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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DD in isolation for wearing the wrong socks

219 replies

swirlycurly · 24/03/2019 22:12

DD who's in year 7 is being put in the isolation room at school tomorrow for wearing the incorrect colour socks, white instead of black. She did do this two days in a row after being warned so I do think she should accept the punishment as she was warned. But AIBU to think this is a silly rule anyway? They seem to claim that having school uniform is setting them up for life and work yet what workplace is going to tell someone to work away from everyone facing a wall for the day because they wore the wrong colour socks? So why do schools feel the need to be so strict?

OP posts:
HoneysuckIejasmine · 24/03/2019 22:14

Yes it's a silly rule. I'm a teacher and I hate having to waste teaching time correcting bloody uniform.

But it is the rule, as your DD knew. And she chose not to follow it. 🤷

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 24/03/2019 22:14

Dunno.
Why does a year 7 child feel the need to wear the wrong socks?

sue51 · 24/03/2019 22:17

Yes, it is a silly rule but she chose to break it on 2 occasions. She should take the punishment a d find a more mature way to challenge school policy she does not agree with; maybe a petition.

ShitAtScarbble · 24/03/2019 22:17

Meh. She pushed the boundaries and lost the round. Her lookout.

The socks rule is silly but really it's a metaphor for learning not to be a dick and accepting that sometimes you just have to do certain shit because that's the way it is. It's a good life lesson.

swirlycurly · 24/03/2019 22:19

I'm not trying make excuses for her but she is quite forgetful, she says she often wears white socks has never gotten in trouble for it before but this one teacher noticed, told her not to it again or she'll be put in isolation. She forgot about it and wore white socks again the next day. I know it isn't something she would intentionally do as she hates getting into trouble

OP posts:
BrokenWing · 24/03/2019 22:19

She's not in isolation for wearing the wrong socks, or she would have been in the first time. She's in isolation for not following the warning.

Leeds2 · 24/03/2019 22:19

It is a silly rule, really, but DD knew exactly what she was doing and must now accept her punishment.

GoGoGadgetGin · 24/03/2019 22:20

Has it always been a rule?

Pieceofpurplesky · 24/03/2019 22:20

Hopefully she won't forget again. It's a silly rule but it's a rule.

BrokenWing · 24/03/2019 22:21

Forgetting is a lame excuse. She knows the uniform, she's been warned about wearing white socks and yet still forgot?

Peghi · 24/03/2019 22:23

Bloody stupid rule. Can her socks even be seen?

Hadenoughofitall441 · 24/03/2019 22:23

What difference does the colour of her socks matter to her education, what a stupid rule. My sisters school is full of different rul3s but one they don’t have is about socks. They can wear what socks they want.

Lucked · 24/03/2019 22:24

It seems a little excessive to me, even given the defiance. Not sure what the options are for the teachers. Isolation wasn’t a punishment when I was in school I actually think it has a place, especially if the child’s behaviour disturbed others learning, but white socks don’t distract pupils from their work.

Wolfiefan · 24/03/2019 22:26

She broke a (stupid) rule.
She was warned.
She chose to break it again.
Hopefully she will learn.

swirlycurly · 24/03/2019 22:35

I understand that she broke the rule, I'm hoping this is will help her remember from now on but it's more about the rule itself

OP posts:
Squigglesworth · 24/03/2019 22:36

If she's only ever allowed to wear black socks to school, could she help herself remember by keeping the other color separate? Or maybe put a brightly colored reminder note on or in the sock drawer?

It does seem excessively strict-- especially if she's not usually defiant or disobedient. Maybe the unpleasantness of this experience will help her remember, from now on.

(I'm thankful that I didn't have a uniform dress code to follow when I was a child... School was hard enough without stupidly arbitrary rules about sock color.)

missymayhemsmum · 24/03/2019 22:36

I think this is a very effective way for schools to ensure that pupils conform but do not respect the school or feel respected themselves.
If that's the culture of the school, does she want to be there? Do you have an alternative?

Jaffacakebeast · 24/03/2019 22:39

Isolation is a bit extreme, but I wish my ds school were stricter on uniform, honestly some of the girls look like they’re going “out out” and the branded everything is a nightmare at his school, middle ground is needed I think, colour of socks takes it too far in my opinion

angelikacpickles · 24/03/2019 22:42

YANBU, stupid rule.

IncrediblySadToo · 24/03/2019 22:42

I hate school uniform.

However, if there is one, it needs to look like one. That can only be achieved by having the children comply with it ‍🤷🏻‍♀️

RomaineCalm · 24/03/2019 22:43

She 'forgot' that she couldn't wear white socks is pretty poor as an excuse.

Yes, imo she should accept the punishment and find a way to make sure that she doesn't 'forget'.

It's harsh, especially for a pair of socks but surely this is a lesson in following the rules and not forgetting.

Thatsnotmyotter · 24/03/2019 22:45

Tbh at her age I probably would have worn white socks every day just to make a point about how ludicrous it was and how disproportionate the punishment was. I have mellowed slightly as an adult 😬

ShaggyRug · 24/03/2019 22:46

If you don’t like a rule, petition the school through the normal channels to change it. They may say no. They may say yes. But deliberately breaking a rule after a warning is stupid and the punishment should be taken.

It’s a rule. Break it and take the consequences. It doesn’t matter how much you think it’s silly. You agreed to it when you sent your child to the school.

Wolfiefan · 24/03/2019 22:46

It’s a rule? Don’t like it then choose a school with less daft rules or campaign for change. Don’t wait until your child breaks it twice and then blame the stupid rule. Confused

OhTheRoses · 24/03/2019 22:47

Not trying to be difficult here, but didn't you notice? When dd was in Y7 I was still laying out her uniform for her and reminding.