School blazer

[HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend]

Ds has been given a 90 min detention today as he did not ask permission to remove his school blazer during his first lesson today.

The school uniform has only just changed this year (today is their 1st day back) to a jumper/blazer.

In Y7 uniform was a polo shirt and jumper , Y8 uniform changed to a white shirt and tie and then this year Y9 to a shirt, tie jumper and blazer.

NOTHING is in the school policy that you have to request verbal permission to remove the school blazer when in class.

Ds form tutor mentioned nothing to the pupils today about blazer etiquette.

Ds took his blazer off as it was aggravating his eczema however was immediately told off and was given the detention and behaviour points, he tried to explain/show the teacher his skin however was told to stop asking and do his work.

Ds has a rare form of eczema and will now require a course of steroid treatments, the school is fully aware of his medical history (anaphylaxis allergies and skin conditions) also this teacher is fully aware of his medical history as she has taught him since Y7 and also had to administer ds his emergency care plan during a lesson last year.

Tbf im between angry and annoyed, it’s the first day of schooling and of course everyone makes mistakes/over cautious but then this teacher has caused ds condition to flare up and ignored his pleas when trying to explain he was hurting and uncomfortable, I don’t find this acceptable.

Tomorrow I will be requesting that his school nurse provide a pass to remove his blazer, he shouldn’t need to openly discuss his medical condition in front of his peers! in fact my personal opinion is that no child should be forced to sit in a jumper/blazer if they are hot.

AIBU to refuse to allow ds to attend the detention? tomorrow and phone the school to request they amend their school policy to reflect uniform etiquette?

The school shouldn't be adding expensive blazers to the uniform anyway. It's a direct contravention of recent government uniform guidance - www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms

I suggest you write to the Chair of governors asking why they have done this. Ignoring the rules is hardly setting the pupils a good example.

Ds has been given a 90 min detention today as he did not ask permission to remove his school blazer during his first lesson today.

the more i read about UK schools and their utterly batshit uniform policies, the more glad i am that my DCs didn't have to put up with it.

Having to wear a blazer all the time? permission not to be hot and uncomfortable? JFC teachers have enough to do apparently, why are they all going along with this batshittery.

FWIW: i went to a private school with an awful awful uniform. The one time they tried to make us all leave blazers on all the time was the one time we all just walked around in shirtsleeves until it stopped. It took us 3 weeks, though. And some parents weren't on our side.

Can anyone explain the reason for forcing children to overheat by refusing to allow them to remove a blazer/jumper? I can not see why this rule even needs to exist.

I completely understand that. Which is why parents need to come together and stop it.

i agree with you. I’m never done being amazed when I read on MN what nonsensical school rules surrounding uniforms parents are prepared to tolerate.
I fully support the wearing of school uniform, but the crap about not being permitted to remove a blazer or jumper is beyond belief.

Why do parents tolerate it?

The teacher sounds like a bully on a power trip. Your poor DS.

Why would it being an academy make a difference? Academies are just schools.

What an absolute twat of a human. I'd be taking this all the way and, even though it may not actually gain anything I would be informing the school that you were going to involve social services and solicitors

I haven't the faintest idea why anyone reading this would think you were being unreasonable!
I hope your DS recovers quickly and you get an appropriate response from the school

If the sanction for removing a piece of clothing that was harming your ds is a 90 minute detention, I can't wait to hear what the sanctions are for the teacher who wilfully ignored a child's medical needs, which could have led to anaphylaxis, caused him to need urgent medical treatment, medication and now IV meds, which carry their own risks for someone, especially with skin conditions.

I'd want to know exactly how they were being punished seen as the school is so keen harsh treatment.

I think that I would be aiming for him to be exempt from wearing a blazer at all to be honest. The school has to make reasonable adjustments for medical conditions. Now his condition has taken a serious turn as a result of the actions of this teacher, put everything in writing and hold them to account.

He should have just been told he needs to keep blazer on unless given permission- a detention of any kind for a first offence is way over the top.

I hate these rules. Even worse that it doesn’t even say anywhere that it’s a rule! My sisters high school was the same- kids had to ask permission to take a blazer off if hot- mental. As a primary school teacher if a child told me they were hot I would be encouraging them to use their initiative and take off their jumper, in high school they have to ask?! It’s so ridiculous. My sister refused all her detentions for taking off a blazer when hot and my mum wrote a note to say she has permission to take it off if she was hot (it was June and a heatwave and she was prone to fainting). You are so nbu. I hope you play hell with the school and I hope your ds is ok

That’s horrendous! Your poor DS. Absolutely complain! My only thought is maybe (hopefully!!) the teacher is not completely mean and has been stressed and had loads of teenagers making excuses and stupidly dismissed your DS without properly listening to him.. still not ok I know.
bloody secondary schools and their stupid rules. I will be telling my child that if he’s hot he can take off his blazer and if he needs the toilet to just bloody go and screw the detention. It’s basic human rights.

Absolutely mad. Imagine having to ask permission to adjust your clothes if too warm/cold? I’m not a particularly warm person but I couldn’t sit indoors with a shirt, jumper and blazer on. I hope your son recovers quickly - cruel.

Im a teacher and I wonder if there was a lot of poor behaviour going on in class. Maybe it was chaotic and the teacher thought your son was kicking up a fuss to escalate this and didn’t handle the situation well? Did he ask nicely or with attitude? Is he normally well behaved in class or does he have form for disrupting class.

If not this really was not on and I would make a complaint.

Some of the posts on here say 'why do parents tolerate this?' but tbh as a parent you really don't have much choice. I've made complaints to my son's school various times about silly rules that have no grounds except teachers' power trips, but nothing changes.

Find out who is the senior leader in charge of safeguarding at the school and write to them. Also there should be a school governor who has safeguarding under their remit. Your child should have an individual health care plan that allows for reasonable adjustments to ensure they maintain good health. The actions as described appear to have had an adverse effect on their health for that reason I would involve the designated safeguarding lead.

More information:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/803956/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf

Absolutely YABU. Even if he didn't have allergies, it would be ridiculous to make pupils ask every time they wanted to take a blazer off. Provided they put them on when they're moving between classrooms or whatever, it's utterly insane to not let teenagers decide whether they're too warm or not. Also, even if that was the rule, all the teacher had to do was say 'I'll let it go this time but just to remind you all, if you want to take your blazer off you should ask first, OK?'

Academies are notorious for things like over-rigid uniform policies, especially when they've just taken over or a new head is appointed. It's a much easier win than improving teaching. For a time people think there's an improvement because the pupils suddenly look smart and they can persecute any rebels, then everyone notices that actually academic results haven't improved, the head is made to resign, and the new head implements a new uniform so the whole cycle starts again.

What a load of shit. I would be kicking off about this.

I think high school rules should mildy reflect what is expected in the workplace.

Things like

You can't always go to the toilet exactly when you feel the need.

Adhere to uniform policy

Be working when you are expected to be, chatting etc is for breaks

Be on time and have good attendance

Nowhere I have ever worked would get away with expecting a human being to ask permission or be refused to remove one of THREE layers especially during a warm time of year.

Well, no, he shouldn't. Because the staff were supposed to have been told that it was dangerous to this child to overheat. The school has a duty to make reasonable adjustments, which in this case should obviously be simply blanket permission to the child to regulate his own temperature without waiting for a chance to request permission.

Absolutely. They know that wearing the blazer is uncomfortable. Refuse the detention and tell the school in no uncertain terms why.

As an aside, the whole "blazers on until I say otherwise " is utterly ridiculous. You don't sit around at home in a suit. We'll, not if you're not in the Rees-Mogg family.

@Sunnyqueen ex teacher here. I often found the rules to be absolutely ridiculous, however the teachers aren't being jobsworths.

Believe it or not, they are often treated like kids themselves and given proper tellings off if they are found to be lax on the rules.

Once I was teaching a Year 10 class and we were totally immersed in the work. Some great learning going on.
The headteacher came in unannounced doing a school tour. It was then I noticed one of the girls had her coat on.
I was hauled into the office for a telling off. No mention of how well everyone had been working.

Teachers are under so much pressure and in fear of losing their jobs. This is one reason why rules like this are enforced.

I can also understand why a stressed out teacher at the start of term, possibly with a class of 32 kids, didn't have time to listen.

All that said, I think they should all have been made aware of the OP's son's medical condition and that he should not be required to wear it. I would definitely be complaining in this case, and I am usually the first to say just follow the rules.

Sorry quick email- Currently waiting to see his paediatrician and awaiting a decision if hospital treatment is required (looks likely)

I’ve called the school this morning and asked about the blazer policy, receptionists confirmed blazers are to be worn at all times expect when in classrooms in which they don’t require permission.

We emailed last night requesting the lead safeguarding officer contact us asap and requesting his care plan pack information , however this morning I’ve requested to speak to the head teacher and have made it clear if I don’t have contact by the end of the day I will be going to Ofsted/head of education and getting our local MP involved (who is also a governor at the school).

Priority first tho is to get ds treatment.

I think it needs parents to group together, single voice, no matter how man6 there are, will be ignored