School bans pencil cases - AIBU to think this is a superficial measure?

[ScreamingValenta]

I was fascinated to read this BBC article today:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-44075878

A school has banned pencil cases (and other branded items) to avoid the stigma poorer pupils may suffer because they don't have 'designer' school kit.

This has made me feel very old - in my schooldays in the 1980s, everyone got their pencil cases from WHSmith or Woolworths, and it was fashionable to have an ancient, scribbled-on, falling-apart pencil case with the name of your favourite band tippexed onto it - new, expensive pencil cases were for geeks only.

Are designer pencil cases really a thing now? Does banning branded things in schools really help with bullying or is it a superficial tick-box exercise? Should schools not be addressing the underlying issues which create a culture of stigmatising poorer pupils - banning designer items in school won't stop pupils being seen out of school or on social media wearing unbranded clothes?

I know nothing about what goes on in schools nowadays, other than what I read on Mumsnet, so I'm not really qualified to answer my own questions - I'd be interested to hear any up-to-date perspectives from parents or teachers.

@Witchend Yes, that's a good point about socio-economic status not necessarily being linked to the ownership of branded items. My parents are very middle class but have simply never had an interest in designer items - as far as they are concerned, things like clothes and technology serve a function rather than making a statement. I can imagine the short shrift I'd have got if I'd asked for a £15 pencil case as a child!

I can certainly see why teachers find smiggle pencil cases distracting

www.smiggle.co.uk/shop/en/smiggleuk/pencil-cases/hardtop-pencil-cases/basketball-hardtop-pencil-case?colour=MID%20BLUE

My experience at school echos what some pp have said, that designer items were not always a reflection of socio-economic status. There was one girl who I remember vividly, her parents used to buy outrageously expensive items for her from the Kays catalogue and keep all of the labels in, then return them after a few months as ‘unworn’ as they could not have afforded them any other way (she was very open about this). Other parents who could have afforded to buy the items outright instead went for cheaper, own brand items (my own parents firmly believed that M&S shoes were a better choice than kickers, despite my protests).

There has always been a certain must have item that differentiates children against those who do not have it, but is not always necessarily because their parents can’t afford it.

:o at the ludicrously huge Aussie school backpacks, bizarre when they all have lockers, unlike any UK school I taught in.

I agree that the behaviour needs to be tackled. Bullies are smart and will latch on to anything that can give them an "in" with a potential victim.

my own parents firmly believed that M&S shoes were a better choice than kickers

It was Clark's or nothing for us .

It’s ridiculous. Pencil cases are not coveted items by kids.

That basketball pencil case is hilariously OTT @WednesdaySpinner. I can certainly understand why a teacher wouldn't want things like that out in class.

I refuse to buy anything like that the. If we end up with stuff it's because she got it for Xmas or something. Or had a voucher .

Not sure how helpful it is to the very people it's supposed to "protect" to force them to have to go out and buy items they didn't budget for because the gift card aunt sue gave which was going to be used to buy something now banned is now useless.. ..

There are also certain things I buy not because they are brands but because from experience they have lasted well and have gibe through both kids. We may not be breadline however I still can't afford to replace items all the time because we have been forced into buying other ones that aren't as good.

Mmmm not sure about this at all. Surely the school should focus on the underlying causes of bullying and be explaining to the kids that their parents may have different levels of income but that doesn’t matter. Just banning individual things and attempting to stop them talking about things they do out of school is pointless because it won’t work.

I can understand the intention comes from a good place but it’s misguided it also causes resentment from those who do have more resources. For example there’s a vocal parent at the the school who’s constantly trying to get things stopped or changed because some kids are deprived and it may not be fair. For example, she has tried to stop school trips (because some kids may not be able to afford them), she’s tried to get the school to ban online homework and start printing out hundreds of pages of paper instead (because some kids may not have a computer)- why not suggest that parents can have the option of paper or online why try and ban online in total? She also complained that homework should be reduced as she has three kids and it’s too much to do. Why should everyone receive less homework because she has three kids? She even tried to ban a fun run raising money for school equipment (because not all the kids will be able to afford sponsorship). Why not suggest all kids can take part but there’s no obligation for all to sponsor so they all feel part of it but the financial obligation isn’t there?

Sometimes I feel as though there’s a group of people who resent others having more and instead of finding imaginative ways to ensure all are catered for, its better to stop the wealthier kids having anything, no trips, no fun runs, no homework. All that will happen is that the wealthier families will just ensure their kids don’t go to school with poor kids (yes I know this already happens to an extent but it will get even worse).

Everything I've bought for dd from smiggle has broken really easily - it's very overpriced tat and if schools ban it, then it will be good news for parents regardless of whether they can afford it or not. I won't buy from there now - the prices are a total pisstake.

I think it's great that the school are doing what they can to level the playing field.

I think it's great that the school are doing what they can to level the playing field

They haven't though. The issues poor people face cannot be solved by a sodding pencil case. Levelling the playing field would be to ensure groups of people are targeted for support. That payment plans exist to make it easier for struggling parents to pay.

That uniform isn't difficult to come buy or excessively logos.

Maybe even breakfast clubs to ensure everyone's eaten.

Pretending something doesn't exist merely by removing the reminders is the complete opposite of levelling the playing field

Anyone who's been bullied knows first hand that it doesn't magically stop because they banned nike trainers.

Having never heard of Smiggle I've just googled it and nearly fainted at the cost. Fools and their money springs to mind. No wonder schools don't want to police this stuff.

The sought after accessory when I was at school was a matting prone fluffy case with a felt animal face and googly eyes as decor. Probably about 50p in Smiths

I ban them in my Y6 classroom because they faff with them and it drives me nuts. School already provides all essentials, so cases are unnecessary. Bah humbug.

It's not just banning pencil cases though, is it. They are trying to remove from school the obvious signs of one child having more money than another. They are changing how they teach in order to support this. They may already have breakfast clubs and cheap uniform - don't think the article says. To me, that is making school an environment where kids are equal.
Schools can't solve all social problems, all they can do is alter what is in their control.

But people aren't equal that's the point. That's a state of society everyone has to learn to deal with. How do you think it makes people feel that the school are so ashamed of a large chunk of kids that they have to ban everything just so no one can spot them.

I would be very intrigued to see at this school what their uniform regulations are and whether bullying has reduced at all. I mean significantly and long term.

If a school honestly thinks hiding problems is the best way to solve them I would be extremely concerned tbh

I'd heard of Smiggle on MN but never saw one in RL, didn't know what the prices were and wasn't aware DD knew of the brand until I took her shopping in Manchester and she all but to fell to her knees shrieking when we walked past a Smiggle. She absolutely had to spend every last penny of her Christmas money in there (£22 for a pencil case, twenty fucking two pounds on a holder for pens and pencils!)

I learned then, all her friends at school had them, she was the only one without one and also the only one without a Galaxy backpack which she also acquired in Manchester for the modest sum of £9.99.

Children do notice brands and designers and understand the difference between Smiggle and B and M but not having those things is not necessarily a path to being bullied. DD was never bullied despite not having these things. Her sister, who fell over herself to fit in with her richer peers and cried and begged until she got X bag or Y coat, was bullied relentlessly. Yes, sometimes they bullied her because her sandals weren't Doodles or she didn't have this year's Lelli Kelly's but even when she managed to cajole a financially comfortable relative into buying her these things, she was bullied because her hair was the same colour as straw or she had freckles or was too tall or skinny...

Schools banning Smiggle because it's a ridiculous brand (and I can only imagine the fuss some parents would create if their DC's Smiggle item was stolen, lost or damaged) are sensible. Schools banning Smiggle and the ilk to stop bullying are papering over the cracks rather than tackling the root cause of the issue. It won't do the poorer or the bullied kids any favours.

DD was never bullied despite not having these things. Her sister, who fell over herself to fit in with her richer peers and cried and begged until she got X bag or Y coat, was bullied relentlessly

See this is a lesson. A bloody harsh one but a vital one. The sooner kids learn who their real friends are the better.

Preferably before it's all mobile phones and social media and parents have a bit more control over where their kids are and what they do and are hopefully able to discipline their children and teach them to he kind etc

The article said they had kids who weren't coming to school on PE days. Because they didn't have the kit.

This isn't about the sodding pencil cases. They've made a whole raft of changes, in consultation with a local charity focused on improving the lives of deprived kids in the local area, to try to raise the attainment of their poorest pupils by making sure that they are in school, taking part, and not avoiding school because their family can't afford to buy them equipment, pe kit, stationary.

This is a very, very deprived area. This isn't about the kid with a £4 pencil case sitting next to a kid with a £20 pencil case, a mean comment and hurt feelings. This is about the kid with no breakfast, dirty clothes because their family can't afford to run the washing machine, no pe kit because they've out grown it and their family can't afford to buy any more, knowing that their school dinner is the only hot meal they're getting today, going home to a cold, damp house because their family can't afford to have the heating on, dealing with all of that, and then, on top of all of that, feeling left out because their friend is asking them why they don't have a sodding smiggle pencil case and having to tell the class what they did at the weekend. Oh, and they're 7 years old.

But yeah, let's pile on to that little kid because hey, in the real world people aren't all equal, and they'd better learn to deal with it. Or, you could, you know, fuck off and find some compassion somewhere.

I think, sadly, some children are more prone to bullying than others. Low level bullying would go completely over DD2's head. Bullying severe enough for her to a) notice it at all and b) give a shit would have her reaching for her Smiggle pencil case to bop someone on the head with. She's never been bullied. She did have a run-in with the class bully which lead to her whacking the girl around the face with her (empty) packed lunch bag.

DD1, at one point, was bullied and ostracised by the majority of her classmates. A few very good friends stood by her. She is still friends with those people today. DD1 noticed and took to heart every snide grin or snigger or backhanded compliment making her the perfect target for bullies seeking a reaction. She's still suffering the effects of the bullying five years on but has now stopped trying to fit in.

We have smuggle here . Some of it has been well made and lasted the pencil cases never had. I think the trend is passing in our school thank god .

DH had mean miserly parents and everything was stinged over. DH and his sisters had very little and were dowdy. They had mean holidays too. It fired DH's ambition and love of having decent stuff. He wasn't allowed school trips abroad. He has never said no and ours went on what they wanted.

His parents actually had money they just wokld not spend it.

It's ridiculous btw.

No one's said pile on the kid ffs. Not bringing a smiggle pencil case to school is hardly going to stop anyone knowing who has one. Unless you are planning on completely policing kids conversations Too? No mention of holidays or Xmas presents or birthdays etc?

Staggered appointments into town just incase people bump into eachother coming out of John Lewis or Poundland?

There are things the school can do and the local community can do if it is a high poverty area . Perhaos the school has washing machines that can be used ? Maybe there the council run facilities to help with that etc?

Second hand sales of uniform or fund raising for "goody bags "

Nome of that requires banning stuff and either making kids feel guilty for having something or ashamed cos they feel they are being made to hide away.

You could ban anything you like but unless there is some form of teaching behind it, and the bullies are dealt with effectively it won't help.

They are doing all that other stuff! Read the frigging article!

And not piling on? Really?

*I think banning stuff also robs kids if valuable life lessons.

All this over priced tat stuff is often poor quality and not really fit for purpose

It's not a bad thing to learn that actually following the crowd with no thought can leave you several quid down with an item that doesn't really do what you want it to do.*

Yeah poor kids, learn a fucking lesson why don't you.

Oh look, another one:

we need to teach our kids how to cope with people having things they don't

Another...

children will boast about exciting and expensive weekend and holiday activities and others will feel left out is just part of life, isn't it?