School uniform policy

[Snart]

Aibu to think it’s ridiculous that my daughters school is insisting that they wear opaque tights in this heat?

I understand I have signed a home/school agreement, but when she started last September I presumed she could wear ankle socks in the summer.

This is not an academy, it’s the local mixed sex comprehensive school. No air conditioning. No explanations other than it’s the uniform.

I’m worried about thrush plus it’s very uncomfortable for her.

YANBU. My DDs school allowed tights or knee socks so they could wear what was appropriate to the weather.

YANBU. Even hospitals have adjusted their uniform policy this week to say tights aren’t required.

Ludicrous. I bet the women staff aren't wearing tights in this weather.

Utterly ridiculous.

It’s a male headteacher - I doubt a female would impose this rule as they would understand how uncomfortable it is.

In my opinion all pupils should be able to wear their school PE kit in this weather.

Most schools I've worked at have this rule because some girls opt to wear their skirts so short their underwear would be on show without tights.
Equally, I worked in one school where the trend for Y9 girls was short clingy jersey skirts, bare legs and then over thr knee socks (essentially resembling a role play dresss up outfit from Ann Summers).

Unfortunately, many school uniform rules end up having to be made to cater for the lowest common denominator. (It's the same principle for going single supplier, which I'm also not a fan of. Because some parents can't get their head around "not skinny fashion trousers", the whole school rules end up needing to be militant to avoid the whole 'but they're black so it doesn't matter if they're leggings' nonsense).
In fact, I'd put money on someone turning up on this thread by p3 saying something to the effect of 'tell DC not to follow thr rules, rules are pushing blind obedience and anyway wjat difference does an item of clothing make?' (Happens on every thread without fail)

Most schools I've worked at have this rule because some girls opt to wear their skirts so short their underwear would be on show without tights.

So set the uniform to have a minimum skirt length and seasonally appropriate legwear. Which is what some schools seem to manage perfectly well.

There's a bit of a pelmet problem at DD's school, but even they manage to have a uniform policy that gives the option of either tights or socks.

Utterly ridiculous to insist on tights for girls in weather like this. Even for grown women, in the heat, it's only for seriously formal occasions (like meeting the Queen).

I agree they could set a minimum skirt length. They could also say ankle socks only which would avoid the short skirt/over the knee sock look. They haven’t said the rule is for modesty purposes (which I suspect). Just it’s the rules and that’s that.

I have contemplated keeping my daughter off school on the hottest days but didn’t want to go down that road.

Yanbu. I haven't worn tights in weeks. I don't think anyone in our office has. If this is ostensibly about dressing appropriately, as per the short skirt argument, it fails even on that level as tights are not appropriate in this heat.

In terms of making her more comfortable, I'm sure I've seen tights in M&S which claim to cool you down in summer and heat you up in winter. No idea if this is marketing bollocks though and I suspect it might be.

Your poor dd.

Regarding the male head being the problem, I went to an all girls school, female head, and we were required to wear opaque tights regardless of weather.

Harolds I’ve got those tights from M&S, they work fine for the first wear...

Ah ok I thought that might be the case. Scratch that then.

Schools have minimum skirt length rules anyway and still have to spend ages telling pupils we don't want to see their crotch. Remove tights and we're subjected to more than we want to see. It's just like boys wearing low trousers witj boxers on show. We don't want to see it.

The problem is that schools end up in a daft loop of teen girls dressing to adhere to ideas of attractiveness, schools point out we don't want to see their pants, then someone claims 'but it's policing girls' modesty tell the boys not to look' and general denial that teen girl adapt the uniform to gain attention (even though most adults also did the same thing when we were their age).

Schools have uniform rules. They'll set them for a range of reasons. I don't always like them all, but can empathise with why some.of them are set.

I find all uniform rules ridiculous in this weather.

I got a bollocking off my head teacher today because, shock horror, I let the pupils in my class take their blazers off, and loosen their ties and undo their top buttons whilst in the lesson.

How our head teacher expects us to insist they keep blazers, tights on when I am stood their in a summer skirt and a light t shirt is a joke.

To be fair tunnocks, quite a few schools don't allow their staff to come in in light summer skirts and t shirts. We don't have to wear full business dress but smart casual isn't considered professional attire for our school.

Today I was in a mid calf length pencil skirt, blouse and a blazer. I managed just fine. Male colleagues were still wearing suits. When it was hot, I removed my blazer (just like the students). We all managed. Neither staff nor students are going to die because it's a bit warm.

Does she have the option of trousers? They still aren't cool but might be better than sweaty tights.

Can your daughters paint their legs with gravy / liquid eyeliner / boot polish?

Seriously, stupid uniform policy. I'm never one for "email the school" but on this occasion I'd email the headmaster and ask whether common sense could prevail and your daughters could wear plain, appropriately coloured ankle socks.

It’s absolutely bloody ridiculous! Wearing tights in this weather is tantamount to fucking torture!

I suggested on the other thread that the OP ask the school why they are going against th Public Health Engand advice for a Level 3 heatwave, and to see a copy of their risk assessment.

Idiots, the lot of them.

MaisyPops - it’s not a bit warm, it’s 30 degrees. They could enforce the rule about skirt length rather than insisting students wear tights and risk thrush/uti’s. It’s not pleasant for them wearing tights to/from school either.

We tried those M&S tights but she didn’t notice any difference.

They have a strict PE kit of school polo shirt and school shorts - why not let them all wear that? Still smart and also weather appropriate.

They can wear trousers but she does not like them - I am trying to encourage her to wear them to see if it helps.

I will look for the other thread and look for that guidance. Thank you. Very helpful for when I speak to school, again. I did not want to be ‘that’ parent but we will have this problem for another 4 years.

Our school are allowing me kit in the hot weather.Since DD is allowed to wear socks she feels cooler in skirt and shirt,blazers need not be worn but weirdly if you are in uniform you must keep the tie.

I would encourage your daughter to try wearing loose ish, lightweight trousers. I feel they would be cooler than a skirt.

I was replying to tunnocks who said they were wearing summer skirts and t shirts because it's hot.

I have all my windows open. I'm still in professional dress (because I'm of the view that if we expect students to dress smartly then staff shouldn't be rolling in in casual summer clothing). Windows open, no blazers, students with their buttons undone (but ties still smart), students in skirt or trousers depending on preference, me in skirt and blouse was fine. It was a bit stuffy, but it's really not the end of the world.

As I've already said, schools already spend time telling girls to repeatedly wear their skirts so we can't see their bum. It's not lile it's not followed up becauee they wear tights. The tights rule is there because it doesn't matter what the rule is, some insist on letting the world see their bum. Nobody should have to go to work or school and see other people's underwear, bun or crotches, staff or student.