To think that the school cannot enforce this uniform rule?

[ReanimatedSGB]

DS started back at school on Friday and has come home with an annoying student handbook full of various pissy instructions and threats of hour-long detentions.
One thing I noticed was that 'boys' hair must be no longer than collar length. DS has long hair. While I completely understand a regulation that long hair must be tied back for school, isn't it actually illegal for them to insist that boys can't have long hair? IE sex discrimination?

The main risk I see is that pupils may end up perceiving all rules as capricious and useless

Too late. I worked that out in the 1970s ...

The main risk I see is that pupils may end up perceiving all rules as capricious and useless

My children already know that capricious and useless rules are capricious and useless. They can also see that other rules are useful and warranted.
I don't see why they should be subjected to the useless rules because some other kids and their parents can't tell the difference?

Good point, Ceto!

standing my DS struggles to work out why his old mum's music collection includes Cypress Hill, Billie Holiday, Offenbachs Tales of Hoffman, Everything but the Girl and Myley Cyrus :o

Actually I foresee the school running into trouble fairly quickly. I've just remembered that another New Rule is 'no jewellery whatsoever', with no exemption for religious jewellery. When I was a kid in the 70s and school rules were often this level of pissy, there was always an exemption for a small religious talisman (if concealed ie tucked into your shirt, and with a note from your mum). Facial hair is also forbidden, which is another thing I can see causing problems on grounds of religious discrimination (am not a theologist but I am sure that at least one of the major world religions actually forbids shaving the face).

And I will keep on encouraging everyone to question rules and break them when they are stupid. Never respect 'authority' when that authority has no respect for you...

Also, those who get their undies in a bundle about long-haired boys and short-haired girls... these are usually the sort of people with limited imaginations and some deep-rooted inadequacy, often centering on their own sexualities.

Actually I foresee the school running into trouble fairly quickly

Have you read of the parents keeping their kid off school because it accommodates Trans pupils ....

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-41224146

OK, so MrsLH and I are decrepit, past it, doddery, and probably just awaiting the sweet embrace of death ... but at least life is keeping us amused ....

LH, oh shit those poor kids. They will have psychological problems all right if their ignorant, superstitious parents pathologise difference to that extent.

An interesting thread. OP's son is not Samson who will lose his essence if his hair is cut. But interesting the school still retains this rule as regards boys.

In relation to tattoos, piercings, male long hair being OK / nothing noteworthy in professions, the city, I can say that in the company I work in (financial services, city) no men have long hair, visible tattoos or piercings - with a couple of exceptions for Sikh men. Mind you we have only just had our first woman in a headscarf start recently. All quite curious really as we prodie ourselves on diversity...

You can guarantee if Mumsnet had existed in Rosa Parks' day and she had posted
'AIBU to think that black people shouldn't be made to sit at the back of the bus?', there would be a few idiots posters saying, 'But those are the RULES!!!'

I can say that in the company I work in (financial services, city) no men have long hair, visible tattoos or piercings

Probably because society has reinforced the notion that men don't have long hair.

Just another one of society's rules policing the appearance of men and women...

I can understand your issue with the long hair not allowed on boys.

I can't understand your issue with the uniform. It really isn't that big a deal. All the crap excuses to try and flout the rules. The kids are well aware of what they need to wear. They are aware of consequences. Most uniform is not expensive and easily affordable.

Wearing the correct school uniform is not going to harm anyone. If you are going to make a stand about something, then make it over something that matters.

I would say body shaming, sexist discrimination, excessive prices, one supplier crap, humiliating students, are all things that matter...

Is this really what's happening in the schools?

They are in school to get an education not compete in being the most fashionable.

They are in school to get an education

Education, or indoctrination ?

What kind of weirdo doesn't trust a consultant because of his hair length or visible tattoo? I suppose it would at least be Darwin in action if someone with those views ended up dying because they refused treatment from a doctor whose appearance they disapproved of, but I have a horrible feeling that would end up causing a load of fuss if it happened.

What kind of weirdo doesn't trust a consultant because of his hair length or visible tattoo?

Have you met my DF ?

Erm yes it is happeming.

Multiple threads about the cost of blazers

Schools making people but from one supporting sent home when said one supplier skirt is "too short"

Girls being unable to wear trousers

Girls being unable to wear skirts

And here we have boys unable to have long hair

Girls being told not to do cartwheels without shorts on lest bits and make teachers are uncomfortable

Wake up

Lest boys and male staff

The schools in my area all have sensible uniform and mobile rules. The blazer for one local secondary is expensive but they can wear a jumper or cardigan.

Trousers or skirts can be worn by girls. The hair rules are not shaved or unnaturally coloured.

A few children get detentions for coming in trainers and then they wear the correct shoes which they have at home.

Well that's not across the board is it. You asked if it was really happeming. As we speak there are threads running that prove it is.

I get the whole point of uniform and things like long hair tied back for science and pe, but defining length of haircuts makes quite a difference to how children wish to look outside of school (I get the no skinheads thing though). At least where you're asking them to wear certain clothes to remove clothing snobbery (I do know someone who was at the receiving end of that), they can go home and change.

Not all uniform rules are sensible. See my other post about checking for the correct shade of grey: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/education/3030720-On-stupid-uniform-rules-and-how-to-explain-them-to-children-wrong-shade-of-grey

Many families cannot buy identical, yet cheaper but logo-less clothes because it's against school rules:
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/school-uniform-logo-cost-families-13309319

Some schools go as far as explicitly prohibiting sewing patches with the school logo (I can't find a link, but I remember multiple stories about such cases).

You probably remember about the Devon school where boys wore skirts in protest during the heatwave? www.theguardian.com/education/2017/jun/23/exeter-schools-uniform-resolve-melts-after-boys-skirt-protest

To put things in context, British Parliament banned corporal punishment in state schools in 1986, but it continued in non-state schools in some parts of the UK till 2003
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_corporal_punishment#United_Kingdom

In 2005, the headmasters of some Christian schools even fought a legal battle against the prohibition of corporal punishment, and luckily lost.

I hope there will be a day when these anal uniform rules are a thing of the past, and we'll look at them the way we now look at corporal punishment.

You can guarantee if Mumsnet had existed in Rosa Parks' day and she had posted 'AIBU to think that black people shouldn't be made to sit at the back of the bus?', there would be a few idiots posters saying, 'But those are the RULES!!!'

MissHoolie. Now shall we have a bet on how soon it is before someone comes along to say they are reporting you for equating the struggle for civil rights with the hankering of OP's son to wear his hair long?

MsHoolies, your comment is hilarious but also frighteningly true.