrong uniform.

I understand that some rules can seem ridiculous but unfortunately some bad parents who have let their child wear spray on trousers and tiny skirts, have necessitated schools stipulating the exact items they need to wear.

Isolation does seem a harsh punishment when it is the parent's fault but how else can schools enforce the rules when some parent's think rules do not apply to them? The child cannot attend class without trousers and parent's would be angry if the child was sent home.

You also often find that it is these parent's who also complain when a school is no good at discipline, yet will not follow the rules themselves.

I don't want to get into an argument on a thread and of course everyone is entitled to their opinion so best agree to disagree. I actually agree with you that blanket defiance is not appropriate either. As I said, I totally agree with uniform when the rules are sensible.

It does scare me though how little power parents and children have against academies. They seem to be a law unto themselves (large MATs especially) and even when this madness is publicised nothing changes. That's why I think things like shoes/trainer arguments are worth having.

Agree Rainbow. We currently have a system which seems to support everyone doing as they are told, no matter how ridiculous the 'request'. This is filtered down from govt to head teachers, to ordinary teachers to children. It's why that hoy spent today and yesterday turning herself inside out imposing silly rules instead of her actual job of teaching.

Someone at some point has to call a halt to this and say no to what is truly unreasonable, which isn't a uniform policy but is one where you have expensive single suppliers and kids being put in isolation over shoes having a 2mm label.

I don't think the answer is blanket defiance but I do think that people being so gleeful in other children and parents being harshly punished for minor uniform infringements is depressing. As is the idea that school is just years of preparation for a compliant working in an office with a dress code (and I'm someone who happily works in an office with a dress code). It just makes schools look petty and gloomy and small minded, when they should be anything but.

@BeyondThePage

My DD was threatened with isolation for having a skirt too short.

You have to buy the skirt from the school. I bought the correct uniform.

She is 15 and 5'11" with a 22" waist. School skirts that fit come up short.

I'm anticipating this when DD starts seniors as she is so slim with long legs, although nowhere near as tall as your daughter. Their seniors introduced new skirts that the girls couldn't roll up, but most of them still seem to be wearing belts. It seems that they come in one length per waist size. I don't see why skirts can't have Short, Regular and Long lengths and adjustable waists, like the trousers my son has.

I'm not saying the school shouldn't ask for the label to be removed, more that putting a kid in isolation over something that was acceptable last term was stupid and unnecessary. Even the school have admitted that a simple request home would have been better.

Cosmic

I've just discovered that not even 2 weeks in DD leather school approved shoes which were the cheapest on the school list at £45 have completely split along a seam in the leather.

I'm going to have to take them back on sat. That's a 30 mile round trip costing £4.16 in petrol plus 50p to park the car for an hour because the local shoe shop where I live didn't have her size (2nd week in August because she is growing and I want them to do before anyone says get them in the beginning of July) and we had to go to the next town which is 15 miles each way.

By the way. Primary wouldn't do forDD shoes - it's 36 mile round trip, and I work far away, I'd have to take DD with me to make sure they fit (she has wide feet and high arches) plus the shoes must be leather and the school specify 3 styles. £45 £50 and £55.

I sent her in a pair of DD1 last year that DD1 had outgrown and were acceptable when DD1 was at the school and we were told that they were no longer acceptable (t-bar buckle sturdy shoe not a pump) and that they had to be brogue style now.

coddiwomple

You have absolutely no concept of how quickly life can change for a family, do you?

You never look at Syria, for example, and think "there, but for the grace of God, go I"

*primark

I sent her in a pair of DD1 last year that DD1 had outgrown and were acceptable when DD1 was at the school and we were told that they were no longer acceptable (t-bar buckle sturdy shoe not a pump) and that they had to be brogue style now.

This sort of thing. For the love of God why do schools engage in this rubbish?

longest, I fear it is so that they can put their stamp of authority on things, to show the pupils and parents who holds all the power. Making the point that they are pulling the strings . You see it all the time on the relationships boards - this is not dissimilar.

Of course it also just makes the point that they are petty, ridiculous and light years away from the real world.

Rainbow that's a bit what I think too. And then there's all these people on here saying that it's all perfectly reasonable and acceptable.

The thing is, IRL, I really do follow a lot of rules! Even some that I think are rubbish. Rules designed to mess with children's heads though really piss me off.

I don't have a reason to break the rules at my DCs' school as they are only in primary and the head is ace. I once asked her about whether a certain style of shoe was acceptable - she laughed and said as long as they were black and shoes she really didn't care. She has a reputation for being firm but fair and as such the parents and children love her. They have just been taken over by an academy though...

From someone upthread - if teachers constantly have to argue with students about infringements of rules but there are no sanctions, everyone is affected negatively because it wastes so much time

Yeah? So stop enforcing pointless rules. "It's your time you're wasting" as the teachers would probably say to the classroom of detainees.

Uniform has nothing to do either learning, and everything to do with skimming a percentage from the sole uniform suppliers. Headteachers like this shouldn't be managing public funds.

I also would never be horrible or highlight your self perceived poverty. I think your being hugely melodramatic.

Ha no you would never be horrible would you wanna. I shall add melodramatic to the list if things I am.

Am I dirt poor? No and I never said I was but I am currently too poor to find £20 a week before pay day. I live month to month and we do ok I know that is much better than most.
Yesterday was the straw that broke the camals back. After a few shitty things this month I could not control, a distressed child and another need for money I had had enough. As some say its not a race to the bottom I was just venting my spleen as I struggle to do that in rl.

Atenco
You have absolutely no concept of how quickly life can change for a family, do you?

Assume what you want, I might not have come to the UK just to be a tourist on a trust fund you know. (I wish) Nothing to do with Syria, I arrived many years before the current mess.

It's completely irrelevant with the fact that I couldn't agree more with a uniform system, which is fairer and easier for the pupils - and most of their parents. It doesn't stop them being curious, open minded, successful and entrepreneurial adults a few years later.

For those of you who think school uniform is a money making exercise, where do you think this money goes? The Head and the teachers do not get any money from this.

To those who think it is OK to not support the school about uniform, will you also moan when the teachers cannot keep control of lessons and cannot stop bullying. If you tell your children that they can cherrypick the rules they follow, then do not be surprised when their school experience is poor.

The school my DD goes to get a cut from the supplier shops and from the company supplying the pe kit (under armour)

Expemsivuniform - Where do you think this money goes? It is used to provide money for equipment and books and things to help your child. The Head and the teachers do not get a penny, that is how school budgets work.

Ds1s rugby top STILL isn't in stock yet. I've already told him if there's an issue ring me And I'll come down. Not quite sure what else I'm supposed to do when the ONLY uniform that sells them hasn't got my order in yet??
School shoes I gave up when ds1 was in primary school And he wore black trainers. Half the price of school shoes and they lasted him a Year! Clark's shoes used to be wrecked by Xmas.i also noticed most Clark's shoes look like trainers anyway

No one surely believes the teachers are making any money from this but to think the HTs/academy trusts etc aren't benefiting would be naive at best

My daughter has had a rotten year of being bullied and her self esteem is rock bottom.
She started college this week and the difference in her confidence is amazing from being able to wear her own clothes and some make up.
Her last school had compulsory 24 pound badly made skirts. For some people that is a fairly large chunk of their expendable income.

I assure you that Head teachers do not personally get a penny from uniform sales. It is crazy to think otherwise. It wouldn't be legal. It is not how headteacher pay works. Conspiracy theorists who believe this is true, feel free to put any links or evidence on this post.