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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wonder why secondary school kids never wear coats even when it’s raining?

131 replies

Herbalteahippie · 11/10/2019 19:17

When I was at school in the early 90s it was uncool to wear a coat even when it was pudding down or cold. I even got punched and kicked for wearing a coat!
I live by a school and I see nothing has changed- drenched teenagers plodding home soaking wet.
Why?!

OP posts:
SirTobyBelch · 11/10/2019 23:58

Because they'd have to wear the coats all day. Schools refuse to provide lockers.

WineOrGinOrBoth · 12/10/2019 00:01

Dc has a share of a tiny locker which just about fits books in, never mind a coat. Madness.

SavageBeauty73 · 12/10/2019 00:03

North London. All my teenagers wear coats and their friends.

Blankscreen · 12/10/2019 00:06

I think they only want to wear them if the are 'cool' I know that is not the right word.

Round here that means either Moncler, Canada Goose, North Face (probably fake) or those reflective ones.

If it's not one of those then apparently it's embarrassing!

giggly · 12/10/2019 00:12

This actually really riles me. No lockers after first year and kids not allowed coats on in the school only blazers. So no option but to carry them about all day soaking wet. Fucks me right off when the teachers walk past all snuggled up and dry in their coats though Angry fucking double standards as usual for teachers.

user1511042793 · 12/10/2019 00:13

Because they have no where to put it and moving around with a wet coat is annoying.

soggypizza · 12/10/2019 00:23

@LolaSmiles I don’t understand what has changed - I went to a school with high uniform standards but the wearing of coats indoors was never seemed to be an issue, Or Boots But somehow schools are not designed to cope with normal everyday clothing anymore - why is that?

UterusUterusGhali · 12/10/2019 00:26

Coz they have to wear the bastarding blazer all day. And they don’t have a place to put the wet coat.
It wouldn’t be expected if you were in work so it’s ridiculous kids should have to do it.

Advicewel · 12/10/2019 00:55

They aren't allowed to wear them inside school gates so then would have to carry wet jackets about school all day

Tvstar · 12/10/2019 01:02

My dc are supposed to leave them in a no secure cloakroom, so everything decent is liable to be nicked, and this is a grammar school in a naice area

LolaSmiles · 12/10/2019 07:15

soggypizza
I'm not sure overall what's changed for lots of schools to have the rule. As I say, it's not a rule I would choose but from the school's I know who have it, i can see the logic in some places and think it's ridiculous in others.

I wonder if the change in school uniform plays a part. My school uniform was any black skirt/trousers that wasn't fashion items, white shirt, tie and school jumper/sweatshirt.
Now a lot of uniforms have jumpers and blazers and prescribed coat colours and shoe stipulations. Some of the changes make sense against a culture of somr parents who actively choose to buy non uniform items, but others seem to be more a big shift in state school uniforms for image reasons. A coat over a blazer, depending on the blazer, could be uncomfortable (I'm guessing as some of my work blazers are fine under a coat but others I have to take off under my coat because they're too thick)

FreshHorizons · 12/10/2019 07:24

As people say it is to do with having to carry them all day.
When I was at school we had a cloakroom and could leave them.
Also we didn’t wear the blazer except to travel to school and that got left in the cloakroom. If it rained, or was cold, we wore a coat instead of a blazer. Who wants to bundle a coat on top of a jacket?

lotusbell · 12/10/2019 07:30

DS12 wears one but puts it in his locker,they don't seem to do coat oegs these days - probably too much stuff getting pinched. Ds12 also uses an umbrella which never ceases to surprise me but he does use public bus to get to school so has a 10 minute-ish walk uphill to get to school, plus his bus stop on the way back has no shelter.
I dont think they're allowed to carry them around school, one way system and all that do I guess most dont bother, especially if they are dropped off or door to door, more or less. Ds12 uniform doesn't have a blazer but imagine it's awkward for those who have those too.

EdersonsSmileyTattoo · 12/10/2019 07:32

DS(13) always wears his coat if needed as he hates being cold or wet. His school don’t have lockers either.

Some of the kids at his school wear body warmers zipped up over their blazers which I think looks ridiculous!

LolaSmiles · 12/10/2019 07:39

fresh Secondary cloakrooms aren't a thing these days and haven't been for years.

Logically, you'd put your blazer in your bag, wear a coat and then swap, but then I remember going to school with just my sweatshirt on, a scarf and an umbrella.

I'm sure teens not wearing coats isn't a new thing.

FreshHorizons · 12/10/2019 07:44

I know they are not a thing LolaSmiles - my sons had lockers so didn’t wear coats whatever the weather. I was explaining why it has changed from my day!

ChilledBee · 12/10/2019 09:01

Crap mandatory school coats and/or nowhere to leave them when they move around all day.

ChilledBee · 12/10/2019 09:03

Putting a blazer in a bag is a silly idea as the lack of room will mean the blazer becomes creased and soiled every day. Won't work for busy parents who have to sort out uniform or oversee their child doing it. That's if they even have the room to put in in.

Missingsandraohingreys · 12/10/2019 09:04

It’s the same and worst in January
Clearly an upsoken SS ‘rule’
And DC has started already !

soggypizza · 12/10/2019 09:07

@Lolsmiles i can see the logic in some places and think it's ridiculous in others. Can you explain the logic in not allowing kids to wear a coat indoors or not allowing kids to wear boots at secondary school? Even the boys are not allowed to wear ankle boots. I really can't figure it out - we comply, of course we comply but we always eyeroll. I have lost quite a lot of respect for the HT and her obsession over image.

Cecilandsnail · 12/10/2019 09:08

I've actually noticed the opposite! Coats were uncool in my yoof, yet around here I'm always amazed by all th3 teenagers walking to and from school in coats even when the weather doesn't dictate it! It always makes me think 'ooo how times have changed' 😂

FredericaBimmel · 12/10/2019 09:11

Only seniors have lockers at the school I work at. There just isn’t space for 1000+ lockers in the building. We don’t have a policy of no outdoor clothing inside, but I sort of wish we did. Asking teenagers to take coats and hoodies off constantly is very wearing. Up to 8 times a day I have to have the same conversation and deal with the resulting refusal when somebody invariably decides they don’t want to or says that Mr X let them keep it on last period. Drives me mad.

SarahTancredi · 12/10/2019 09:12

Dds school has lockers but you have to pay and pre book and there are limited numbers .

So I expect it's aseveryone else has said. No where to put the coats. It's one extra thing to carry and has anyone tried to source a coat that fits in with school regulations lately?

Dd is quite lucky her black parka seeks to be acceptable . But I wouldn't want to take my chances in a "no for trims, no visible logo, all black, or navy only " coat school.

FredericaBimmel · 12/10/2019 09:13

I should also say I don’t think it’s fair to have a policy of no outdoor clothing inside while not providing lockers/cloakrooms, so there isn’t really a solution for us.

soggypizza · 12/10/2019 09:13

@FredericaBimmel why do you have to ask them to take their coats off - surely they just do that when they feel too hot? I really don't understand how this has become such a big modern issue.