DD in isolation for wearing the wrong socks

[swirlycurly]

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?

Since when were white socks off the uniform list?! I'd have thought that was pretty average.

And forgive me but "isolation" i only ever see mentioned on here. Is this normal now? Are we back in the Victorian era? What have our high schools come to?

SrSteveOskowski:
Am I the only one having a flashback to the time Adrian Mole got into trouble at school because he wore red socks instead of black?

No, you're not! I did wonder if it was some kind of covert rebellion!

None of the secondary schools round here either stipulate or allow white socks. All have uniforms and most are strict about it.

I think the "preparing for the workplace" argument is a nonsense, and would prefer no uniform. But I live in an area where there are stark inequalities and very mixed catchments and I think there is a strong argument for straightforward, easy to source uniform that everyone wears and everyone can afford.

Isolation is an appalling punishment which needs to be made illegal. By imposing it for something as trivial as this the school makes itself ridiculous.

Unquestioning obedience is not a life skill; it's the opposite.

The OP's daughter was not questioning the rule, she was (a) forgetful and (b) did not take the warning seriously. If she was genuinely opposed to the rule there are lots of other actions she could have taken - organised everyone to wear different socks, got elected to the student council and campaigned for change, written to the governing body about it. Part of what children - and adults - do have to learn is to remember rules and take warnings seriously.

Schools that claim that uniform rules set children up for the workplace demonstrate incredibly lazy thinking. I wonder how they imagine people manage in countries where very few if any schools have uniforms?

Another tread to remind me of how ridiculous some English schools are with these Bloody draconian ridiculous rules. They are socks for Christ sake. I am glad we don't live in a country where this is the norm and people so freely accept "rules is rules".

to be fair isolation usually just means a separate classroom with other transgressors and having your lunch half an hour early. it's not solitary confinement, just very boring.

It’s simple, you sign a contract, you stick to the terms of the contract, you don’t whine later that it’s stupid, unfair therefore you’re not complying - it was stupid and unfair before you signed it so why did you sign it?

Similarly here OP and her daughter know the rules of the school they chose for dd to attend. Sure white socks, black socks - who the fuck cares, right? It’s petty and ridiculous but if you sign up for petty and ridiculous too late to flout it later. They had a choice not to go to a school with ridiculous uniform rules and they failed to exercise that choice. Suck it up.

I think isolation is a rather strong punishment but I guess they feel if they relax on one thing others may slip? A detention would've been more appropriate though IMO

I went to a very strict school with ridiculous uniform rules the length of your arm. Girls had to wear white socks and boys brown. Sock inspections were a thing. If we were caught with incorrect uniform it would have been note home and a detention. Isolation was reserved for those who disrupted classes and ridiculous (according to their rules) hairstyles. I don't see how removing your child from class to sit in a room alone for her socks will benefit anyone, it might be a school rule but it seems counterproductive and a little extreme, even by my school standards.

Unquestioning obedience is not a life skill; it's the opposite.

I absolutely agree. However, those who hold the power make the rules and there is a price to pay for non-conformity. That's an important life-lesson for children to learn.

heard it bloody all now,the education system in the country is ridiculous
what stupid rules

so glad i home ed

I assume she puts on her school skirt/ trousers not the pink rara skirt or her jeans? And the school blouse or sweatshirt not her yellow vest top or rainbow jumper? She doesn't forget that so there's really no excuse for forgetting to wear the right underwear.

If the issue is not wanting her to be blindy obedient and to fight against the system because one day she'll be in a highly paid job with no uniform so it's pointless, help her to make a point in a way that doesn't keep landing her in isolation

Unquestioning obedience is not a life skill; it's the opposite.

But picking your battles is a life skill. If you choose to be part of a community you live by its rules. Some rules are petty, but probably you can live with them. No-one is harmed by being politely requested to wear a particular colour socks.

I never 'learnt the lesson' at school, just thought it was bloody pedantic and needlessly rigid. Was happy to keep pushing the boundaries and taking the shit dor the principle and still feel the same way! Was also interesting which teachers silently smiled and let me crack on (ie the ones I had most respect for) and those who seemed to think eyeliner was some kind of mind altering substance. Having said that, punishment was 'go scrub off your eyeliner' or detention. Isolation is ridic and counterproductive .

The rule is stupid yes, but she shouldn't have ignored warnings... Twice.

Sorry if someone has already mentioned this but this reminds me of Adrian Mole!

I think the punishment is probably for ignoring warning/being defiant than the actual sock colour rule.
The breaking of the rule the first time only resulted in a warning, and I imagine that had she then stuck to the rule and then a few months later worn wrong socks she would have only gotten another warning. It's the fact that she did 2 days in a row that makes it look that she is thumbing her nose at the teacher and needed to be addressed.

I can't get het up about schools enforcing whatever the rule is about sock colour. I can understand they don't want kids in luminous pink socks, Denis the menace red stripey socks or fishnets so they come up with something sensible and stick to it. I have much more of a problem with schools enforcing uncomfortable pointless rules such as long trousers only, or blazers/jumpers having to stay on even when it's boiling and the child has a banging headache.

If we want schools to be places of learning rather than crown control, and if we want discipline to be good, rules have to be strict and they have to be enforced consistently.

Yes but which rules. You'd be amazed how many schools manage to be fantastic places of learning and development for children without rules about socks.

Only read the first post, but is mostly teaching about following rules and authority and consequences for ones actions.

It’s ridiculous to be so authoritarian with our children