To contact the school about this tomorrow

[cornbeeflegs]

My eldest DD (13) goes swimming with one of her friends on a Wednesday evening, has done since last August, at the local leisure centre. She goes straight from school to her friend's house, has dinner, does homework, etc and then they go to the pool for 8pm, spend an hour in the open swim session, then she gets dropped back here by one of friend's parents.
She came back very subdued this evening, thought maybe she'd had a fallout with friend or something, eventually she opened up and said she'd got into trouble with one of her teachers. Asked her which lesson it was in and what had happened, then she said it was at swimming.
Apparently DD and friend had been waiting for their lift home after swim session when one of their teachers had seen them, recognised them as being from her school because they were in uniform, and then proceeded to tell them off for not wearing it as per school rules, even though they weren't at school they were still "representing the school" by wearing it. She's asked them both to see her first thing tomorrow morning.
Usually I'm supportive of school and if my children transgress the rules then they face the consequences. But surely this is too harsh?

Ring the school and demand an apology from the teacher concerned for upsetting your daughter about something so trivial. Also tell her you'll be keeping eyes and ears open in case she tries to bully you daughter any further. Who the heck does she think she is? I am angry just reading your post as I was a very anxious child at school (no more!) and I would have been scared stiff for getting into trouble, and when the teacher picks on something so minor it makes my blood boil.

She has no right to enforce anything out of school. I would speak to the school to remind her of her position and apologise to your daughter.

@Ileflottante

I went to quite a poncy private school and they were evangelical about how we represented the school when in uniform outside of the school gates. I got a Saturday detention for being caught drinking while in uniform out of school hours. 🙄

Wasn’t in Sussex was it this school?

@cornbeeflegs

No they can't say the kids can't wear their uniform, but they can say they need to wear it tidily etc as they are representing the school if they choose to wear it. BUT a slightly loose tie & untucked shirt at 9pm outside the leisure centre is hardly the same as doing a 'Britney' & smoking/drinking/fighting/whatever at 4pm in the town centre.

How did today go?

@BashStreetKid

This sort of pettiness is why school uniforms need to be abolished.

Hear, hear!

I wouldn't be happy about this either. It's out of school time, I could understand if they were doing something bad whilst in uniform but they weren't

This sounds ridiculous! My children keep their uniform on after school as I have no desire whatsoever for them to put yet more clothes on and get them scruffy/drop food down their clothes etc & create yet more laundry (they are high school age but do still end up dropping all sorts down themselves). I would hope that they'd look reasonably well turned out if wearing uniform out of school but I wouldn't stand for a teacher randomly coming across them at a place unconnected to school, lecturing them and punishing them. It's nothing to do with the teacher or school unless they were doing something really shocking or terrible! I would be contacting school about it too.

Hope your dd is okay today @cornbeeflegs

All seems a bit petty. Maybe dd can take an extra jumper to wear over her uniform if she's likely to bump In to this teacher again... not because I think teacher is in the right but just to avoid the agro.

Funny, when I tried to raise an issue involving a child from the local school the school said because it happened outside of school it was nothing to do with them.

How did today go?

When I taught I did this for smoking in uniform outside of school. Partly because kids shouldn't be smoking. Stunts their growth and can cause cancer

Not read the whole thread but have you checked the schools rules regarding wearing the uniform out of school times? My kids had a strict uniform where they had to wear their blazers going to and from school even if it was hot. They even had to wear them between classes and were only allowed to take them off in class if the teacher said. It is an old grammar school, so probably unnecessarily strict, but I don't think even they had a rule about not wearing uniform after school.
It's a shame your dd didn't check her uniform was acceptable before the meeting with the teacher as she might not have been so annoyed, but I think it might be a good idea for you to make an appointment with her and go from there.

Tell her to just put on shirt and skirt or whatever without the tie or logo top.

Then she isn't in uniform!

Totally disagree about abolishing uniforms. My DD was attacked by a girl after school, she was wearing her uniform. She was identified quickly and the school put a stop to it very quickly. Uniforms have lots of good points. This teacher is taking is too far.

Not read the whole thread but have you checked the schools rules regarding wearing the uniform out of school times

it doesn't matter what the rules say, they are neither reasonable nor enforceable. I would refuse to support the school with any sanctions, either for the OP's case or your example of ridiculous rules about what you can and cannot wear in hot (or cold) weather.

OP is this an academy? if so you may be on a hiding to nothing but if it's a local authority school they are a bit more accountable.

@LemonTreeGrove

I don't think schools let parents decide whether the kids do lines and detention.

Schools have to follow their own behaviour policy though.

And I don't think they can do that much if you make very clear that you refuse to support lines for a non-existent infraction.

On the one hand it's all about school-parent partnership these days. But on the other, it appears to be what over the top teacher says, goes. It doesn't work like that.

Our previous school uniform policy actually stated if you wore it out of school you were choosing to represent the school and should behave accordingly. The obvious answer is to change out of uniform.

I'm assuming you bought the uniform, if so then it isn't up to the school when it is worn.

Absolutely too harsh.
At its worst, a friendly discussion right there.
Extending one's authority into after hours is petty.
So many real problems at schools and here you have two well behaved girls getting exercise and socialising. Covid has still not taught some priority 🙄

I thought this too. Still catching up but I’d be interested to see what the infraction was and how it harmed the school’s image. What a miserable teacher too.

Another thing worth bearing in mind is that some workplaces don’t allow their employees to wear their uniform except in the workplace, so no nipping into the supermarket en route, for example. So it’s not just schools being heavy handed.

I think this is disproportionate, especially if your DD and friend are normally quite compliant and well behaved as you suggest.

My interpretation of “representing the school” would be if they were behaving badly in school uniform - being violent, drinking alcohol, shoplifting, etc. Then the teacher would have been justified in making it a punishment matter. Looking slightly less than pristine at the end of a school day is not.

I would speak to the school, and also send your daughter with clothes to change into after swimming so she isn’t punished again.

@Newenw

Another thing worth bearing in mind is that some workplaces don’t allow their employees to wear their uniform except in the workplace, so no nipping into the supermarket en route, for example. So it’s not just schools being heavy handed.

Yes but work places usually provide the uniform so it’s their property. Who pays for school uniform? I’d be pointing out that it’s not schools property If I paid for my child’s uniform, so they can’t enforce their silly rules out of school hours and outside of school boundaries.

Absolute madness - I would never (and neither would my colleagues!) make such a ridiculousness up - extra work for all - there's no rule ever about not wearing uniforms out of school - and 100 lines?! what the actual fuck?!

Go straight to the head now, OP.

Absolutely ridiculous. Was the teacher dressed like she would be for a week day? Probably not. I think she is OTT. Hope your daughter is OK. I'd have been upset, too, to be talked to like that when I was school age.

I’m a teacher. I would not have told her off in this situation. Certain characters in school love the power trip. It’s well known by teachers that SLT (assistant heads, headteachers, heads of department etc.) are bullies. I would kick up a fuss and write a letter/email to headteacher first. If not happy with response I would put a formal complaint of bullying to the governors. They cannot ignore it and she will get spoken too. Sorry I’m exhausted so might not be making sense! PM me if you want to discuss further or post on here.