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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think this school uniform rule is silly

55 replies

cakeandcrumble · 01/11/2021 21:45

My Ds is 21 and the secondary school he went to was a strict school with strict uniform standards which I agreed with, however there was one rule which looking back I think is a bit silly. That is all pupils could only wear navy blue coats, if you came in to school wearing a black coat you were told you could not come in to school with the black coat the following day and it had to be navy blue. The reason of the insistence of the navy blue coat was that it would match the colour of the uniform which was navy blue.

AIBU to think this was silly?

OP posts:

Mamamia7962 · 01/11/2021 23:14

It is a silly rule, but then I remember when I was at school our uniform was grey and we were only allowed grey coats.

TurnUpTurnip · 01/11/2021 23:18

I didn’t realise until recently that schools insisted on certain school coats, though tbh none of the secondary school kids here seem to wear coats even in winter

QuestionableMouse · 01/11/2021 23:19

Dark coats on kids is a stupid rule.

SeasonFinale · 01/11/2021 23:20

We had to have navy coats.

To be fair you know the rules so make sure you buy navy and not black. It is no more silly than having a specific colour trousers, jumper, shirt, tie or blazer

lanthanum · 01/11/2021 23:20

When I was at school it was brown gaberdines or dufflecoats. At least navy is fairly generic.

alexdgr8 · 01/11/2021 23:24

at my school there was a uniform coat. very specific, from d h evans only.
nothing else could be worn. you didn't have to wear it if you didn't want to, but you couldn't wear anything else.
and it could only be worn while travelling to/from school, then left in the cloakroom. not allowed to be worn inside the building. same for blazers;
only the fifth form were allowed to wear them inside/during lessons.

Topseyt · 01/11/2021 23:33

Yes, it is one of those pointless rules. A rule for the sake of it.

I used to be very pro school uniform, but thanks to silliness such as this I no longer am. Schools enforcing uniform to ridiculous levels make themselves look foolish.

WithMyEncyclopedia · 01/11/2021 23:40

I think it's a terrible rule. The rest of the uniform you won't really wear anywhere else but your coat you'll wear everywhere so I think you should get to choose the colour. Also who wants to work out whose coat is whose if they all get dumped in a corner/fall off pegs etc?!

grey12 · 01/11/2021 23:44

@QuestionableMouse

Dark coats on kids is a stupid rule.

This

Tickledtrout · 01/11/2021 23:47

My kids' (state, comprehensive) high school only allows their own thin rain coat. Absolutely ridiculous.
We're rural so no choice really but youngest is y11 and I am counting down the days...

CatRamsey · 01/11/2021 23:48

I remember in my school it was black coats but it had to be ALL black. My brother wore a black coat with a very thin white reflective line down the arms, and they confiscated it and made him freeze all day! Bloody awful.

eenymeenymineymo · 01/11/2021 23:55

This might be a silly question but if your DS is now 21 I'm guessing he has left the school in question & it doesn't (or shouldn't) matter to you now.

Lots of schools have different uniform rules & apply them - or not - & there can be the argument that behaving & wearing clothing & hairstyles of a certain type can help prepare students for working life & fitting in with employers expectations.
But I have also read of instances wear male students renege against shaving or wish their hair to be longer than collar length for example - & then it can be a battle of free will against the school rules outlined when they enrolled.

(I mean hairstyles like blue hair or extreme cuts)

Dishhh · 02/11/2021 00:09

It's part of the uniform and a certain colour is specified - not black, not grey, but navy. So, navy it is. I'm not sure I understand the angst, particularly as your son isn't even at school now?

Linnet · 02/11/2021 00:16

My dd’s school says coats have to be black. It annoys me, I think if they are going to insist on a particular colour of coat they should supply it.

SingingSands · 02/11/2021 00:26

I have put up with many silly school rules over the years. I think the worst was the new primary headteacher sending a letter home on a Friday telling parents that girls were no longer allowed to wear "winter boots" to school from the following Monday - this was in November, when we'd just reached the really awful wet weather stage and most parents had invested in sensible winter boots because girls school shoes are notoriously rubbish at accommodating anything other than a light drizzle.

Needless to say, there was uproar and the rule was revoked the following week. It was also pointed out to the new head that she was wearing winter boots herself!

Hardybloodyhar · 02/11/2021 00:42

Workplace uniforms are only worn on the job. Making students wear designated outdoor coats, which are removed when they get to school anyway, seems a bit micro-managing.

We have a strict dress code at work, but I could be wearing a clown suit for all they care when I'm outside of school.

I mean, I've never tested this exact theory, but employers can't control their employees outside work, so I assume it would be ok. I have certainly worn hoodies, trainers and bike shorts and changed in the toilet.

RosettaR · 02/11/2021 00:43

I got shouted at for wearing a navy blue hairband in my first week at secondary school. Should have been red, grey, black or white. I still think it was stupid.

madisonbridges · 02/11/2021 00:50

My school uniform was brown and you had to have the school regulation brown coat. Never thought it was stupid though I hated the coat. Them woz the rulez. And we had to wear a school hat. Hated that even more.

Stompythedinosaur · 02/11/2021 00:59

I think lots of things about overly specific uniforms are stupid.

I remember out school had summer coats and winter coats - only one style and colour allowed so they were forever getting lost. There was also a date for switching into your summer coat - on 1st of June, regardless of the weather.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 02/11/2021 01:07

Our primary and secondary have a blue, black and dark grey coats policy.

I guess they look quite smart (well, the teenagers don’t bother with coats, so they could have saved themselves the trouble!) but I agree it’s daft safety wise. Really the primary at least should mandate bright yellow- or actual high vis even.

stonebrambleboy · 02/11/2021 03:54

Let it go OP.

LetHimHaveIt · 02/11/2021 05:48

'If you came in to school wearing a black coat you were told you could not come in to school with the black coat the following day and it had to be navy blue.'

Really odd way of saying the rule was 'navy blue coats only'.

Rules of this sort don't really bother me; that's what meant by 'uniform', after all. People who think they're 'silly' usually don't think other rules should apply to them or their children, either.

rrhuth · 02/11/2021 05:49

Uniforms are stupid full stop, but yes a specific colour of outer coat takes it even further.

rrhuth · 02/11/2021 05:51

People who think they're 'silly' usually don't think other rules should apply to them or their children, either. Well this is absolute bollocks.

I personally think loads of rules should apply to my kids, but am anti-uniform.

Why do people make ignorant sweeping judgements?

romdowa · 02/11/2021 05:53

I think the majority of school rules around uniform are quite stupid.

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